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Handmade Advent calendars bring holiday joy to nursing home residents

What started as a sustainability project became a lesson in kindness. These handmade calendars turned trash into treasured gifts—and smiles.

In this picture there are group of people sitting and there are books and bags on the tables. At...
In this picture there are group of people sitting and there are books and bags on the tables. At the back there is a calendar on the wall and there are numbers and there is text on the calendar. At the top right it looks like a door.

Handmade Advent calendars bring holiday joy to nursing home residents

A group of schoolchildren brought handmade Advent calendars to a local nursing home just before Christmas. The thoughtful gesture left residents feeling both delighted and deeply moved by the personal touch. Children from Geisa Secondary School’s creative arts club, backed by Caritas Youth Social Services, spent weeks preparing the gifts. They used discarded items like empty Tetra Paks, an old bedsheet, and pharmacy containers to build the calendars. Each one was carefully filled with small surprises, turning waste into something festive. The project succeeded on two fronts. Residents enjoyed a heartwarming surprise, while the children learned the value of sustainability and thoughtful giving. By repurposing materials and sharing handmade gifts, both groups found a meaningful way to connect before Christmas.

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