Why can’t every day be Christmas?
For some, the season of giving isn’t limited to December. Christmas can also be a source of comfort and connection all year long. At Gabriel Homes, the holiday spirit continues through the passions of our residents.
The Season of Joy
The season of joy lasts all year with John, a resident at Gabriel Homes. John has an extensive collection of Christmas CDs that fills his room with holiday spirit. When his local library carried CDs, John would check out a rotation of different Christmas albums on Sundays. The library stopped carrying CDs when music streaming became more popular, so John started renting Christmas DVDs.
“Christmas is playing 365 days a year with John. When we’re in the car, we’re almost always playing Christmas music and singing along.”
John’s favorite type of Christmas music is slow and soothing.
His favorite artist is Nat King Cole, a jazz pianist and R&B singer whose voice NPR calls “liquid, smooth.” Cole’s best-selling “The Magic of Christmas” album sets the cozy mood and gets the most airtime on John’s music player.
“Nat’s voice is relaxing, and the music is timeless,” John says. “I listen to his music over and over. The Christmas album makes my good days better and my tough days easier.”
Celebrating Christmas at the Gabriel Homes Boo Bash
At the 2nd Annual Boo Bash, John brought holiday cheer to the party when he sang “The First Noel” for karaoke. The Christmas joy spread after John’s performance: Sam, another resident, jumped in to sing “Deck the Halls.”
