Sharing Christmas Carols with Seniors Before Dinner - 12/23/2024 Senior Center Performance

Authored by Cielle Chan

Featuring (from left to right,back to front) Leia Huang, Joyce Chen, Sophia  Chu, Cielle Chan and Eileen Terral.

The senior living center had hoped to include caroling before their all-together Christmas dinner. Because it was so close to Christmas, many of my friends were already out of town, which made organizing a group a little challenging. Thankfully, a few friends were still around and available to help.

We were asked to arrive at 4:30 PM for caroling, so we arrived a bit early at 4:20 to get settled. Once inside, we asked for the manager, but they were downstairs assisting another group and weren't able to greet us. Even so, we were ready to begin.

Our first stop was the gaming room. We gathered near the Christmas tree, and I introduced our group to the residents. We opened with “Here We Come A-Caroling,” followed by “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and ended with “Auld Lang Syne.” The residents were attentive and seemed to enjoy the familiar songs.

We then moved to the dining room, where we repeated the same set. Because the room had several pillars, we decided to walk around instead of staying in one place, singing directly to different tables so everyone could feel included. This change made the experience more personal and engaging.

We finished our caroling near the front door with “Auld Lang Syne.” Afterward, one resident requested “Silent Night,” so we sang it just for him. It was a quiet and meaningful moment that felt like a perfect way to conclude the evening. Once we were done, we took a group photo, and then headed home.

Performers: Cielle Chan

Guest Performers: Joyce Chen, Sophia  Chu,Leia Huang, Eileen Terral