On Sunday I took my kids to Baycrest, my grandmother's retirement home, to celebrate the Jewish holiday Purim. And even though Emma refused to even so much as try a hamentaschen, we had a very nice time. Too bad - kid missed out big time. Nothing like a good poppy seed hamentaschen to bring a smile to a face. Or at least my face. Sadly, Emma was too turned on by the circus-style popcorn machine that triangle shaped cookies with funny names were the last thing she could think about. Anyhow, it was more fun than I was expecting. After all, purim at a retirement home - doesn't that sound like fun fun fun to you?
For a bunch of old people, they did it up quite nicely. And if you could get past the bottleneck areas filled with walkers, canes, and wheelchairs and make your way over to the activity stations, a great time was to be had by all. Or at least by all who weren't completely deaf by the time the thing was over & done. They seemed to have some mic issues, and every so ofter music would come BLARING out the loudspeakers, freaking out the young & old alike. At least the old ones who could still hear, anyhow.
There was a magician who also did balloon art:
An arts & crafts table where kids could make crowns & masks with all sorts of STICKERS! and BEADS! and GLITTER! and GLUE! and then MORE GLUE!!!
And then there was the face painting station. Needless to say, my kids were the hit of the party!
And after we got home...
Sadly, I left without taking home any of my oh-so-carefully smuggled hamentaschen. They may be old, but they know from a good cookie.
3 comments:
Oh Alissa--this is such a great blog, and the pictures are so adorable. Your grandmother must have been the happiest lady in the place. I think it was so thoughtful of you to celebrate the holiday with her. We're all going to get to the point in our lives where we live for the moment that someone comes to visit us. This is especially true when you can no longer initiate the visit.
Grandma A.
What's your email address? I will pass it on to her, if you don't mind me doing it that way? Let me know...emmamcdonnell@shaw.ca
Hi Alissa~ I don't know if you read a previous comment I made, but I am an old childhood friend of yours. I was just reading your Purim blog. Brings back memories -- my Bubbie also used to live at Baycrest (well at the Terrace) and loved it there before she passed away a few years ago. I also took my girls to the Purim parties. They loved them too. It is so great to see not only the kids faces light up, but to see the residents light up at the sight of the children! It is wonderful to watch! I miss those days. Cherish them! Julie
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