Merry Christmas Everyone!
United residents and staff put their Christmas creativity into high gear to create this year’s Christmas card. The card is based on a small village, created in clay that both staff and residents worked on.
The village scene reflects the idea of a community that brings people together. It is a celebration of winter, and how working and living together creates a close feeling of community.
Along with the clay houses, staff signed the inside of the card, which will be distributed to residents and staff as one of several ways the community marks the season.
Residents and staff at both Fish Creek and Garrison Green communities decorated the Christmas trees, decorated their doors and created a number of Christmas-themed paintings and other art projects. And what’s for dinner? “The residents decided they wanted to do a ham dinner on Christmas Eve and a turkey dinner on Christmas Day,” said chef Ryan Bourquin. “And each location will be doing a special menu on New Year’s Day. At Fish Creek we are also doing a taco bar.”
Garrison Green resident Bob Wolfe was born on Christmas day. “We always had a small birthday party on Christmas Eve. My parents were always very good at keeping the two celebrations separate,” recalls Bob. “Our family didn’t make a big fuss over birthdays. The big celebration was always Christmas and New Years when all the relatives who lived on farms in rural Ontario would get together. It was a great tradition to see the whole clan in one house over the holidays.”
Today, Bob and his wife Doreen enjoy Christmastime with their daughter, who lives in Calgary, and their grandchildren. Even though the family gatherings are smaller, the community at Garrison always celebrates the season. “It’s always nice to see the Christmas tree up and all the decorations. I really enjoy it!”
From our communities to you, we wish you the best of the season, Happy Holidays and a very merry Christmas!
Photos by United Active Living; video by Sherana Productions
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To learn more about life at United’s Garrison Green, watch this short video.
