 Have a flower power hippy party! Its easy, fun and free! There are many subjects to talk about on hippy day including Woodstock, Vietnam, San Francisco and Volkswagons. Besides discussion groups and trivia games, you could tie-dye t-shirts, which I have done many times but I would not recommend doing that on the same day that you have entertainment. You also need an outdoor area, buckets, rubber bands, fabric dye, rubber gloves and a clothesline. It would be exhausting to do both so this year, I just had the music. When having a reminiscing program, pull from your own memory if you can. It makes it interesting and exciting for them to learn about you plus it fills time because many residents will not come up with stories. I have a bucket full of stories in my head that I can tell for most occasions. I kind of make it my business to collect them and tell them in an animated, funny enlightening way.
Growing up in Flushing in the 1960's, I was a wannabe hippie who sat on the stoop with the other kids in the neighborhood listening to the first portable record player on the block. All the kids would bring down their records and we would dance by my father's garage. Also, I was a "hippie" myself in the early 1970's. I belonged to a group of teenagers from all over Long Island who hung out at the famous Jones Beach. We called ourselves the "Jones Beach Bums" We played guitars and we sang. Between the two memories, I became and still am a big fan of classic rock from the late 60's and early 70's so this day was a lot of fun for me. I also play the tambourine with several local classic rock bands, so music is a very big part of my life. Music, rock n roll specifically, is my medicine. I enjoy going to as many concerts as I can, trying for a floor seat as much as possible. There is almost nothing more thrilling than being in the front row to a famous classic rock band. I have been privileged to have done that to quite a few well known performers and I hope I will do it again many more times. Music is definitely a natural high. But that's the hippie in me talking. Let's get back to hippie day.
The main thing I needed was my own costume, which was easy; pigtails, tie-dye shirt, John Lennon glasses, a headband, patched jeans, a daisy painted on my cheek and a peace sign. I had my favorite entertainer come and he put together a show with all songs from the 1960's. I sang almost every song with him and danced around making peace signs saying things like "groovy party! I am so digging it, man!" Everybody got into it, greeting each other with peace signs all day! I cut ribbon, which I gave out as headbands and I got bright stickers to put on their cheeks. It's all about the spirit and the music. A song can instantly take a person back to a place and time. When the right song is playing, all of your problems disappear. I sang all day and believe me, I'm not a great singer but it does not matter to the residents. I sing along to cds, I play a little guitar and sing and they love it. It's like when a parent watches their child play, they love it even if they are horrible. If you want to be a successful activity director, do not be afraid to sing out loud, even off key. Tell them you never sang out loud before and I know that they will even love you all the more! I find it funny that they can't believe that I know the lyrics to so many songs. I tell them that the music part of your brain will live as long as you do. I'm sure that they can sing along to almost any Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra song, so they are just as talented as me!
I ran a Memory Care Unit years ago. I had residents who couldn't recognize their own children, but when "You are My Sunshine" was playing, they knew every word! That is the bottom line on Hippie Day. Listen to the music, keep it in your heart and never stop rockin'! Rockin' is what keeps us young!
Happy Hippie Day!
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GINGER'S CREATIVE COSTUMES AND ACTIVITIES