One of the most wonderful things about an HOA neighborhood is the potential to come together during the holidays. Spreading joy throughout the holiday season is a great way to connect with your neighbors and to enrich your community. Of course, simply smiling and saying "Happy Holidays" is only the beginning. Whether you're an HOA council member or looking to spread joy through your neighborhood, we've put together some lovely ways to uplift the spirits and share the holiday cheer through your entire community.
1) Decorate the Neighborhood with Holiday Wreaths
HOAs often coordinate neighborhood decorations. You might put out little flags on the 4th of July or place a pumpkin by every mailbox around Halloween. But the holidays are your opportunity to really make the neighborhood shine, bringing smiles to the faces of all who live there or drive through. One beautiful and culturally inclusive option is to hang wreaths or offer wreaths to every household in your community. A trend of wreaths and ribbons on doors, mailboxes, and lamp posts will show that your community is sharing that joyful holiday feeling.
2) Host a Potluck Holiday Party with Recipe Cards
For many families, the holidays is all about swapping treats. Rather than simply putting out the cookie platters and hosting a holiday party, invite the whole neighborhood to participate in a potluck party or something called a cookie swap.
A cookie swap is when each family brings a dozen or more of their favorite holiday cookies and everyone can try the traditional cookies of neighboring families. From the frosted sugar cookies to the gourmet chocolate swirls, there are so many different kinds of cookie to enjoy. Encourage families to also bring a stack of recipe cards for each cookie so that neighbors can start baking their new favorite holiday cookies or other festive treats.
3) Sponsor Community Decoration Assistance
Decorating for the holidays is a joyful tradition, but not one that everyone can join in easily. From single moms to the elderly, some residents of your community may have trouble getting up a ladder to string lights or wrangle lawn ornaments. Consider putting together a special community project where volunteers are matched with those who sign up for decoration assistance. This will bring your community members together in a wonderful act of teamwork and holiday decoration.
4) Plan a Charity Bake Sale
Bake sales are a great part of any holiday season. Just like the cookie swap only you have the opportunity to raise money for a good cause. Invite every member of your community to donate their time, baked goods, or both to sell treats and raise money for a heartwarming holiday charity. Make sure your bake sale is well-advertised and located in a prominent place to catch a lot of holiday shopper foot traffic. Everyone loves pies, cookies, and brownies around the holiday season and you can raise a surprising amount to help children and families in need this winter.
5) Invite Each Household to a Gingerbread House Contest
Among the most fun things you can do with your community is a gingerbread house contest. Hand out basic gingerbread house kits and then invite each household who participates to make the most spectacular gingerbread house construction and decoration they can do. This can become a fun project for the whole family and when you're done, you can judge a winner and eat the rest. Just don't be surprised if a few of the contestants drop out from eating their masterpiece a little early.
6) Organize a Caroling Group
Finally, don't forget how wonderful caroling can be as a community. You don't need a reason, though there are charities and fundraisers associated with caroling. Simply invite neighbors to come together a few nights during the holiday season to bundle up and serenade the community with popular holiday songs. Then you can all bundle into the HOA clubhouse for hot cocoa and cider.
---
Spreading the joy this holiday season can be easy and wonderful, bringing the entire community together in the process. For more wonderful insights on how to engage with your HOA community during the holidays and beyond, contact us today!
