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Evolution of Holidays: What Are We Doing for Thanksgiving This Year?

By Suzi Hoge
Posted: 07/01/2026

As we age, we also evolve in many ways: how we manage our body, our environment, our mental state, and much more. An area that I have spent time researching and reflecting on is family rituals, seasonal events, and holidays. In talking with other Villagers about these topics, it is clear that evolution is happening in a wide variety of ways. 

Think back to a large traditional family gathering – Thanksgiving perhaps. Were you the host and main cook? Has that changed over time? Is one of your children now hosting? Did you pass on that special family turkey platter and recipes to the next generation?  That is one possibility for the evolution of the holiday, a pretty stereotypical one. 

But what if you and/or your family doesn’t fit into that traditional stereotype?  You may have lost a spouse or are busy being a caregiver. You may not have children to assume the hosting responsibilities or your children may be far away and/or estranged. Other relatives may or may not be close by.

In doing some research about holidays and how things change as we age, the first “Aha!” moment was that people who manage seniors have many resources they use to support the seniors through emotional holiday times. It took some digging, however, to get to other pieces aimed at discussing the issues with actual seniors. 

 

Some strategies worth sharing:

• Identify the events and/or holidays that are important to you. 
• Think about the holiday or family event well in advance. You need some planning and reflection time. 
• What are the things about the holiday and/or event that are worth effort?  Gathering with family and/or friends? Eating special foods? Using family recipes? 
• What are you able to do at this point in your life? Is your living space smaller?  Energy level lower? Better to do some smaller gatherings rather than a big one?
• Identify what you’d like to keep about past events and what needs to change. 
• Plan how you would like to celebrate a coming holiday or family event in an updated way. 

 

Here are some examples of how Villagers have evolved:

Jim Hendrick’s family has connected through Zoom. “My son lives in rural northern Illinois. We Zoom on Christmas. He usually has a few family and friends in attendance. We unwrap each other’s presents on Zoom. It is so much fun to watch his expressions at some dumb gift I got him. It really helps with the loneliness around the holidays.”

BJ Leyard shared, “I hosted the family for years and threw a big Christmas Eve party. I made the feast, cookies, and decorated. When the kids went off to college, I invited faculty and grad students for Thanksgiving. My kids and grandchildren came a couple of times but traveling on the holidays is a nightmare and things to do here are jammed. Nobody likes turkey but all insist we must have one. There are great debates about mashed potatoes.” This year BJ hosted a potluck Thanksgiving for the Village. 

Our newsletter Copy Editor Judith Ray shared these thoughts of her holiday evolution after reading this article. “The most significant holiday in my family was Christmas. I remember vividly sitting on the (horsehair) sofa (scratching) with my two older sisters on Christmas Eve waiting eagerly for our two aunts and their husbands to arrive - with presents! Neither of these aunts had children, so it was the tradition that they made the rounds on Christmas Eve to all the nieces and nephews and gave them their more than generous gifts. Afterwards, there would be Christmas carols around the piano, hot chocolate, treats and lots of laughing. Act 2 was when my sisters and I began to have children of our own and the Christmas celebration moved to Christmas Day. At first, it was always at Mom’s; that changed over the years but gathering around the piano stayed a part of it. Next act: grandchildren! Always a little tricky trying to please both sets of grandparents and perhaps a little less enjoyable due to the stress that had become a part of it all, but the magic in the little one’s eyes was still there. And so was the piano. Finale: Now I am 81 years old and may or may not see any family at Christmas. People are spread all over the country, but there is Zoom, FaceTime, and lots of memories. And a Christmas carol on the piano still sounds the same, even if I am alone.”

I hosted a special tea on Mother’s Day for ladies “at loose ends” in the Village. I wasn’t going to be able to connect with 2 of my daughters, so I reflected and came up with alternate plans. Phil, my daughter Karen, and I went out to tea the Sunday before Mother’s Day to have a small family celebration and then I hosted the bigger tea event on Mother’s Day Sunday. It was enjoyable to have various Villagers come, interact, and get to know each other better. 

Another example is the evolution of a New Year’s tradition among several couples who are dear friends. In our younger days, we would be camping out on Colorado Boulevard  ahead of the parade. We would prepare a warm potluck dinner and take it up to that parade spot. As we got older and weren’t into parade stake-out duty, we made reservations for an early dinner on New Year’s Eve. Over the years, that changed to a lunch on New Year’s Eve day. Now, with changes in health and the demise of one of our friends, we are celebrating separately. 

A challenge for you is to think about the special events you have coming up this year. Is some evolution needed? What do you value and what do you want to make sure happens? Take time to reflect on the memories you have of the various special gatherings. What can you do to actively plan for some updates and changes?  

One of the benefits we have as Villagers is our community. When I decided to arrange a tea for Mother’s Day, I put the information into the bulletin, folks signed up, and a gathering occurred. As a Villager you have the power to schedule special events, have others enjoy them with you, and start some new traditions!

Maybe it is time to re-examine what we want to build into our special days.