Hickory Chase	UPDATED: Thursday, December 11, 2008
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Holidays around the nation

Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2008

By Jacqueline Kimball
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

For weeks now, seasonal lyrics have filled the halls at Erickson retirement community campuses around the country. The snippets of melody herald upcoming faith-related and nondenominational holiday performances like the following events at Linden Ponds, near Boston, and Eagle’s Trace, in Houston. Similar programs will debut at Hickory Chase next year.

Linden Ponds
The faith communities at Linden Ponds include Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, interfaith, and Unitarian. "We try to help people specifically with their faith traditions and put those together in one package so everyone feels their needs are being met," says Pastoral Ministries Manager Chris Beukman.

For example, music is an important component of the resident-driven holiday programs that celebrate faith. At this year’s winter concert, the Chapel Chorale will entertain with selections that run the gamut from secular favorites and sing-alongs, to "Sheep May Safely Graze," and—from a Broadway musical—"Shalom."

Other programs highlight the unique expressions of individual faiths. An annual triple holiday display features a nativity scene for Christmas, candelabra and fruit for Kwanzaa, and a menorah for Hanukkah. Residents give it high marks for reflecting the makeup of the community. There’s also a festive Hanukkah lighting ceremony. "We present it as an activity offered to the entire campus by the Jewish community," Beukman says.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols celebrates the Christian tradition and features the Chapel Chorale, which specializes in sacred repertoire. "We do ‘Lessons and Carols’ every year," says Beukman. "We love tradition here."

Also this year, the Linden Ponds Singers will present Amahl and the Night Visitors.

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Eagle’s Trace
The faith-related offerings at Eagle’s Trace, in Houston, grow from monthly meetings of the community’s Interfaith Advisory Council, says Pastoral Ministries Manager Mary Kate Kell. "I support residents in living out their faith in ways meaningful to them, and I try to give them a broader understanding of other faiths so they’ll see how we’re all the same at the core."

The Christmas-Hanukkah Songfest, the main celebration, draws residents, families, and friends alike. It includes sing-alongs with the Eagle’s Trace Chorus; photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus—Eagle’s Trace residents; and a dramatic reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

"Hanukkah is a very minor Jewish holiday," says Kell, "but our Jewish residents enjoy sharing it." Last year they hosted Hanukkah in a Box—literally. A rabbi brought in a box containing a menorah and decorations, a hotplate to make potato pancakes, and a video about Hanukkah traditions.

Holidays Around the World, an idea proposed by marketing staff and brought to reality by residents, took place last December. "We emphasized culture so everyone would feel welcome," says Events Associate Ashley Schkade. "But religion became a component because of the time of year and our mix of residents."

Display tables representing Scandinavia, Europe, Mexico, and South America, showcased the cultures and traditional holiday foods of everyone at Eagle’s Trace. "In Greece, you can’t have Christmas without baklava," Schkade says, so a resident of Greek heritage made baklava. Many employees come from Equador, so the South American display featured tamales. "Everyone went home wiser and radiating holiday spirit."