31 December Activities for Seniors (Day-by-Day Calendar + Free Printable)

December can be the busiest month on the activity calendar: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the winter solstice and New Year’s Eve all fall within a few weeks. It can also be a lonely month for residents who are grieving or far from family, so a steady mix of festive and quiet activities matters.

Here are 31 December activities for seniors, one for each day of December 2026, plus a free printable calendar to post on your activity board. Swap any day to fit your community. For more holiday ideas, see our Christmas activities for seniors.

Key December dates for 2026

Date	What’s happening	Activity idea
Fri, Dec 4 to Sat, Dec 12	Hanukkah (begins at sundown Dec 4)	Electric menorah lighting and a dreidel game
Mon, Dec 7	National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day	A short moment of silence and stories
Sat, Dec 19	Wreaths Across America Day	Make a wreath to honor veterans
Mon, Dec 21	Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year	Storytelling by LED candlelight
Fri, Dec 25	Christmas Day	Festive meal and family visits
Sat, Dec 26 to Fri, Jan 1	Kwanzaa	Invite families to share its traditions
Thu, Dec 31	New Year’s Eve	A daytime Noon Year’s Eve party

Week 1: Getting into the season (December 1–6)

1. Tue, Dec 1: Holiday planning circle. Ask residents which December events matter most to them, from carols to Hanukkah candles to a New Year party, and add them to the calendar together.
2. Wed, Dec 2: Paper snowflake crafts. Fold and cut paper snowflakes for the windows using blunt-tip safety scissors, with staff nearby. Staff pre-cut shapes for anyone who can’t use scissors safely, and those residents decorate them with markers or glue sticks.
3. Thu, Dec 3: Holiday movie matinee. A classic holiday film with captions on and snacks that fit each resident’s diet order.
4. Fri, Dec 4: Hanukkah begins at sundown. Hanukkah runs from sundown Friday, December 4, to nightfall Saturday, December 12 (Hebcal). Invite Jewish residents and families, if they wish, to lead an electric or LED menorah lighting and share what the holiday means to them.
5. Sat, Dec 5: Family ornament afternoon. Families and residents decorate large wooden or shatterproof ornaments together.
6. Sun, Dec 6: Carol and hymn sing-along. Familiar carols and hymns with large-print song sheets.

Week 2: Hanukkah and remembrance (December 7–13)

7. Mon, Dec 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in 1994 (National Park Service). Hold a short moment of silence and invite residents who remember the day to share, if they wish.
8. Tue, Dec 8: Gingerbread house decorating. Decorate small houses made from graham crackers and frosting, using soft decorations only (no hard candies, nuts or small sprinkles). For residents on modified diets or who may eat craft materials, offer a paper or felt gingerbread house to decorate instead. Supervise throughout.
9. Wed, Dec 9: Chair yoga to holiday music. Gentle seated stretches set to soft holiday music. See our chair exercises for seniors.
10. Thu, Dec 10: Holiday card writing. Write cards to family, staff and neighbors. Offer large-print card templates and felt-tip pens.
11. Fri, Dec 11: Dreidel game. Invite Jewish residents or family members to teach the game, if they wish. Use a large dreidel and a tally sheet or large chips too big to swallow instead of coins or candy.
12. Sat, Dec 12: Hanukkah stories and songs. The last day of Hanukkah. Invite a Jewish resident, family member or local congregation volunteer to share a Hanukkah story and songs.
13. Sun, Dec 13: Cookie decorating. Decorate soft sugar cookies with frosting; skip nuts, hard candies and small sprinkles. Check diet orders first, and offer a paper cookie-decorating craft for anyone who can’t safely eat them.

Week 3: Holiday spirit (December 14–20)

14. Mon, Dec 14: Choir or school concert. Invite a local school, church or community choir for a short concert.
15. Tue, Dec 15: Traditions around the world. Residents share how their families celebrated, and staff add short stories about winter holidays in other countries.
16. Wed, Dec 16: Holiday spa afternoon. Hand massages with lotion and a calm playlist. Check care plans for allergies and fragile skin.
17. Thu, Dec 17: Christmas trivia. Play a round from our 50 Christmas trivia questions for seniors.
18. Fri, Dec 18: Pajama and cocoa movie night. Cozy pajamas, a favorite film and cocoa served warm, not hot.
19. Sat, Dec 19: Wreaths Across America Day. Wreaths Across America Day honors veterans (Wreaths Across America). Make a simple wreath on a pre-made form with soft ribbon (staff handle wire and glue guns) for your community’s veterans, or invite a local volunteer to talk about the program.
20. Sun, Dec 20: Holiday bingo. Picture or word bingo with holiday themes and small prizes.

Week 4: Solstice, Christmas and Kwanzaa (December 21–27)

21. Mon, Dec 21: Winter solstice storytelling. The longest night of the year. Gather by LED candlelight for stories and cocoa served warm, not hot.
22. Tue, Dec 22: Gift-wrapping helpers. Residents help wrap gifts for families or a local toy drive. Staff handle the scissors and tape dispensers.
23. Wed, Dec 23: Holiday baking demo. A staff member bakes while residents measure, stir and share family recipes. Staff handle the oven. No tasting raw dough.
24. Thu, Dec 24: Christmas Eve carols. Quiet carols and a reading of a favorite holiday story.
25. Fri, Dec 25: Christmas Day. A festive meal, family visits and quiet time for those who need it.
26. Sat, Dec 26: Kwanzaa begins. Kwanzaa runs December 26 to January 1 (Smithsonian NMAAHC). Invite residents or families who celebrate to share its traditions. If no one celebrates, share a short introduction drawn from the Smithsonian’s overview.
27. Sun, Dec 27: Gentle walk and rest. A slow indoor walk, with walkers or canes as usual and staff alongside, then rest after the busy holiday week.

Week 5: Ringing in the new year (December 28–31)

28. Mon, Dec 28: Year in photos slideshow. Show photos from the past year’s events and let residents tell the stories behind them.
29. Tue, Dec 29: Wishes for the new year. Residents write or dictate one hope for the new year for a wishes jar.
30. Wed, Dec 30: Party hat crafts. Decorate paper party hats for the New Year celebration.
31. Thu, Dec 31: Noon Year’s Eve party. Count down to noon instead of midnight with sparkling cider (thickened for anyone on thickened liquids), music and party hats.

Keeping December safe and calm

• Use flameless candles. LED candles and electric menorahs give a similar glow without an open flame.
• Check diet orders before every food activity. Offer soft or modified-texture versions of cookies and treats, and serve drinks warm, not hot.
• Choose shatterproof decorations. Skip small ornaments, tinsel and anything that looks like candy or food, which residents living with dementia may try to eat.
• Prevent falls. Keep cords for lights and trees out of walkways, and keep decorations off the floor and away from handrails.
• Keep holiday gatherings manageable. The Alzheimer’s Association suggests adjusting expectations and keeping celebrations manageable for people living with dementia (Alzheimer’s Association). Plan a quiet room for anyone who needs a break.
• Watch for loneliness. Check in quietly with residents who won’t have visitors or who are grieving this time of year.
• Keep everyone warm. The National Institute on Aging notes that older adults may not notice when they are getting too cold, so keep common areas warm and blankets handy.

Get the free December 2026 calendar

The free December 2026 activity calendar has all 31 activities on one landscape page. Pair it with our winter activities for seniors and get a head start on next month with our January activities for seniors. For tips on building your own calendar, read our senior activity calendar guide.

Plan December in one sitting

ActivityBuilder’s activity calendar builder lets you drop holiday activities into your month from a library of 580+, run holiday trivia and bingo on the activity room TV, and print a polished calendar for residents and families. Start a free trial and have December planned this week.