Winter Holiday Activities for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

This time of year full of decorating, traveling, and fun gatherings of family & friends presents a veritable smorgasbord of possible seasonal and holiday related activities, many of which can be adjusted to the various needs of your senior loved ones.
 
Here's a small start-off sampling of suitable activities that should provide a blend of entertainment,  convenience & usefulness, while also providing a bit of beneficial mental or physical exercise.

Holiday Crafts

• Great as both an activity for individuals or for a group and can also double as gifts or as the decor being used in other holiday activities (such as Holiday I Spy). Check out our previous blog post for senior appropriate holiday craft suggestions.
  

Holiday Light & Decor Viewing

• This activity can be tailored specifically to the health issues of your senior loved ones with those who are mobile enough and not overly sensitive to temperatures being able to take evening walks with the group through town to view the outdoor decor and lighting. Cars can be used for those who are less mobile or substitute a walk (or wheelchair push) through the nearby mall to view their indoor decorations.
  

Watching Holiday Shows

• There are plenty of holiday classics being shown on broadcast television this time of year as well as those available through renting a DVD or streaming a movie. Some time honored  suggestions (and those that may already have happy connections in your senior's memories) include It's a Wonderful Life, The Nutcracker, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jack Frost, Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Babes in Toyland, White Christmas, We're No Angels, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, A Christmas Story, and The Muppet Christmas Carol
  

Christmas Carol Sing Along

• Music has proven to be quite therapeutic and there's nothing quite like an old song from one's youth to induce a bit of nostalgia and shake lose some memories. Remember to focus on old fashioned carol classics as well as the more modern songs during this activity, which can be done within the privacy of one's own home or combined with outdoor holiday viewing.
  

Holiday Treats

• The making of holiday treats can become a fun activity of its own, whether it comes from building a pre-made Gingerbread House kit, creating sugar or chocolate chip cookies with holiday cookie cutters, or roasting marshmallows at the fireplace. This can segue into further games such as playing Guess the Cookie (by it's smell alone), hanging sugar cookie decorations, playing Guess the Number of gumdrops in a jar or the total number of cookies having been baked within the day.
  

Holiday Storytelling with Treats

• Reminiscing and storytelling is not only a favorite past time amongst many seniors, but is also helpful in keeping one's memories & mental abilities sharp. Add in hot cocoa, hot cider, and other seasonal treats (including those that may have already been baked in a previous activity) for an extra bit of fun. In particular, A Cup of Christmas Tea themed parties are quite popular this time of year.
  

Holiday Games

• A bevy of holiday themed games are available ranging from trivia based games (where one can give out seasonal treats for answering correctly regarding holiday traditions, songs, and even movies that may have been previously watched as a group activity), to Holiday I Spy games using seasonal decor previously created by your elderly loved ones, to Xmas Bingo (available as free printouts [1, 2] or as commercial games [1, 2]) or to online holiday themed games [1, 2] (especially handy on senior tailored tablets as shown on our previous Holiday Gifts for Seniors post)