Spreading Christmas Cheer

Twice a year, our enrichment group goes to a local nursing home to sing to the residents, chat with them, and hand out cookies. We go on Memorial Day to sing patriotic songs, (they LOVE this!) and we go during the Christmas season for caroling. We gathered at my house beforehand to make Christmas door-hangers for the residents and to decorate cookies. We also practiced our "Twelve Days of Christmas" because everyone had a colored sign to illustrate his or her particular day. We sang first at the Alzheimer's Unit, which made a couple of the kids a little nervous as we walked in. It was a good experience for them to see these ladies and gentlemen, realize that they were just people who might be lonely during this season, and show compassion for them. Even though some of the residents didn't seem to be aware of their surroundings, they became engaged during the singing and sang along. I hoped this might be the case as long-ago memories of caroling came back to them in a way that they don't remember recent events. By the end of the singing, all of the kids were eager to meet and greet, hand out cookies, and pass along some cheer. We went down to the regular dining room after that where it was a delight to see some familiar faces and connect with people. They seemed to enjoy the singing, even though we are far from professional!! :) (Evidence at the end of the post in the videos - the videos had to be posted in three parts because they were too big)

Here is a picture of our group after the singing:




We were all about the Christmas cheer when, later that same night, we got to board the Gingerbread Express to take a bus tour of the city's best light displays. Mrs. Claus handed us cookies and apple cider to start our tour, and off we went. We arranged to go with our friends the Rasheeds, but their adorable Zavon was sick, so Hassan stayed home with him. Daniel opted not to "hang out with the women?!" since Hassan wasn't coming and went to see Sherlock Holmes. That was okay, since Odelia and I talked non-stop the whole time on the tour. We hadn't seen each other in awhile, and we needed to catch up! They have spent the last two Christmases at our house, but they ditched us this year to spend Christmas up in New York City. Yeah, I don't blame them either. :) Here are the kids in front of a beautiful quilt on display in the City Center while we were waiting for the bus tour to begin:

Shiloh got a picture of me with Odelia. Love you, Odelia!Jackson and Jhael "entertained" the people sitting in front of them with off-key Christmas carols.

Nathaniel was just excited to be riding on a bus! :) Oh, the woes of being a homeschooled kid. :)

Shiloh and Cora got to sit on their own farther up in the bus. They're such lovely ladies.