December Holiday Wishes & Free Resources

Message from Randella Bluehouse, Executive Director, National Indian Council on Aging

“Happy Holidays to NICOA Elders, dedicated Community Service Providers and Stakeholders! Winter marks the end of a year and the time for many of our plants and animal friends to sleep until springtime. Many of our tribes will honor this season with prayers, songs, storytelling, games, and sharing of food and merriment. NICOA wishes for you a Winter Season blessed with Abundance of loving family members and friends.” 

December Celebrations & Observances

 

World Aids Day ~ December 1

HIV/Aids 101 https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/what-is-hiv-aids/

How Do You Get HIV or Aids? https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/how-you-get-hiv-aids/

 

Bingo Birthday Month

The game of Bingo was first manufactured in December 1929 by Edwin S. Lowe. The game can be traced back to 1530 and first came to North America in 1929. It was first called beano.

Celebrate the game of Bingo by playing a holiday version of the game with friends or family. Provide a simple 3×4 Bingo card for person with three columns and four rows. At the top of each column, place a holiday sticker or picture. Place a different color star sticker in the nine squares below the top three squares. Make corresponding cards with the same pictures from the top three squares on the cards to turn over in a stack. Make several other cards with different color stars.

To play the game, turn over a picture card and a star card. Each person looks in the column with that picture to see if he has the same color star on his card in that column. If he has the matching star in the correct column, then he can cover that star with a button or marker.

National Roof Over Your Head Day ~ December 3

National Roof Over Your Head Day was created as a day to be thankful for what you have, starting with the roof over your head.  There are many things that we have that we take for granted and do not stop to appreciate how fortunate we are for having them.

All across our nation there are many that do not have the things that, to us, are a normal part of our everyday life, such as the roof over our heads, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and etc.  There are people who do not even have the roof of a shelter, they are living in the streets, in cardboard boxes or in alleys.

National Roof Over Your Head Day is about remembering to appreciate what you have.  This day follows closely after Thanksgiving; a day to be thankful.  So just like Thanksgiving, be thankful for what you do have and always remember, that it is a better feeling than worrying about what you do not have.

To celebrate National Roof Over Your Head Day you can pick a name or two off of a Christmas Giving Tree, volunteer at or make a contribution to a homeless shelter in your area and maybe someone else will be able to have a “roof over their head” tonight.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities ~ December 3

Theme for 2015: Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities. The estimated one billion people living with disabilities worldwide face many barriers to inclusion in many key aspects of society. As a result, people with disabilities do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others, which includes areas of transportation, employment, and education as well as social and political participation.

The right to participate in public life is essential to create stable democracies, active citizenship and reduce inequalities in society. By promoting empowerment, real opportunities for people are created. This enhances their own capacities and supports them in setting their own priorities. Empowerment involves investing in people – in jobs, health, nutrition, education, and social protection. When people are empowered they are better prepared to take advantage of opportunities, they become agents of change and can more readily embrace their civic responsibilities.

The sub-themes for the 2015 observance of the International Day are:

• Making cities inclusive and accessible for all
• Improving disability data and statistics
• Including persons with invisible disabilities in society and development

 

National Human Rights Day ~ December 10

Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December. It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950, after the Assembly passed resolution 423 inviting all States and interested organizations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.

 

December is Eye Health Month

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 25 ~ Christmas Day

 

December 31 ~ New Year’s Eve