News

As the holidays approach, it’s time to start thinking about how you want to celebrate. Throughout the fall and winter, Canada celebrates a myriad of holidays from different cultures and religions, making for a beautiful time of celebration and love. For residents of a long-term care or retirement home, the holidays can look a bit different. Sometimes, scheduling outings and plans with family becomes more difficult because the resident’s loved ones have busier schedules during the holidays. That makes it even more important to be intentional about your plans so you can spend more time with your loved ones and enjoy this time of year together.

The holidays are all about sharing a festive and joyful experience with those you love, but sometimes there are barriers. Canada’s holiday season can come with cold weather and dangerous roads, making it important to find ways to celebrate that are safe and accessible. Holiday celebrations can be shared amongst residents and their loved ones, giving everyone something joyful to look forward. The plans can be big or small, but most importantly, the plans should bring cheer. Here are some of our favourite ways that we’ve seen our residents celebrate and make the most of the holiday season:

Get social

Holiday celebrations don’t have to be fancy to feel fulfilling. Sharing the joy with other people can be one of the best parts of the holidays, so start by making plans to socialize and spend quality time. Make plans with other residents to share conversation over a meal or coffee, or an invite extended to loved ones to spend some time reconnecting.

Unwind

The winter months bring a cozy feeling to your indoor spaces. Warm up by the fire and sip a hot chocolate on your own or with friends or watch a holiday movie (we love a throwback!). The holidays can be a great time to slow down and unwind, with opportunities to relax celebrate around every corner. With the hustle and bustle of the world during this busy season of the year, it’s important to carve out time to rest and relax.

Make it a party

Holiday plans can be shared with pals no matter the activity. If you’re making hot chocolate, invite your friends to join you for a mug! If you’re baking cookies, plan a cookie swap. If you’re watching a movie, ask your friends to bring a snack and join you. We love it when residents share joyful experiences with one another. Planned activities can be added to your social calendar to share in the joy of the holidays with your neighbours and friends.

Involve your family

Sharing the joy of the holidays with your nearest and dearest can fill your cup in ways that sparkly decorations and holiday sweets just can’t. Invite your family and friends who don’t live in your residence to join you for holiday festivities. We’ve seen grandkids come for a cookie baking day, best friends stop by for a holiday movie party, and everything in between. What’s most important is that you make time for your family to celebrate alongside you and enjoy your residence with you.

Get crafty

Holiday crafts are a wonderful way to decorate your space, showcase your holiday spirit, and spend time doing something fun and creative. Some folks paint their own holiday cards and others make table or tree decorations. Crafts can vary in difficulty and accessibility and are a great way for people of different cultures, ages, personalities, and abilities to work together on something fun and festive.

Share the joy

They call it the season of giving! The holidays are a time to show your love in extra little ways. Through gifts, cards, and quality time, you can share your joy and seasonal festivities with the people around you. This can be in the form of thoughtful gifts or hand-written cards, or simply sharing your favourite movie to watch or your family’s famous cookie recipe. Giving is a joyous way to celebrate the season with the people around you, and a fun way to show people just how much you care.

There is no one way to celebrate the holidays correctly, and we encourage our residents to share their holiday traditions and joys with others to create the fullest and most vibrant holiday season within our homes. For more information about Omni residences and activities, go to https://omniqualityliving.ca/