There are so many fun ways to celebrate the holiday season with a loved one in a senior living community. Listening to festive music, enjoying special foods, and decorating to make your loved one’s space feel special are all perfect ways to feel cheerful around this time of year. Another great way to get into the spirit is to create Christmas crafts.
Crafting provides an opportunity to embrace inner creativity and have fun with everyone making the craft. Older adults also gain a lot of benefits from crafting, including:
- Being involved in making a craft provides social opportunities
- Enhancing fine motor function
- Cultivating a sense of satisfaction and self-confidence
- Improving problem-solving and learning skills
Take a look at these 11 easy Christmas crafts for seniors to find the best ideas for you to do with your loved one to celebrate the holidays.
Easy Christmas Crafts for Older Adults
1. Sparkling Snowflake Ornaments
All you need is craft sticks, glue, glitter, ribbon, and paint. Arrange six craft sticks in a star shape, glue them together, then add glue and sprinkle with glitter. You have the option to paint the sticks for an added touch of color before you glue them together. Attach a ribbon loop for hanging.
You’ll have a beautiful sparkling snowflake ornament that can go on a tree or in a window to catch the sunlight.
2. Felt Stocking Ornaments
The classic stocking makes a great ornament to add to your holiday tree. Use the following materials: red and white felt, fabric glue, ribbon, small decorations (like sequins or bells).
Cut out stocking shapes from the felt (or you can provide an already cut piece of felt to your loved one). Then, it’s time to get creative with the decorations. Your loved one can glue on the provided materials to personalize their stocking ornament. Remember to attach a ribbon loop so they can display it for all to see.
3. Cinnamon Stick Candle Holders
This craft is fragrant and provides soft lighting to your loved one’s space. You’ll need cinnamon sticks, a rubber band, ribbon, and small battery-operated candles.
Place cinnamon sticks around the candle and secure it with a rubber band. Use the ribbon to hide the rubber band and add a festive touch to the craft. Turn on your candle and enjoy the rustic look of the cinnamon stick candle holder.
4. Paper Plate Wreaths
Paper plate wreaths are an easy craft that your loved one will definitely have fun making. You will need paper plates, colored paper, glue, scissors, and ribbon.
Cut the center out of a paper plate to form a wreath shape. Glue on paper decorations and add a ribbon bow.
5. Personalized Christmas Card
What’s better than a handmade Christmas card? You can use construction paper, glue, glitter, paint, scissors, and a pen or marker to write on the card.
Fold the construction paper in half to create the card outline. Your loved one can use the materials to create any kind of holiday art and message with their materials. They can paint a Christmas tree, a holiday wreath, or a wintery scene – it’s all up to them!
6. Santa Claus Clothespins
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a Santa Claus craft. Your materials include clothespins, red and white paint, cotton balls, googly eyes, and small pompoms.
Paint the top half of the clothespins red and the bottom half white. Attach cotton for the beard, googly eyes, and a pompom for the nose.
7. Construction Paper Garland
Garland ties any holiday look together. If your loved one is decorating a communal area, they can work on this craft with others to make it even more special. All you need is red, green, and white construction paper strips and glue sticks.
Create a loop with one of the strips and secure it with glue. Then, select a strip with a different color and loop it through the first one. Repeat this process until you have a festive garland with alternating red, green, and white colors.
8. Handprint Reindeer Cards
To create a handprint reindeer card, you’ll need cardstock paper, brown paint, googly eyes, and red pompoms.
Paint your loved one’s hand with brown paint and make a handprint on the cardstock. Add eyes, a nose, and antlers.
9. Jingle Bell Door Hanger
Adding a bell to the door gives a merry welcome to the person entering the room. To make a jingle bell door hanger, you’ll need jingle bells, ribbon, and glue.
Thread jingle bells onto a ribbon and tie it in a loop. Hang it on a door handle for some cheerful jingles.
10. Snowman Sock Dolls
The snowman sock doll will help you welcome the winter into your loved one’s apartment without the cold! This craft uses these materials: white socks, rice, rubber bands, buttons, ribbon, markers.
Fill a sock with rice, and tie off sections with rubber bands to create the body and head. Decorate with buttons and use markers for a face.
11. Mason Jar Snow Globes
Mason jar snow globes are a lovely craft addition to any decorative display. Use a mason jar, small decorations (like mini trees or figurines), water, glitter, and glue to create a sparkling winter scene.
Glue the decorations to the inside of the lid. Fill the jar with water, add glitter, and seal the lid tightly. Place the jar lid side down and enjoy your DIY snow globe.
All of these crafts are fun ways to make the holiday season special. Whether you’re doing the craft with your loved one or are assisting them as they create the craft with other residents in their community, making any or all of these crafts is a perfect way to spend quality time together during the holiday season.
Celebrate the Season at Charter Senior Living
At Charter Senior Living communities across the country, we believe in celebrating the season! Call us at 331.305.5078 to schedule a visit or a tour of one of our festive communities.