The festive season is here, and retirement villages around New Zealand are gearing up for a time of year when their tight-knit communities can come together to enjoy friendship, great food, and entertainment.
Metlifecare Papamoa Beach Village has a raft of fun activities planned for residents, with Village Manager Polly Delfim bringing the community together for competitions like building gingerbread houses, a Christmas treats cook-off, and best-decorated villa.
For the gingerbread house making competition, some teams had up to five people working together to win. “They said they hadn't laughed like that in years,” says Polly.
Polly loves Christmas and has been wearing a different Christmas-themed outfit daily. Food Services Manager Stephen Barry has also joined in the tradition, wearing a different festive outfit to work every day.
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Metlifecare Papamoa Village Manager Polly Delfim. Photo / Supplied.
“I am lucky to be in a village where our Village Manager, Polly, is a living Christmas Angel. She is totally devoted to making the whole month very special,” says Stephen.
On Christmas Day, village residents will be treated to a delicious menu including roast turkey and honey-baked ham, gourmet potatoes, Christmas pudding, passionfruit pavlova and much more, all expertly crafted by Stephen, a multi-award-winning chef.
Villages in Auckland are also embracing the holiday spirit, with the large atrium at Metlifecare Greenwich Gardens being decorated with a giant Christmas tree, sleigh and blow-up Santa.
Balcony light-show and door decorating competitions are also underway, with great prizes up for grabs for the North Shore community of residents, who are always eager to get involved.
“It has been tough year with COVID-19 and lockdowns, so it’s nice to see all the decorations going up as it brings a bit of cheer to the village,” says Louise Crowther, Village Manager of Greenwich Gardens.
Also on Auckland’s North Shore, Metlifecare The Poynton has already held two Christmas functions within one week, to stay within the one-hundred-people limit. All functions are planned in alignment with the traffic light system guidelines.
“We have a Cantorum choir coming to the village to sing and I also sing in this choir!” says The Poynton Village Manager, Kat Instrall. “They are joining us for car park carols followed by a Christmas balcony decorating competition, judged by the conductor.”
Residents will be able to join the ‘car park carols’ from their balconies or in a socially-distanced seating area.
Kat adds, “With so much fun underway, it’s a great time of year to be in a Metlifecare village. Being surrounded by like-minded people, eager to share some laughs, delicious food and a glass of bubbles or two! What could be better?”
