How to Celebrate National Senior Citizens Day

Purchase several hundred dollars worth of board games, card games, and jigsaw puzzles. Wrap each purchase in Christmas-themed wrapping paper and carefully pack them into a red velvet sack.

Dress in your Santa costume, throw the sack over your shoulder, and head to the nearest senior citizens’ assisted living facility.

Walk the halls of the facility distributing your gifts to its residents. Facility employees may attempt to interfere; they may, in fact, ask you to leave. Smile and tell them you are Santa Claus. They will relent. Some residents may point out that it is August and not Christmas. Smile and give them an extra present.

Gather everyone into the common room to unwrap the presents. Stage a mock snowball fight using wads of crumpled wrapping paper. Set up some tables and chairs for your new friends and make your way from one to the next, playing each game or helping with each puzzle.

Get to know people. Talk to them about their lives. Listen to their stories. Tell some jokes. When you’ve had a chance to speak to everyone, leave.

Feel good about yourself. The Santa costume was a little creepy, but you did a nice thing today.

Art Attack

A selection of Society6 art prints featuring board games and other analog activities.

Let’s Play! by Gulshan Singh

I Knew You Were Trouble by Amejean

FUN by Zach.$23

Game Night by Jennifer Chan

Sorry, Not Sorry by SBGN

Game Night by SquibInk

• Let’s Play! by Gulshan Singh
• I Knew You Were Trouble by Amejean
• FUN by Zach.$23
• Game Night by Jennifer Chan
• Sorry, Not Sorry by SBGN
• Game Night by SquibInk

Links & Learning

Getting older means getting happier

• Here’s Scientific Proof That Life Gets Better As You Get Older – Huffington Post
• Why People Get Happier As They Get Older – The Economist
• Age Brings Happiness – Scientific American
• 7 Elements of Wisdom That Can Make You Happier As You Age – Psychology Today
• The Aging Paradox: The Older We Get, The Happier We Are – LA Times

What to do with leftover wrapping paper

• 19 Clever Ways to Use Leftover Wrapping Paper – Buzzfeed
• Leftover Gift-Wrap Ideas – Martha Stewart
• 8 Inventive Uses for Leftover Wrapping Paper You Never Thought Of – Reader’s Digest

Board games are fun and good for you

• The Benefits of Board Games – Scholastic
• 9 Reasons Analog Games Are Awesome – Art of Manliness
• 15 Fun Board Games that Exercise Your Brain and Make You Smarter – Lifehack.org
• Why the CIA Uses Board Games to Train Its Officers – CNN
• 11 Board Games You Should Be Playing As An Adult – Vox

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