Multicultural holiday celebrations come to senior living in Towson.
Ann Breihan has an interesting perspective on the holiday celebrations at Edenwald. “The holidays here have very much the same feel as the rest of the year; everything’s done on the basis of friendship and respect,” she says.
Ann, an Edenwald resident of four years, credits the diversity of the community’s population for making the senior holiday traditions here so unique. “We’ve got people from a lot of different religious and cultural backgrounds,” Ann says, “so it’s festive, but it’s festive coming from a lot of different traditions. It’s a very jolly time.”
Let the jolliness begin.
The official kick-off of the holiday season at Edenwald is the annual Board Holiday Party. During the first week of December, the Edenwald Board of Directors invites all the residents to a feast whose size reflects the significance of the occasion.
“It is a huge deal,” Ann says. “People look forward to it very much. Everybody gets really dressed up. The Board members are there, so it’s our opportunity to sit with them and express our appreciation for the job they’ve done throughout the year. And, of course, for the lovely party!”
Meaningful Holiday Traditions
With the holiday season officially underway, the vibe at Edenwald becomes distinctively festive. It starts with music. A lot of music. “We’ve got music all year round,” Ann says, “but especially in December, it’s beefed up tremendously.”
Musical groups of all stripes make appearances at Edenwald during the holidays, from traditional carolers to artists of a less-expected variety. “My favorite was a group doing seasonal madrigals in full regalia. It was great fun,” Ann says. The Edenwald Musician-In-Residence (a student at Peabody Conservancy) also performs special seasonal programs.
Edenwald residents embrace the spirit of giving that the holidays bring. “There’s a tradition of dropping off little bags of cookies and treats for friends and neighbors,” Ann says.
The holiday spirit of giving goes beyond the walls of the community. Residents and staff collect donations for people in need and participate in various “wish trees.” These “trees” are decorated with paper tags, each with the name of a child or resident at a higher level of care and a gift they would like to receive for the holidays. The residents will take a tag or two, purchase the gift(s), and Edenwald staff members see that they’re properly delivered.
The Cookie Exchange
One of the senior holiday traditions everyone at Edenwald looks forward to every year is the holiday cookie exchange.
Because Edenwald has a strict no-tipping policy, every year, the residents contribute to a fund to recognize the efforts of the staff. The donations are divided amongst staff members as a holiday bonus. Then, on an agreed-upon date, during the second week of December, employees bring homemade cookies as a token of their thanks.
Every department sets up a table, brimming with cookies baked by its members. “The departments can get a little bit competitive with each other as to who has the best cookies,” Ann says.
“We come in and drink egg-nog and coffee and eat lots of cookies,” Ann says. Some staff members like to make treats from their home countries. “I had something delicious from Nepal this year,” Ann says.
Ann especially appreciates the camaraderie of the cookie event. “We chat with each other and the staff from different departments, so we get to express our appreciation back and forth,” Ann says. “It’s another expression of the sort of mutual regard and respect we feel at Edenwald. It’s just a marvelous time.”
Christmas Traditions for Seniors
On Christmas Eve, several of the Christian groups in the community hold services. The Protestant service encourages inclusion and invites residents from different faiths to read passages from the Bible.
Religious services continue on Christmas morning, and then the residents all gather for a celebratory Christmas dinner. The meal is always scheduled for midday so staff members can go home and celebrate with their families.
Hanukkah Traditions for Seniors
Every year, the community sets up a menorah in the main lounge and for eight nights, residents gather for the lighting of the candles. The services are open to Edenwald residents of all faiths and led by retired rabbis who explain the significance of the celebration to their non-Jewish neighbors.
Happy New Year!
Edenwald residents put a bow on the holiday season with the annual New Year’s Eve party, a black-tie event. “It’s a big deal,” Ann says. “There are beautiful decorations, a dance band, and lots of dancing. There are delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres, and most people actually make it to midnight!”
And so, the residents and staff of Edenwald venture into January with fond memories of holiday festivities dancing in their heads. “The holidays here are great fun,” Ann says, “but the truth is, it’s fun the whole year round.”
Learn more about senior holiday traditions at Edenwald.
Edenwald residents and staff celebrate a number of multicultural holidays and traditions throughout the year. This is one of the many ways the community celebrates and welcomes each individual and their unique background. It’s part of what makes life here so colorful. If this sounds interesting to you, learn more by contacting an Edenwald residency counselor at 410-339-6263.
