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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- [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
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- [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] Liven Up Together! Christmas Party Performance Ideas (41–50)
Word guessing game
A word-guessing game where the guessers don’t see the answer and the clue-giver doesn’t say the answer but gives hints is a game everyone can enjoy in their own way.
Guessers need imagination, and clue-givers need expressive ability and vocabulary, so people of any age can have fun.
Even if someone accidentally blurts out the answer, that can make things more exciting, so it’s easy for older participants to join in as well.
If you avoid overly niche topics and stick to simple prompts that everyone knows, it’s guaranteed to be more exciting than you’d expect.
HAND CLAP
HAND CLAP, which gained popularity after a video was released in 2017.
The hand clap dance, performed to the song “HAND CLAP,” is characterized by big arm and leg movements and energetic jumping.
Because this dance is highly effective for burning fat, it involves large, dynamic movements.
If the staff perform a sharp, energetic routine, older adults are likely to enjoy it as well.
It’s recommended to perform it as a small group with synchronized choreography.
It should also be satisfying for seniors celebrating their birthdays to watch the dance.
Additionally, if you modify the choreography so it can be done seated, older adults can participate too.
Please give it a try.
Shopping Boogie
“Kaimono Boogie” was released in 1950 (Showa 25) and became a big hit.
Many seniors have probably heard it, haven’t they? It has also been covered by many artists up to the present day.
With its cheerful, lively melody, just listening to “Kaimono Boogie” makes your heart feel light.
Why not have the staff put on a dance performance to the song? If you dress up like a housewife going shopping, wearing an apron, it’ll be perfect.
Both men and women can get into character as housewives and perform the dance for a fun birthday party.
It’s sure to satisfy the seniors as well.
Christmas cosplay
When you think of Christmas, a variety of motifs come to mind—like Santa Claus, reindeer, and snowmen.
How about wearing costumes inspired by Christmas and winter to help everyone really feel the festive atmosphere? It works well for the host standing up front to wear a costume, and if participants are open to it, having everyone enjoy Christmas-themed outfits or accessories together can make things even more exciting.
You could even divide teams for games based on what people are wearing, which would likely boost each team’s sense of unity.
Santa Claus the Scatterbrain
This is a fun dance set to the song “Awatenbō no Santa Claus,” which comically portrays Santa Claus.
It’s a full-body dance, but since the lower body mainly uses step-like movements to catch the rhythm, it should be easy to do even while seated.
The choreography reproduces the lyrics through arm movements, with the key being to express the comical world through big, expressive gestures.
To convey the joyful spirit of Christmas, I also recommend not only making your movements large but singing along as you move your body.
Silent Night
This is an exercise routine performed to the classic Christmas carol “Silent Night.” Holding bells in your hands emphasizes the Christmas atmosphere and lets you feel the rhythm of the music through your ears.
It combines clapping movements with touches to the feet, and focusing on the correct sequence of actions also helps with brain training.
It’s important to pay attention to arm extensions and marching steps as well.
While enjoying the Christmas mood, this routine uses large movements to thoroughly work the body.
Christmas Eve
Let’s get moving with a dance set to Tatsuro Yamashita’s classic Christmas song, “Christmas Eve.” The simple moves express the festive atmosphere depicted in the lyrics, and the fact that you can do it while seated is another plus.
The choreography has a slow rhythm, so as you think about the next move, also focus on making your movements big.
Because the choreography is large and showy, it’s also great for doing in a group to enjoy a sense of unity.