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.
- [Elderly Care Facility] Fun-filled recreational activities for a Christmas party: crafts, rhythmic exercises, games, and even a snack-time activity
- [Christmas Party at the Nursing Home] Staff Take on the Challenge! Fun Performances Everyone Can Enjoy
- Entertainment and Performances That Delight at Day Services for the Elderly
- [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
- For seniors: Simple and exciting! Ideas for staff performances
- Christmas Party Ideas! Fun Activities and Game Ideas
- [For Seniors] Lively! Entertainment Ideas for New Year’s Parties
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- Christmas party booster! A collection of game ideas that large groups can enjoy
- Performances to Liven Up New Year Parties for Elderly Care Facility Staff
- [Christmas] Popular Entertainment/Performance Ideas Ranking
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
[For Seniors] Fun for Everyone! Christmas Party Entertainment Ideas (31–40)
Christmas gift exchange
From the image of gifts from Santa, presents are an essential part of Christmas.
Let’s incorporate a gift exchange into the event to highlight the fun of Christmas.
Have everyone hold one present and pass it to the next person until the music stops, building excitement about what will end up in their hands.
You can make the contents random so people can enjoy surprise Christmas gifts, or turn it into a game by filling them with scoring stones or similar items to ramp up the excitement.
Little Dance
It’s a dance performed with a uniquely shrunken look, where each movement exudes cuteness.
With the gimmick of only the face being real and the rest a doll, it really tests the skill of how comically you can make the movements appear.
Since the motions of the arms and legs tend to be simple, it’s also recommended to exaggerate facial expressions to bring out the humor.
There are plenty of elements you can get particular about—what kind of movements to show to what kind of music, what costumes to use, and so on.
puppet show
Puppet shows, which use puppets to present stories, seem to be something we see less often as we grow older.
This project aims to recreate well-known tales through puppetry and let audiences experience the world of those stories.
Even if you already know the plot, seeing it enacted through real movement may lead to new discoveries.
The variety of ways to arrange it—such as which kinds of puppets to use and what mechanisms to incorporate—is another point of enjoyment.
Escape Show
Among various magic shows, the grand finale that really brings the house down is often an elaborate escape.
Let’s challenge an escape from an impossible situation and give the audience a huge surprise.
The classic routine is being locked in a box, having swords thrust into it, then removing the swords and opening the lid to reveal the performer unharmed.
The mechanism is simple—there’s a hole at the back to slip through—but the key is figuring out how to carry it out without letting the audience catch on.
Use clever touches to heighten the surprise, such as showing an initial failure to lower their guard.
Karaoke Contest
A karaoke contest where facility users can sing their favorite songs and get everyone excited could be a perfect highlight for a Christmas party.
Both the performers and the audience can enjoy it, so it’s sure to brighten the atmosphere of the entire event.
If you find that the song choices tend to be the same as usual, it might be fun to limit the selection to Christmas songs or winter-themed tunes.
It’s a classic activity that even people who aren’t confident singers or don’t enjoy singing can still get excited about together.
[For Seniors] Liven Up Together! Christmas Party Performance Ideas (41–50)
Curling game
This is a curling-themed game where you slide “stones” across a surface, just like throwing stones on ice.
Use a field with Christmas motifs such as trees, and aim for the points drawn on it by flicking stones made from plastic bottle caps.
Create the field illustration by attaching construction paper, but since the edges of the paper can catch the stones if they lift up, it’s recommended to place a clear sheet over everything at the end to smooth out any steps.
If the bottle-cap stones don’t slide well, putting a marble inside adds weight and makes them easier to control.
Experiment with the field size and point layout, and let players enjoy focusing on their shots, adjusting their strength, and strategizing against their opponents.
Magic Show
As a performance that lets the audience get excited together, I’d like to recommend a magic show.
When you think of magic shows, some have a quiet vibe or require serious focus.
Of course, those can be exciting too, but for older adults, a comedic magic show with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments is also a great option.
Try preparing tricks with strong visual impact that make it easy for viewers to react.
Audience-participation magic is also recommended, as it really energizes the room.
