Holiday Fun for Everyone
The Holidays can be a wonderful family time, but the season can also be difficult for some families. Questions can arise. What are we going to do with our grandparents? What activities would be fun for the whole family?
Besides simply having fun, social connections and interactive activities have been linked to health benefits, from physical health to mental health. When older adults live alone or are isolated from others, the risk of depression and anxiety setting in is much greater than for those who regularly socialize and seek new hobbies.
Fun and Festive Holiday Activities for All
Having difficulty coming up with great Holiday activities that everyone can enjoy together? Here are some helpful activities to help you and your loved ones get started.
1.) Wrapping Gifts and Filling Stockings
For those who enjoy gift wrapping, festive papers and bows make recipients even more excited to open their presents. You can also stuff stockings with candy canes, trinkets, and special tokens of your love.
2.) Decorating Wreaths, Christmas Trees, and Mantels
Hanging sentimental ornaments, stringing holiday lights, and decorating to your taste makes the holiday season even more special.
Putting up a small Christmas tree and some festive decorations will be fun for everyone. Be sure to visit as often as possible and make decorating for the holidays a tradition the whole family joins together for!
3.) Window Dressing
Take full advantage of your windows. If you have window boxes, you can arrange pine boughs and pinecones to create a festive winter look.
You can set out battery powered candles on your windowsills to light your windows at night. Many of these candles also come with ways to adhere them to the windowsills itself.
Wreaths hung on the door and in the windows are a timeless holiday decoration. You’ll probably want them hung on the outside of the windows.
4.) Advent Calendar
For many families, Christmas is not only a nostalgic time of enjoying family and gifts, but also a time of reflection, meditation, and celebration of the birth of Jesus. An advent tradition helps families stay focused on celebrating the true meaning of the season.
Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for Christmas. Many advent calendars mark the days of December with some kind of gift or activity. You can enjoy an advent calendar with family members of all ages. Another fun advent tradition is to read a Christmas book with the grandkids before bed.
5.) Knitting or Crocheting Cozy Winter Clothing
There’s something relaxing about working with your hands to create a handmade scarf or winter hat for friends and family. Spend some time talking and enjoying each other’s company while making a beautiful piece of clothing.
6.) Caroling and Enjoying Holiday Tunes
The sounds of holiday songs bring back so many special memories. If you don’t sing – play your favorite Christmas tunes or watch a holiday movie together. It is another way to show how much you care.
Christmas caroling is a great way to bless friends and neighbors. Even for those people who don’t want to open their door to listen, it can be lovely to sit quietly in your home as you hear friends and neighbors sing Christmas carols outside. Don’t forget the hot chocolate when you return from caroling!
7.) Writing Cards for Loved Ones
Wish season’s greetings to those closest to you with a special, handwritten card. You can even create the card yourself by adding a personal touch. A personalized card is very special to older adults.
8.) Send out a Christmas Letter
Adult children remember their parents sending out a Christmas letter to friends and family giving them an update on the family’s news for the year. It would usually have a picture of that year’s family vacation, or maybe the Thanksgiving celebration that year. This is a great way to stay in touch with loved ones, and to reflect on and remember how your family has grown and changed through the last year.
9.) Bake Cookies Together
This is a favorite Christmas activity for many families. Consider making the classic cut-out sugar cookies in various holiday shapes, but if you don’t love sugar cookies, make the kind that you usually make. Let the kids decorate cookies when they go to their grandparents’ house.
10.) Sharing Memories around the Fireplace
All it takes is a fireside chat to feel the warmth of the season. Get to know a neighbor and share your favorite pastimes with them.
Sometimes the fireplace isn’t a possibility. Consider spending time talking with family members on the phone or via Facetime or Zoom. Technology has made communication so much easier with video chat – be sure to take advantage of this tool all through the year, not just during the holidays.
11.) Hosting Holiday-Themed Game Nights
For older adults who love friendly competition, organize a game night with neighbors. Try holiday bingo, cards, or a guess-the-number-of-holiday-candies game.
12.) Organizing a “Secret Santa” Gift Exchange
Gift-giving is all about the thought. For those who may not have loved ones close by, try organizing a small gift exchange with friends and neighbors to brighten this time of the year. Bring them a small gift, like a new book, scarf, or ornament. It’s not about the size or cost of the gift, but the thought that counts. A gift shows the recipient that you were thinking of them and is a great way to spread holiday cheer!
13.) Build a Gingerbread House
There’s no right or wrong way to build a gingerbread house. And there are no rules when it comes to too much candy or icing. It’s always fun to see what everyone comes up with.
You could also make traditional gingerbread men if that sounds like more fun. Do some experimenting until you find recipes your family loves and bake them year after year. It’s a great way to build anticipation and start a new tradition!
14.) Play in the Snow
If you live in a climate where you have a snowy December, this is a great time to enjoy time playing in the snow. Sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or even just building snowmen and making snow angels. Your older adults may not enjoy playing in the snow, but they will enjoy a picture of their grandchildren playing in the snow.
15.) Go Look at Christmas Lights
Looking at Christmas lights a great way to spend some family time in the car. If you don’t have a holiday light show in your area, you can drive around area neighborhoods that have good light displays. Be sure to play some Christmas music while you’re driving around!
16.) Make a Christmas Table Runner
Do you want to have a stunning Christmas table for the holidays? You can make a simple table runner by sewing one out of a beautiful Christmas fabric. Finish it off with a clear vase of pinecones and holly branches and a couple of candles, and you have a gorgeous place to serve Christmas dinner.
17.) Christmas Breakfast
Having a special breakfast to enjoy every Christmas morning could be special.
Some ideas are gingerbread pancakes, waffles, French toast, or cinnamon buns or breakfast casserole that was mixed up the night before that you put it in the oven upon waking up. By the time everyone finishes opening their presents, breakfast is ready.
18.) Take a Family Photo
Consider a yearly family photo taken in front of the Christmas tree. It’s a nice thing to send to friends and hang on the fridge, but it also gives you a great visual for how your family changes from year to year.
Make Christmas Day a Family Day
Make a priority of spending quality time with your family all day Christmas Day. Turn off all the phones and tablets and focus on one another instead of retreating to individual screens. Use the time to play games, make food together, and maybe watch a Christmas movie.
Look at these activities and decide which ones are best for your family and friends, make some new traditions, build lasting memories, and enjoy the holidays together!
For more great holiday activities and tips on caring for aging adults, The Ohio Masonic Communities is your go to resource. With three locations in Springfield, Waterville, and Medina, OH, their senior living communities offer 24/7 care and support for independent living, assisted living, and memory care. If you and your loved one are interested in senior living, schedule a tour at one of the scenic and beautiful communities. Call (877) 881-1623 today to learn more about their great senior living options.