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What is the real meaning of Christmas for our wonderful clients??
Well, we know that the origins are rooted in Christianity and it's the Feast of Nativity. The day that Jesus was born … some of our clients have strong religious faith and there will be an emphasis on celebrating through Church Worship and often this occurs at a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
If you break the word down …. 'Christ - Mass', this is interpreted as a Mass of Christ!
Christingle is also celebrated by young people and Advent which starts on the Sunday nearest to St Andrew's Day, 30th November.
We celebrate this on the 25th of December.
It's a time to reminisce on memories of past celebrations, childhood memories and family traditions.
A little interesting fact 😁… the twelve days of Christmas began 4000 years ago. The Mesopotamians celebrated each new year with a 12-day festival called Zagmuth.
The Romans held a celebration each year in honour of their god - Saturn and decorated their homes much like we do.
It's a time for sharing food with family and loved ones, traditionally, Turkey, Mince Pies and Christmas puddings.
Carol singing or simply singing along for your loved ones to well-known Christmas Carols or songs.
We've already had some singing along to Frank Sinatra's, 'Jingle Bells'!!
We come together to share gifts and decorate a tree or hang a wreath with the 4 candles of advent.
We think of Charles Dickens - 'A Christmas Carol', and think about those that have less than ourselves, the season of good will to all men.
Boxing Day reflects a fabulous tradition, where boxes containing alms for the poor are opened at every Church where the alms would be distributed to the poor.
Of course, there's the big man himself, Santa Claus …. Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna, who lived in the 4th Century AD, was a very wealthy and generous man, who especially loved children - he was known to throw gifts into the houses of poor children in order to brighten their spirits.
Later, titled St Nicholas and became the patron Saint of children and seafarers.
From his story, evolved the legend of Santa Claus - the jolly man who brings gifts to all children all over the World on Christmas Eve!
In England, known as Father Christmas. I personally, love this tale and prefer to think that there is a lovely person still doing this …. better than having the mentality of Scrooge, and even he couldn't stay miserly for long 🤣🤣
It's definitely looking a lot like Christmas, as Companions at JCS, accompany your loved ones to enjoy the shops serving of decorations and trending tree colours for decorations this
year!!
Enjoying sitting in the grotto, being Mrs Christmas 😍
Enjoying the displays, creative colours schemes and lots of stimulating Christmas gifts to purchase or simply wander around!!
Having some fun, selecting family Christmas cards ….
Visiting Craft fayres …. Enjoying having a real laugh!!🎅🎅🎅🎅🎄🤶
Being mischievous, no better Season to have a little fun!!
Observing the pretty handmade Christmas crafts whilst sitting in a café together...….
Decorating the walker and adding a Father Christmas for a little cheer and fun❤️😁
Enjoying the variety of Christmas gifts at the local D café and pimping the walker so it's Festive ready 🎅🎅🎅
There's even a Christmas Unicorn to add to the magic 💕💕
A variety of trees in all shapes and sizes and musical snow globes to delight 🙌🙌🙌🙌
Choosing the decorations and spending time making them look festive and sparkly
Enjoying the sensory smells of Cinnamon and oranges
Never lose your sense of fun and laughter 🤣🤣🤣🤣
There's always Kevin the Carrot antics to watch out for ❤️❤️❤️❤️
🎅🎅🎅Traditional Father Christmas decorations and so many variations to choose from❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lit up forest walks to take your breath away and add to the magic of the Season.
This amazing lady, absolutely loves this Father Christmas 💕💕
Conversations are initiated with friendly staff in the shops, which is lovely and increases confidence.
Gonks or Gnomes are big in fashion again this year and come in all colours, shapes and sizes. They appear to be popular with our clients.
It's also important for Companions to encourage clients to be present in their local Communities, to enjoy the Festive period. A mince pie with a coffee, people watching in a café …. enjoying different flavoured hot chocolates or lattes with Spice and Black Cherry 😋😋
Enjoying Christmas cake with marzipan and icing … drink and food can recapture and spark memories of their childhood Christmas experiences. Rations on sugar and limited choices to what is now available in the shops. Recalling that there is less fruit in the cakes, than in their past!!
Actively participating in local Community Dementia café activities with the school children. Singing well known Christmas hymns and carols together and feeling a sense of enjoyment and festive inclusion.
Speaking with young people, where there is no limit or barriers to age.... it's so heart warming for the Companions who support and facilitate these wonderful moments...
….. as is recognised by regular volunteers and warmly invited to share in mutual conversation with a cup of tea … priceless!
Feeling a sense of independence in choosing family Christmas cards, thinking about what messages to write at this time of year, and sending them.
Enjoying spontaneous fun and laughter, bringing back memories and creating new ones ❤️❤️❤️…. Deciding to decorate their living spaces to add some cheer …
Talking of a time when presents really were only received at Christmas and Birthdays …..
Christmas stockings were filled with an orange or apple and various nuts and children were very grateful for this, as there had been War and rationing...…. we discussed what the generation of children would make of this now ….
It's lovely to see what our clients like in terms of the huge choice of Christmas decorations and at JCS there are themed activities to participate in if wished 🎅😊
These are all gorgeous, festive and very cheery ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
There's the visual aspect of outside decorations to enjoy too ...
Christmas is a time for sharing family traditions and present day plans. This is a particularly poignant time, having endured a Worldwide Pandemic.
We've had opportunities to meet again and fully appreciate that family and friends truly are what is the essence of a Christmas tradition.
It's not so much the food we share, but the quality time we have with our loved ones....looking forwards to a special time together, creating new memories.... remembering Christmas during a War or a specific time of hardship.
I think if anything, at JCS, we have learnt to appreciate those small things, the kind gestures of Community and the people in them. There is hope, warmth and kindness and we don't have to look too closely for these essential things, that truly don't cost anything!!
Enjoying the Christmas tree Festival at The Methodist Church, Thetford.
Christmas for our clients, bring fond memories of spending time with families, decorations for some, feel festive and cheerful, some decorations they've had for many years and have sentimental value to them.
For some of our clients, who live in Residential accommodation, they are enjoying care support staff making really big efforts to decorate!!
Some of our clients are enjoying writing cards this year and enjoy being able to access the shops to select and purchase for themselves....
Others, are receiving Christmas cards through their post and enjoying the sentiment behind the messages.
Some are enjoying buying gifts.
Enjoying the build up to their D Café ❤️❤️Christmas Party and concentrating on making paper chains and snowflakes....
Having a sense of fun and sharing with a Companion in dressing up too!!🎅🎅
Enjoying the crocheted Christmas scenes scattered around local Communities ….this one was at Tesco's, Watton ….. and one of our ladies really loved this!! Another of our wonderful ladies, has been busy crafting and has made forest of trees and this rather special Gonk, impressive and amazing !!
Christmas socks can't be forgotten and there's plenty to choose from and not to mention the Christmas Jumpers …Hayley 😁😁😁
Some of our wonderful clients are enjoying beautiful Christmas wreathes, which have also evolved over the years....we're seeing a return to natural inclusions in the designs and this ones lovely!!
Companions continue to support our clients, despite the freezing conditions, to enjoy a little Christmas cheer in the warmth of local cafes.....
Looking forward to dressing up for the occasion …..
….. and a little Christmassy Pie and mash with liquor …..
This slice of peanut butter cake looks delicious and great with a warm hot chocolate
👌👌👌
Well, we're in to Christmas Week for our fantastic clients …..some are looking to sharing the festive period with their families... observing the magic of Grandchildren being around them.
For others, they prefer a quiet time, watching Christmas films and others still will spend it with neighbours, friends and family for a short period. There will also be visits from family to them.
There have been further visits to sing Christmas carols at the D café this week....
Some of our clients have wanted to visit the local florists to purchase a Christmas wreath to visit their beloved late husband and lay this, in memory, of course the season can heighten the loss of our loved one's and be a particularly challenging time.
On these occasions, it's important for Companion's to distract, reassure and make the moment special and as enjoyable as possible.
Some clients have been marvelled by attending garden centres and wandering around the Christmas displays and checking out the Christmas decorations!!
Clients have continued to enjoy receiving and giving Christmas cards and gifts and has given a sense of connection to family and friends who live a distance from them.
Companions have motivated some of your loved one's to make a Christmas tree from their cards and they've found this cheerful..... others have supervised the placement of decorations around their house.
… and a completed basket to add to this lady's card tree 👌👌👌….. lovely trees!!
Completed trees in their full glory …Wow!! Reminiscing with Raelene over time working in Selfridges and googling some of their Christmas displays for our fabulous lady to see …she really appreciated this and enjoyed seeing them. It sparked a conversation about meeting her husband in the staff canteen and asking her if he could sit next to her …. six months later they were married … wonderful story!!
Thoughtful clients giving gifts to Companions and receiving some themselves …. delighted with chocolate gifts 😉😉😉
Continuing to enjoy a giggle and being good sports, dressing up as Reindeer … enjoying making Christmas crafts and saying, "they're amazing! "Being far too kind!!
Sticking the head back on a favoured angel and saying she'd been "beheaded."
Loving the Sparkly Christmas Hedgehog 🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
So ….. What does Christmas really mean to your loved ones?
Well, we've certainly had a unique privilege in being part of your loved one's Christmas build up and it's clear it's a lot of things …not just trying to be 'good'!😉
It's making new memories with family, friends or people who they connect with....it's treasuring traditions, food, games and now The King's speech!!
It's an opportunity to reflect on the year that's gone by, to have fun and laugh, to party and sing along to Christmas Carols and it doesn't matter how out of tune we are😁… to watch Christmas films together.... sending and receiving gifts and cards …. a sense of belonging.... a chance to reflect on our Faith if we have one, and to hold dear, really the people more than the materials....those we cherish and those we remember who are gone but certainly not forgotten.
Enjoying Christmas cake, shop bought or homemade!!
There's even a 'naughty' Elf on the Shelf 🤣
Enjoying adding a 'pot' to the Card Christmas tree , very creative idea!!
Receiving unexpected Christmas gifts from Companions .....
Appreciating the small gestures of kindness and compassion ….
Being present regularly in local Communities, has had a big impact on our clients.... the shop/café assistants and Managers, stop to have a meaningful chat and to give gifts of cupcakes and presents... it makes our clients feel special!!
Enjoying Christmas ornaments, especially Father Christmas and vibrant seasonal floral arrangements....
Enjoying observing Companions creating a star from pipe cleaners …good old Pinterest 🤣😉😉Loving this being placed on the Christmas tree alongside a selected Amaryllis.
Even having wonderful Christmas bedding to cheer the day and night ❤️😁😉doesn't this look fab!!
At JCS, we wish for compassion to be shared and for all of our wonderful clients to enjoy the festivities in whichever way they choose to recall the memories of these special times. We're all privileged to be able to celebrate and integrate them in to these festive experiences.
