Starting new Christmas traditions and keep long-lasting family rituals takes just a little time and energy to plan. Here is a short list of traditions to inspire your own holiday traditions and make the season a little brighter.

•Make traditional dishes for your holiday meals and include foods from your culture or foods you ate growing up. Ask for recipes from relatives to keep your family food traditions alive.

•Get a handful of friends together and go caroling. You’ll be surprised by how well-received your singing group is, even if you’re out of tune.

•This one I hear many members talking about. Purchase or make a holiday ornament for each child every year. This is a great reason to reminisce during holiday decorating.

•Find a giving tree that allows you to sponsor a family in need or purchase toys for children in need. Go shopping for the items together and donate them.

•Start a gag gift tradition. Give a funny gift to a family member. Each year, pass the gift on to another unsuspecting family member.

•In recent years we have seen ugly sweater parties grow in popularity. Have your own ugly sweater party with a prize for the best ugly sweater.

•And don’t forget to come to the senior center with a friend and take our Rosettes class. Teresa will be hands on helping participants make rosettes in our kitchen. Leave the mess to us. The class and samples are free but if you would like to take some home it is $5 for a half-dozen. Make sure you sign up for this class so we know what to prepare for. Sign up by stopping by or calling the front desk 507-433-2370.

 

Holiday samplings

Please join Chef Jack from the Cedars from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday for his Holiday Social at the Mower County Senior Center. Chef will be serving appetizers and beverages, selling cookbooks and recipe booklets and signing them for people. We will be having drawings for prizes and Holiday Cheer. (all profits going to the senior center)

‘Tis the season for guests to drop by, family and friends, parties. You know how fun it is to have baked goods around that are easy to put on a plate and serve. This year leave the baking to us! From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, and Friday, Dec. 19, the senior center will be having a bake sale. Cookies, candies and more will be ready to take home while you support the many things the senior center offers the community.

Don’t forget our coffee shop where every day you can have homemade soup for $1 and a sandwich for 50 cents. This week Tuesday, we are serving turkey and stuffing casserole for $2. You are always welcome at the center.

 

Upcoming Events

Monday: Blood Pressure Checks, 9 a.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge

Exercise w/Evie’s Friends,

1 p.m.;

Tuesday: Silver Sneakers, 8:30 a.m.; Exercise w/Evies Friends, 9 a.m.; Turkey and Stuffing Casserole, 11:30 a.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge

Zumba Gold, 4:15 p.m.; HIIT, 5:10 p.m.; Zumba, 5:45 p.m.; Zumba, 7 p.m.

Wednesday: Wood Carvers, 8:30 a.m.; Weight Watchers, 12:15 p.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage Rosette Making Class, 1 p.m.; Stitching Bees, 1 p.m.; Open Chess, 1 p.m.; Weight Watchers, 5:30 p.m.;

Thursday: Bake Sale, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Silver Sneakers, 8:30 a.m.; Exercise w/Evies Friends 9 a.m.; Caregivers Support Group, 10:30 a.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge Bingo, 1 p.m.; Open Chess 1 p.m.

Zumba Gold, 4:15 p.m.; HIIT, 5:10 p.m.; Zumba 5:45 p.m.; Zumba 7 p.m.

Friday: Bake Sale, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage Chef Jack’s Holiday Social, 1-2:30 p.m.; Ping Pong 3 p.m.

 

Card results

Monday Bridge

Dec.1, one

1st Dave Solomonson, 2nd Loretta Nelson, 3rd Lois Johnson, 4th John Karnes, 5th Jaynard Johnson

Tuesday Duplicate Bridge

Dec. 2, five tables

1st Bud Higgins, 1st Arnie Lang, 2nd Dave Ring, 2nd Jim Fisher, 3rd Ron Peters, 3rd Gene Muchow, 4th Rick Stroup, 4th John Liesen

Tuesday “500”

Dec. 2, three tables

1st Hilton Henschen, 2nd Wayne