Christmas in November

I may or may not have mentioned this before, but I volunteer at a care home for seniors. The portrayal of a care home is usually gray and boring and sad. But I gotta tell ya, even though the average age of the people here is 95+, this place is always bursting with liveliness and energy. I love volunteering here because the staff are super friendly and the residents are adorable. Old people are so cute 🙂

Every time I walk in, I get greeted by warm and familiar smiles. Not all the residents can remember my name, (even though I’ve been volunteering over a year!) but they can recognize my face.

There is this one man, let’s just call him George because I can’t disclose his name for privacy reasons, bless his heart he is the cutest! He’s in his late 90’s and can barely remember what he did an hour ago, but he has been trying to remember my name and he is actually getting pretty good at it. Initially, he would have no recollection of me at all, but over two months he has learned to recall my name with just one hint! 

I love visiting the care home, everyone is always so appreciative of every little act of kindness and I just love hearing stories of their lives and getting to know each and every one better. 

Every year, there is a Christmas Bazaar that happens in November. The two lovely ladies in the picture above run this show like rockstars! They bake pies, cookies, and cakes. They organize sponsors for prizes and gifts like hand knit clothing. They make tens and twenties of christmas wreaths and miniture christmas trees. Seriously, they are amazing. 

 

I of course offered to help out with wrapping the baked goods. One of my best dreams came true. I was surrounded by mountains of delicious sugary carbs and the smell of cinnamon christmas in the air. 

Connie and Connie. I met this girl for the first time at the bazaar. For the entire year I was wondering who the heck is signing in with my name, the nerve! But she’s super cool and offered me a pecan tart so we’re like practically best friends now. We even have the matching boots, whoa.

can you believe that these were all hand made?!??!

 

It was one of the most relaxing days that I have had in a while. School’s been bringing me down, but yenno what? I’m gonna finish this term STRONG and then party all winter break. By party I mean bake cookies, watch claymation christmas movies in my pjs, eat copious amounts of chocolate and play cranium with my family. Most rowdy 19 year old right here 😛