Every year some of our residents remain here at Meadows Crossing in Allendale for the winter holidays. Some of them live too far away from home to travel, others have responsibilities they can’t leave, and some people prefer to spend their holidays with the friends they’ve made here at Grand Valley. If this is you this holiday season, here are some tips for how to make it memorable and celebratory.
Keep your traditions – Most traditions involve the senses – sight, sound, smell, hearing, and touch – in ways that are very touching and comforting. The things that you’ve always done to celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa, and New Years will still be meaningful to you and others even when you’re away from the people who taught them to you. Make sure to squeeze them into your December calendar this year.
Call, email, or Skype your friends and family – We are fortunate to have wonderful ways to reach out to our loved ones when we’re not with them these days, and most of them aren’t even very expensive. Make plans ahead of time for special days so that you will not miss being a part of any far away celebration that’s important to you.
Invite someone else you like to spend the holiday with you – There are other people who will be in Allendale this December, and you probably know some of them. If you’d rather not be alone, check the websites or bulletin boards of your social, interest, or religious groups to see what they have going on and who will be around for it.
Take advantage of some holiday culture – Grand Rapids is an up-and-coming city and has many holiday delights to indulge in this time of year, whether that’s seeing A Christmas Story at the Civic Theatre, wandering the Christmas tree display at the Frederik Meijer Gardens, or doing another festive activity. Here are some other ideas of things to see and do this December in Grand Rapids.
Volunteer – Spend some time doing something good for someone else during the dark days of December. Sometimes getting out and getting to know other people and helping them navigate their journeys can be a great way of beating the blues. Check out some of the volunteer opportunities in this community, but don’t be surprised if you want to continue helping even after the holidays are over.
Whatever your reason for staying in Allendale this December, Meadows Crossing wishes you the best at Christmas and everything wonderful in the new year. Happy Holidays!
