For Seniors: Fun for Everyone! Christmas Party Activity Ideas
One of the major events in December is, of course, the Christmas party.
Many nursing homes and day service centers also hold Christmas parties, don’t they?
We want older adults to smile and enjoy themselves at these gatherings.
So this time, we’re sharing ideas for performances and activities that seniors can enjoy.
We’ve gathered a variety of options, from games seniors can participate in to staff-led shows.
December is a busy time, with the year-end and New Year holidays approaching.
Please use this article as a reference when preparing for your Christmas party.
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[For Seniors] Ideas for Performances to Liven Up a Christmas Party for Everyone (61–70)
Word Search Game
If you’re looking for ideas for a Christmas party activity, I recommend a word search game! Using words written in hiragana, players look for new words within them, regardless of length.
For a Christmas party, you could choose Christmas-themed words as the prompts.
You can also make it more exciting by setting a time limit, awarding points based on the number of characters, or giving a prize to the person who finds the longest word.
Multiple people can participate, so you can form teams and enjoy some friendly competition.
It’s effective for dementia prevention among older adults and works as a communication tool, so please feel free to use this as a reference!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Chair Dance
Let’s get everyone moving and feeling the festive spirit with a dance set to the classic Christmas song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Being able to do it while seated with minimal strain is an important point so that everyone present can enjoy it.
Incorporate choreography that follows the lyrics, while also including solid strengthening movements like arm stretches.
Wearing festive items—such as Santa hats—can help participants feel the Christmas atmosphere even more.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Exercise Dance
This is an exercise routine set to the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which depicts the relationship between Santa Claus and his reindeer—the symbols of Christmas.
To perform the choreography smoothly, be sure to start only after thoroughly warming up with activities like marching in place and shoulder raises.
Because the movements are gentle and follow the lyrics, it’s important to feel the mood of the music and stay mindful of making large, expressive motions.
Although it’s done while seated, you’ll move your legs as well as your arms at the same time, making it a routine that effectively works the entire body.
Snowman Christmas cake
How about trying a snowman cake made with pudding and Oreos? For the base, crush Oreos and mix them with melted butter.
For the main part of the cake, use an easy bavarois made by combining pudding, gelatin, and heavy cream.
After molding and chilling it to set, decorate with whipped cream, fruit, and candies, and it’s ready.
You can start from mixing the ingredients, or staff can prepare the cake base in advance and let the seniors handle just the final toppings—they’ll still enjoy it.
It’s a cake that’s fun not only in flavor but also in appearance.
Christmas confectionery making
Given the strong association with cakes, sweets are surely an essential element of Christmas.
Let’s make colorful, Christmas-themed treats so everyone can really feel the festive atmosphere.
Since making large items like cakes can be difficult, we recommend small treats made by arranging store-bought sweets.
You can have fun with various ideas, such as stacking stick-shaped snacks or assembling biscuits with cream.
Making Christmas cards
This pop-up Christmas card is sure to delight your grandchildren when you make it and give it as a gift! The mechanism is very simple: just fold a sheet of paper in half, make a slit, and crease it.
Create separate parts like a Christmas tree or a snowman and attach them to the inside of the card, and each time it’s opened, the elements will pop up in three dimensions.
You can adapt it not only for Christmas but also for other seasonal events or birthdays, so have fun creating a card full of originality.
Making a Christmas cake
Making Christmas cakes with friends at the day service! When you think of cake-making, you probably imagine baking sponge layers and neatly coating them with cream—it sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? But if it’s just spreading cream on a small, individual sponge and adding fruit toppings, even seniors can enjoy it easily.
Cupcakes work fine as the base, too.
If piping whipped cream is difficult, you can portion it into a container beforehand so it can be spread like butter.
Prepare plenty of toppings so everyone can decorate freely!