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The Christmas holidays are supposed to be happy, fun, joyful and overflowing with bonds of love. Although nursing home staffs make the effort to create a merry atmosphere, family and friends can go the extra mile to create a festive space out of their loved one’s room.

Here’s how my family transformed a loved one’s room into a place of joy, beauty and love during the holiday season.

One year, when my mom was in a nursing home, we brought all of the merriment of Christmas decorating right to her room. We arrived with Christmas music, Christmas cookies, punch, red and green construction paper, scissors and glue.

Then, we invited all her grandchildren and great grandchildren to come to the party. Grandchildren stopped in at various times and helped to make a Christmas paper chain. All ages participated. With Christmas music playing in the background and Christmas cookies and punch, suddenly my mom’s room was changed from a dull, sad, depressing place to a place of laughter and joy.

Everyone had fun!  The end product was a very long paper chain which went around and around the room.  There was so much joy and laughter in Mom’s room.

Consider brightening a nursing home room, hospital room or home by adding a paper chain of love.

Additional Christmas resources:
Gifts for the Elderly
Won’t Be Home for the Holidays

Photo Credit: Leslie Grimmett