Nursing Home Combined Activity

In years past for our combined YM/YW activity in December we would do Random Acts Of Christmas Kindness (RACK), but it was SO.MUCH.WORK!!! It took a lot to put together Amazing Race type clues, packets, and presents for 6 groups. Plus, I wanted our youth to have a more hands on experience this year. So a few months ago I contacted a local nursing home & they said they would be happy to have us come visit & serve. Autumn & I got there early to set a few things up, and then enjoyed looking at their parakeets before everyone got there.

We had such a big group that they split us into 2 different lobbies on opposite sides of the building. I was able to get Christy to come & play her bass for us. She was baptized earlier this year and technically lives within our ward boundaries but she has been going to another ward where her friends are. She did a great job & I’m so thankful she was willing to come do this for the residents.

I had to crop this picture for the privacy of the nursing home residents. A few weeks ago my Laurels & I went to the $1 Store to get things for this event. We had a bunch of cute Christmas themed hats (you can see a penguin hat on the top of Christy’s bass), reindeer antler headbands, etc that we gave to the residents to wear and keep. We also had some little tinsel Christmas trees that we decorated w/ ornaments. After that, we did some carol sing alongs. I was told there is a piano there we could use, but it was on the other side of the nursing home. So, we just did it acapella. The residents LOVED it and were so happy to sing along w/ us.

After the activity we all met out at my car and I served Costco cake out of the trunk of my car, b/c we couldn’t bring outside food into the nursing home. It warmed my heart to see how kind and loving and patient our youth were w/ the residents. The feedback I got from everyone that came was that it was a great activity. I think it’s one we need to do at least quarterly. It’s great to interact one-on-one w/ these sweet spirits.

When we got home, Autumn got to watch her (free) video that Santa sent her from the Portable North Pole. It’s a tradition we started a few years ago, and it’s one of Autumn’s favorites. She loves seeing that Santa knows her name, has a picture of her in his book, he knows she lives in TX, and what grade she’s in. If y’all have never gotten a video before, you for sure should (especially since it’s free).