Living in a gated community can feel very much like living with an extended family. All the children in the community would play together, and your neighbours would be the first people you go to for any emergency. Sharing food and tips are also part and parcel of everyday life. However, the best part of such a life is celebrating festivals together, where everything is more extensive than when you live independently.
Christmas is just weeks away and is one festival with endless possibilities for community celebrations. Here are a few tips for a merrier Christmas this year.
Organize Door-To-Door Carol Singing
Nothing excites children and teens than having a little celebration of their own sans adults. In a gated community, everyone knows everyone else, so you can easily send your children for door-to-door carol singing with other kids, even during the late evening. Inform all the residents about the arrival of the little squad so they can keep candies and tips ready.
Secret Santa
Adults, too, need some fun, and it can be pretty exciting not to know who is giving you those surprise clues and notes in a Secret Santa game. Keep the recipients in anticipation till Christmas eve when everyone can get together in a common area and exchange gifts. Make a rule that the gifts should not be expensive so that the game doesn’t become a competition. Not only will this exercise build team spirit, but you might also find a new friend within the community.
Party On Christmas Eve
Along with the Secret Santa game, you can also have a little party at a common area on Christmas eve. Ask everyone to pitch in and decorate common areas to give a Christmassy feel. You can also put up a tree and get all the children to help decorate it. If everyone is up for it, why not organize a fun competition for the best décor in individual houses as well? Have someone dress up as Santa and give small gifts to everyone. Keep everyone guessing who Santa is till the reveal at the end.
Potluck or Dinner Together
Let Christmas dinner be common so that everyone is free of cooking and chores on Christmas eve and is in a mood to party. Depending on the number of participants, you can also consider a potluck, where each family brings in their home-cooked contributions as dishes, cake, or wine. The idea is to eat together like a family and make everyone feel included.
Organize a Charity Event
There’s more to Christmas than celebrations. It’s also a time to give and to provide the less fortunate a chance to celebrate as well. You could set up a charity drive with just fund collections or encourage the youngsters to earn some money and give it to charity. This could be through selling home-cooked treats, DIY craft items, candles, or Christmas décor. You could also organize a group trip to an orphanage or destitute home so that everyone feels they are part of the drive.
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