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How to Celebrate the Holidays in a Retirement Community

If this is your first time spending the holidays in your retirement community, you may be a bit concerned about how different it will be from your holiday celebrations at home. Here are a few suggestions on making the season fun, festive and warm.

Don’t Wait. Initiate!

If you are less mobile in your retirement community than you were in the past, why not bring the holiday festivities to you? Invite friends over for an afternoon get-together and serve them holiday cookies and eggnog. Or plan a holiday potluck with your friends and relatives.

Invite the Neighbours

One of the bonuses of living in a retirement community is that you are blessed with an automatic social network. Other residents may find themselves alone over the holidays due to mobility issues or, like yourself, they may be new to the community. Invite them over to your apartment unit, or plan a party in the communal area.

Make Decorating Part of the Fun

Decorating your home is a time-honoured way of getting into the holiday spirit. But if you don’t have the time or the energy to put up the tree, make decorating part of the party! Ask anyone who visits you to help put up one of your Christmas decorations. Or, you can organize a decorating party at the beginning of December so that your home is fully decorated by the time Christmas arrives.

Go Caroling

Do you like to sing? Then put up a notice on your residence’s community bulletin board and gather a few like-minded crooners to create a carolling group. Host a couple of rehearsals then head out into the neighbourhood to share your tunes. Encourage participants to wear festive sweaters and Christmas caps to get everybody into the holiday mood. This activity will probably work best with the participation of your community manager if you have one. If you’d prefer not to walk and to stay indoors instead, then organize a performance at your retirement centre and have the audience come to you.