Senior living activity calendar ideas: December 2026

Each month we refresh this page with themes, key dates and a ready weekly plan. Type it into the free calendar builder, adjust it for your community and print it for every floor.

This month's key dates

• Fri, Dec 4: Hanukkah begins at sundown (through Dec 12)
• Mon, Dec 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
• Mon, Dec 21: Winter solstice
• Fri, Dec 25: Christmas Day
• Sat, Dec 26: Kwanzaa begins (through Jan 1)
• Thu, Dec 31: Noon Year's Eve party

This month's themes by week

1. Week 1: Getting into the season. Planning circle, paper snowflakes, carol sing-along, ornament decorating.
2. Week 2: Lights and kindness. Menorah lighting led by residents or families, holiday card writing, dreidel game, cookie decorating.
3. Week 3: Music and community. Choir visit, guess the carol, holiday charades, hot cocoa social.
4. Week 4: Celebrate. Picture bingo, Christmas open house, Kwanzaa sharing, thank-you notes.
5. Week 5: Wind down. Year in photos, wishes banner, Noon Year's Eve party.

A daily template

• Morning: seated stretch or coffee social
• Late morning: puzzle table or craft
• Afternoon: group game, music or visitor
• Evening (a few nights a week): movie or quiet reading

How to use this page each month

• Copy the key dates onto your calendar first.
• Pick one theme per week and fill the daily template.
• Add resident birthdays and community events.
• Check back next month for new ideas.
• See the free December program sample for a ready-made version.

Free tools to use with this list

• Activity calendar builder: lay out the month and print it for the hallway board.
• Daily trivia: a fresh set of questions to read aloud each day.
• Word search maker: type your own seasonal word list and print a large-print puzzle.
• Sudoku and crossword: quiet-table puzzles at several levels.
• Free samples: a ready December program, charades cards and sample puzzle sets.