ElderSong Publications, Inc. Newsletter

DECEMBER 2007

December Printable

Birthdays are fun for all ages. A good way to commemorate the day you were born is to celebrate with a party. Everybody loves a good party! But there are other ways to have a fun and memorable birthday. Senior adults will enjoy a simple celebration of their decades of life experience - and the wit and wisdom that come with aging.

Here are some suggestions to help celebrants feel loved and remembered on their special day. (Note: Some activities are adapted from the ElderSong resource titled Roses in December: Music Sessions With Older Adults. The book is a featured product below.)

Listen to the 1953 song "Young at Heart" sung by Frank Sinatra. Ask: What does "young at heart" mean to you?

How do you feel about aging? At what age did you feel and look your best?

Write a poem together with the title "A Recipe for Long Life." Discuss the topic (long life) and assemble participants’ ingredients into a recipe format (e.g., a pound of friendship, an ounce of humor).
Share recollections of milestone birthdays, e.g., 16^th, 21^st, 30^th, 40^th, 50^th, etc. Ask: Which birthday was the most memorable for you? Did you celebrate with a big party? Describe the invitations, decorations, favors, food, and music. Did you ever give or receive a birthday roast?
Gather pictures of the birthday honoree from each decade of his/her life. Ask the honoree to share something special from each decade.
Hold a birthday party with a nostalgic theme. Suggestion: Highlight the decade in which the guest of honor was born, e.g., 1930s music, movies, fashions, foods.
Decorate with smiley face birthday party supplies and enjoy some clean birthday humor. Share jokes, funny stories, and silly songs. Ask participants to give their best version of a snicker, giggle, chuckle, cackle, belly laugh, etc.
Reminisce about family birthday traditions, such as eating birthday cake and ice cream. List types of cakes and ask your group to describe the texture and flavor of each one. Suggestions: hummingbird, ice box, marble, sponge, angel food, chiffon, devil’s food, red velvet. Sample some favorites.
Discuss birthday customs and traditions of different cultures. Learn to say "Happy Birthday" in different languages, e.g., Spanish - Feliz Cumpleanos!
Give January birthday celebrants a white carnation (listed as the flower for the month).
For honorees, share headlines from old newspapers about "The Day I Was Born." What was happening in the world on the day the honoree was born? How has the world changed?
Design birthday hats, original birthday cards with personalized messages, or laminated picture placemats (with birthday greetings from the group).
Reminisce about popular birthday gifts. A favorite for the ladies: jewelry. Display some jewelry such as birthstone rings, charm bracelets, or watches.
Hold an intergenerational birthday party. The goal: Make the older adults feel like kids again! Enjoy old-fashioned games such as Hide the Thimble, Hot Potato, Pin the Tail. Invite a clown to entertain the group. Serve birthday cupcake cones.
Find out what famous people share a birthday in the same month as the honorees. Assemble a trivia quiz on the celebrities.

Need ideas to celebrate birthdays? The ElderSong catalog is full of creative resources to help you plan some activities and events. A few of them are highlighted below. Continue to look for upcoming editions of this newsletter the last week of the month. Our newsletter contains useful information to make your job of working with older adults more fulfilling. In this issue, you’ll find:

Birthday Celebrations
Elvis Trivia Quiz
Featured Products for December
Thought for the Month

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Make music a part of your birthday celebrations. You’ll find helpful suggestions in the session plan titled "Birthdays" in Roses in December: Music Sessions for Older Adults. The book features music activities, reminiscence activities, discussion questions, song suggestions, and sensory stimulation activities. Here’s a sample from "Birthdays": Listen to the song "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" from The Sound of Music. Ask, What advice would you give a teenager today? The resource offers over 75 thematic music sessions for older adults. A few of the session topics: Animals, Bells, Camping, Colors of the Day, Fast Facts About Trumpets, Flowers, Friendship, Gardens, Gifts, Humor in Music, I Love a Piano, Music and Feelings, Rainbows, Roses, Songs in Space, Sunshine, Train Travel, and more.

The resource contains a helpful introductory section on using music with older adults with chapters titled "Getting Acquainted," "Hello and Good-bye Songs," "Small Groups," "Music Milestones," and more. There is also a section with biographical information about popular musicians such as Irving Berlin, Aaron Copeland, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter - all favorites among older adults!

For some aging humor, you’ll want to show the DVD George Burns: The TV Specials Collection. The 4-disc set contains 9 full-length comedy specials from the 1970s and 1980s. For birthday fun, your group will enjoy these shows, featuring the legendary comedian and a parade of celebrity guests: "George Burns: 100th Birthday Party" with Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Don Rickles; "George Burns: How to Live to Be 100 Special" with Bob Hope, Diahann Carroll, Artie Johnson; "George Burns: 90th Birthday Party" with Ann-Margret, Billy Crystal, Walter Matthau, John Forsythe, and more. Don party hats and celebrate the milestones in the career of the beloved comedian and actor.

If you’re throwing a special theme party (e.g., 1940s), you can play music the birthday celebrants enjoyed as teens. Perhaps they can show off their best dance moves! The 3-CD set Swingin’ to Swing’s Greatest Hits: 36 All-Time Favorites will be a hit with the group. The party will be lively with music from the orchestras of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, and more! Invite a dance demo team to swing to favorites such as "Boogie Woogie," "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "In the Mood," and "Stomping at the Savoy."

ELVIS TRIVIA QUIZ

It’s time to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Elvis on January 8! Decorate with a 1950s or rock ’n roll theme. Invite an Elvis impersonator to perform for your group. Take a poll of favorite songs. Challenge your group to an Elvis trivia quiz.

What is the birthplace of Elvis Aaron Presley? Tupelo, Mississippi
What is the name of Elvis’ Memphis home? Graceland
In what branch of the military did Elvis serve? U.S. Army
Elvis is known as the King of what? Rock ’n Roll
In the 1961 romantic comedy Blue Hawaii, Elvis plays Chad Gates. Who plays the role of his mother in the film? Angela Lansbury
What was the name of Elvis’ first hit single in 1956? "Heartbreak Hotel"
What was the name of Elvis’ first movie in 1956? Love Me Tender
Finish the lyrics: "Don’t you step on my blue. . ." what? Suede shoes
A daughter was born to Elvis and Priscilla Presley in 1968. What is her name? Lisa Marie
On what popular Sunday night TV variety show did Elvis appear three times? The Ed Sullivan Show

FEATURED PRODUCTS FOR DECEMBER

Roses in December: Music Sessions for Older Adults. - 130-page book, 75 music sessions - Regularly $19.95. Sale price $16.95.

George Burns: The TV Specials Collection. - 4 CDs, 450 minutes - Regularly $39.95. Sale price $33.95.

Swingin’ to Swing’s Greatest Hits: 36 All-Time Favorites - 109 minutes on 3 CDS - Regularly $29.95. Sale price $25.45.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." ~ -Mark Twain

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