Performances to Liven Up New Year Parties for Elderly Care Facility Staff
A New Year’s party is an event to celebrate the start of a new year and refresh our spirits.
Of course we exchange New Year’s greetings, but we also want to make it a joyful gathering where we can share the excitement of the year’s beginning.
With that in mind, we’ve put together ideas for performances and activities suitable for a New Year’s party for staff.
Many of these are primarily carried out by staff members, but it’s even more enjoyable if you find ways for older adults to join in—like clapping along or singing together.
Preparing props for a lion dance or making omikuji (fortune slips) can be a lot of work, but it could be nice to have the older adults help during a pre–New Year’s party recreation session.
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- [For Staff at Elderly Care Facilities] Simple Performances to Liven Up a Year-End Party
- Entertainment ideas for year-end parties that seniors will enjoy
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- Recreation Activities to Liven Up January Events for Seniors
- [Christmas Party at the Nursing Home] Staff Take on the Challenge! Fun Performances Everyone Can Enjoy
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- [For Seniors] Brighten Up Your New Year’s Party: A Collection of Handmade Decoration Ideas
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[For Staff at Elderly Care Facilities] Performances to Liven Up New Year’s Parties (1–10)
tea party
As one idea to liven up the New Year, how about hosting a tea gathering? In the way of tea, the first tea gathering of the year is called “hatsugama.” It is an event where proper attire and etiquette are expected, but if you hold it at a facility, simply enjoy the tea itself.
That said, just drinking your usual tea doesn’t feel very special, does it? So prepare some matcha and try whisking it using a tea bowl and a bamboo whisk.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy the tea gathering with a different feeling than usual.
Big laughs! Comedy improv
Many seniors love the TV show “Shōten,” don’t they? Why not try the kind of Oogiri wordplay seen on Shōten and bring smiles to seniors’ faces! There are many ways to enjoy it: deliver clever answers to prompts like riddling puns (nazokake), the 7-7-7-5 verse form known as dodoitsu, or “Things like XX that I don’t like,” as well as challenges using pictures or kanji.
Offering rewards—such as stacking zabuton cushions just like on Shōten for those who come up with witty lines—will make it even more exciting.
Take inspiration from prompts and answer styles used across various shows, and create big laughs!
School Heaven
How about having the staff dance to “Gakuen Tengoku,” released by Finger Five in 1974? It’s a famous song that has been covered by many artists, including Kyoko Koizumi, so many older adults are likely to know it.
If you incorporate some simple moves here and there that seniors can do together, everyone can join in the fun! Seeing the staff giving it their all and dancing to bright, cheerful music will naturally bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
[For Staff at Elderly Care Facilities] Performances to Liven Up New Year’s Parties (11–20)
Drif Ondo
Let’s liven things up with the song and dance of “Drif Ondo,” which many older adults have heard or seen at least once.
Since it’s fitting for the New Year and brings good fortune, how about dancing in costumes like Hyottoko and Okame? Hyottoko is a god who protects fire, and Okame is a goddess who brings good fortune.
Together they are also considered deities of marital harmony, and their appearance is said to bring joy to people.
It would be even more exciting if we could get handclaps and cheers from the seniors.
By the way, “Drif Ondo” is said to be based on “Hokkai Bon Uta,” a Hokkaido folk song, with the lyrics changed.
In Hokkaido, “Hokkai Bon Uta” is used for Bon Odori dances.
Dance & Wotagei
A lively performance by the staff that delights with movement and rhythm.
It starts with a light, upbeat dance part set to music, then incorporates elements of wotagei using big hand and arm movements to create a visually impactful presentation.
Even with simple costumes and props, crisp movements and thoughtful timing can draw out smiles and clapping from the audience.
An energetic tempo, call-and-response chants, and varied choreography come together to create a bright, vibrant atmosphere.
Using glow sticks adds flowing trails of light that move with the performance, boosting the visual splendor even more.
Atarimae Taiso
When you want a crowd-pleasing performance, how about trying “Atarimae Taiso”? “Atarimae Taiso” is a comedy routine by the duo COWCOW.
It’s well-known as a party skit and is easy for anyone to recreate, which is a big plus.
Set to a song that treats obvious things as if they’re brand-new discoveries, you use simple movements to act out the lyrics.
It can be performed by as few as two people, so it’s a great option when you’re short on participants.
Let’s bring smiles to seniors from the New Year with “Atarimae Taiso”!
I just can’t stop it.
How about performing a dance to Linda Yamamoto’s classic hit “Dōnimo Tomaranai,” released in 1972? It’s a passionate love song with such a catchy groove that you can’t help but clap along.
Older adults will almost certainly know it, and it’s guaranteed to get the crowd going! Dress in passionate red and get everyone dancing together.
You’ll need to come up with some choreography, but since the song has such impact, simple moves will stand out beautifully!