OPTIONS Day Program Newsies’ Newsletter

December 2018

Christmas Traditions Around the World

In the Philippines they celebrate with a Giant Lantern Festival. It falls on the Saturday before Christmas and 11

villages take part to build the most elaborate lantern which resembles a kaleidoscope pattern.

In Austria a beast-like demon roams the streets frightening children and punishing the bad ones. He is St. Nicholas’ evil accomplice, Krampus. He captures the naughtiest kids and

whisks them away in his sack.

In Japan Christmas has never really been a big deal. They have recently begun a new tradition called Kentucky Fried Christmas, where they have a KFC feast

for dinner.

In Norway people hide their brooms. This dates back centuries to when people believed that witches and evil spirits came out

on Christmas Eve looking for brooms to ride on.

In Columbia they have The Day of Little Candles which marks the start of Christmas season. People place

candles and lanterns in their windows, balconies, and yards to honour the Virgin Mary and the immaculate

conception.

Hanukah is celebrated in the Jewish community. Also referred to as The Festival of Lights. It begins 4 days before the new moon, which is set by the Jewish lunar calendar. Lighting the

candles brings light to the darkest time of year and it lasts for 8 days. They consume oily foods to remind them of the 8 candles that they light by oil. Israel’s favorite food is a jelly

donut, while North America and Europe enjoy latkes (potato pancake). Children receive a small gift for each day

a candle is lit.

A Late Halloween Thank You! Thank you, Patty, for inviting us to Ranchman’s for a Halloween celebration. We all had a

Spooktacular time. Your thoughtfulness and generosity does not go unnoticed.

A Christmas Miracle… Written by Newsies Class

It was Christmas Eve in Toronto. Joy was working at Grandmas and Grandpas vintage toy store.

Joy was brushing her long, red hair when a business man barged through the door, demanding

last minute Christmas gifts. He was impatiently ringing the bell until Joy came rushing out. Joy

exclaimed “can I help you?” The business man replied rudely “why did it take you so long to get

out here?” Joy told him she was just getting ready for her birthday calibrations tonight, and he

could come if he changed his attitude. He snapped at her that he didn’t have time for such

foolishness. “I’m in a hurry and by the way, you’re missing an earing” he says. Joy breaks down

and begins to cry. Sobbing, she asks the man if he could help her look for it. They’re magical

earrings and bring Christmas spirit to the world. The man reluctantly helps her look for the

earing. The man spots the earring on the floor in the mirror, but they can’t get to it. The man

grabs a vintage fishing rod to reel in the earing. With surprise on his first cast he caught the

earing and reeled it back into their world. Joy faints from excitement. The man places the earing

back in her ear, and she is awakened. By Christmas spirit, Joy then falls in love with the man.

Because Joys earrings are reunited, Christmas spirit is restored, and the grumpy man is joyful! He

realizes he’s in love with her too and invites her for a Christmas eve dinner. She blows off her

birthday plans and spends Christmas eve with her new love and invites mom and dad to come.

The man is shocked when Mr. and Mrs. Clause show up. He faints and wakes up in the North

Pole. He asks where he is. They tell him he’s in the North Pole. He tells them they have a

beautiful ice castle and asks if he can stay to marry their daughter. They reply with excitement,

“Yes! And have a Christmas wedding.”

And they wed happily ever after.

OPTIONS welcomes a special guest to the Day Program…

Meet Bentlee!

Kara, one of the PCS’s PAWSitively cuddly buddy

Options

Holiday Market When:

Thursday, December 13th and Friday, December 14th

From 10:00am to 2:00pm

Where:

Options Day Program

#60, 10601 Southport Road SW

Who:

Everyone is welcome! The more the merrier

Be a part of the magic!

Join us for Options second ever

holiday market

Come for the hand-crafted gifts

and stay for the freshly baked

goodies, hot chocolate and apple

cider

Robyn’s Movie Review Movie Title: The Incredibles 2

Movie Plot: Trying to catch the bad woman

Movie Genre: Adventure

Favourite Scene: When the daughter got a boy friend

Dislikes: The women trying to brainwash the super heroes

Additional Comments: I liked it better than the first one

Robyn rates this movie:

Two thumbs up!

Voice it! Christmas Choir

Join us December 13th at 2:00pm to celebrate the

holidays through song!

Options VoiceIt! class will be hosting their very own

Christmas Choir at our Day Program Office

All family and friends welcome!

Please email hgeake@optionsplus.org

to RSVP

December 2018 Calendar

Sun Mon

Wed Thurs Fri Sat Tues

1

2 Hanukkah

Begins

3 International

Day of

Persons with

Disabilities

4 5 6 12 Days of X-

Mas Begins:

Decoration

Making

7 12 Days of X-

Mas:

Decorate

Office

8

9 10 Hanukkah

Ends Human Rights Day

12 Days of X-

Mas: Palliser

Giant

Gingerbread

house

11 12 Days of X-

Mas:

Gingerbread

House

Making

12 12 Days of X-

Mas:

Make/wear

your own

ugly

Christmas

sweater

13

12 Days of

X-Mas:

Holiday

Market!

14

12 Days of

X-Mas:

Holiday

Market!

15

16 17

12 Days of X-

Mas: Theatre

Arts Holiday

Play &

Christmas

movie with hot

chocolate (Entry

by food bank donation)

18 12 Days of X-

Mas:

Community

Caroling

19 12 Days of X-

Mas:

Green Gates

decorations

& Christmas

trees

20 12 Days of X-

Mas:

TD Mall’s

Christmas

trees

21 12 Days of X-

Mas: Office

PJ & Pizza

Party

Last day

before

winter break

22

23 24 Day

Program

Closed

25

Merry

Christmas Day

Program

Closed

26 Day

Program

Closed

27 Day

Program

Closed

28

Day

Program

Closed

29

30 31 Day

Program

Closed

12 Days of Christmas Activities

Day 1

Decoration Making: Today is a day for arts and

crafts. This year we be decorating the office in

our homemade decorations.

Day 2

Decorating Office: Today we will start

decorating the office and put up the Christmas

tree.

Day 3

Palliser – Giant Gingerbread House: Today

classes will be given the choice if they would like

to visit the Palliser Hotel to experience their

wonderfully oversized gingerbread house.

Day 4

Ginger Bread House Decorating: After being

inspired by the Palliser’s over the top gingerbread

house, we will create and design our very own

community of ginger bread houses for the office.

Day 5

Make/Wear an Ugly Christmas Sweater:

Come dressed in an ugly Christmas sweater you

already own OR bring in a sweater of your own

to transform into the ugliest of Christmas sweaters

with tinsel, ribbons, ornaments and more.

Day 6

Holiday Market: Options Day Program is putting

on a Holiday Market. Come and shop for unique

hand-crafted gifts and goodies.

Day 7

Day 2 of the Holiday Market: Options Day

Program is putting on a Holiday Market. Come

and shop for unique hand-crafted gifts and

goodies.

Day 8

Theater Arts Christmas Play and Holiday

Movie: This morning Theater Arts will be

preforming a Christmas play for the office, and

this afternoon there will be a holiday movie with

popcorn and hot chocolate. Please bring in a

non-perishable food item for movie entry. All

donations will be donated to the food bank.

Day 9

Community Caroling: Today is about coming

together to enjoy the true magic of singing and

music.

Day 10

Green Gate - Decorations: Today classes will

be given the choice to visit Green Gate Garden

Centre to see their beautiful Christmas

decorations and over the top Christmas Trees.

Day 11

CORE – Tree Decorating Contest: Today

classes may choose to take a trip down to the

CORE Shopping Centre to view their Christmas

tree decorating competition.

Day 12

PJ Pizza Party: Come to the office dressed in

your favorite pajamas for our annual PJ pizza

party! Let’s kick off the winter break with good

company, fun games and delicious pizza.

October - December Class Schedules

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Cooking

Class

Outdoor

Adventures

Good Works

Art Class

Theatre Arts

Yoga

Green Team

Music Sing

Along

Fitness & Rec

Women’s

Group

Photography

Newsies

Games

Group

MoMo

Dance

Cooking Class

Fitness & Rec

Old Souls

Art Class

Discovery Group

Fitness

Sewing & Textiles

Music Sing Along

Wellness &

Yoga

Meditation

Bowling

Bookworms &

Creative

Writing

Sensory Class

Voice It!

Fri-YAY

Women’s

Group

Men’s

Group

Swimming

Bowling

Everything

Art

Dance

2018 Highlights