Festive activities at St John’s Care Home

The recent festive season was celebrated in traditional fashion at St John’s Care Home, Melrose with carols, decorations, good food, and for the first time in a long while, family and friends.

St John’s Wellness Coordinator Denise said, “This Christmas was special in that family and friends could visit again. This meant so much to our residents. We invited residents’ families to join us for Christmas lunch and several families took up the offer. The traditional lunch menu included a prawn cocktail or pate starter, a main course of roast beef, roast turkey or honey-glazed gammon with Brussels sprouts, carrots and honey parsnips and to finish, a dessert choice of trifle or mince pies with cream.”

Carols and Christmas songs are a favourite activity at St John’s, with the most popular being ‘Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Away in a Manger’, ‘Let it Snow’, ‘Joy to the World’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Happy Christmas (War is over)’. Denise said: “Our residents enjoyed wearing hats and coming together to listen to Christmas songs, humming and singing along!”

“I find the mood at Christmas is always special and magical,” said Denise. “We have four trees that we place around the home, as well as the residents’ own ones and their decorations. The scent of clove and orange and the baking smells of shortbread, gingerbread and spice coming from our kitchen are fantastic.”

Many thanks to Mansfield Care Homes staff for the lovely photos.