How residents celebrate the holidays at home
Written by Dylan Novacek, Content Specialist
There’s no place like home for the holidays. And at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, we have over 20 buildings that residents call home. To many, this time of year brings family gatherings, traditions, and comfort.
So, how do residents of Beacon homes celebrate the holidays? Here are a few of our favorite examples.
Celebrating at Cranberry Ridge
“This time of year reminds me that we’re all in this together,” shared Sasha from Cranberry Ridge, family supportive housing in Plymouth. “Having our decorations up and having everything all tidy makes me feel most at home. Every Black Friday we put our Christmas tree up as a family.”
For Sasha, the holiday spirit is centered in her home at Cranberry Ridge. With scented candles lit, she and her kids feel at ease as they enjoy their holiday traditions. For Sasha’s family though, it’s Halloween that stands as their favorite holiday to celebrate at home.
“Our favorite holiday tradition is picking out pumpkins to carve every Halloween,” she smiled. “We all sit around the table while listening to spooky tunes and let our artistic juices shine. It’s fun to see each other’s Jack-O-Lanterns lit up. We take pictures of our creations and pick a pumpkin seed recipe to try.”
What makes Halloween extra special for Sasha and her family is celebrating it with the community at Cranberry Ridge.
“I loved our Halloween party this year. We had decorations, watched the classic Casper movie, and got to welcome trick-or-treaters. We were able to see so many smiling kids that night!”
Living at Cranberry Ridge has made it easier for Sasha to celebrate not just the holidays but also other precious moments.
“We’re so grateful for the community room at Cranberry Ridge. It’s a space we can reserve to invite extended family over for gatherings,” Sasha said. “We have been able to have family and friends visit for birthdays, holidays, and just because.”
Sasha believes that home is a place to celebrate life. Looking forward to inviting friends and family over this holiday season, Sasha is thankful for the comfort and safety of her home at Cranberry Ridge.
Gathering at Nicollet Square
“We celebrate every holiday at Nicollet Square, which I really like because some people in the building don’t have family nearby or any family to visit at all,” said Iyanna from Nicollet Square, youth supportive housing in Minneapolis.
Before Thanksgiving, Nicollet Square hosted a ‘family feast’ with food catered from Mama Shelia’s House of Soul. The event was sponsored by Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community, one of Beacon’s collaborating congregations.
With a spread of BBQ chicken, smothered chicken with rice, cornbread, and more, all the residents and staff enjoyed an afternoon of great food and conversation. With some residents and staff even inviting family and their children to the table, the gathering felt like a true family feast.
“Another great thing Nicollet Square does every holiday season is giving residents the opportunity to receive gifts. Last year, they gave us a sheet asking what we wanted for Christmas,” Iyanna smiled. “I got a blender! It was so sweet. I haven’t received a gift since I was 14, so it was really special to receive.”
Iyanna’s favorite holiday is Christmas. What she looks forward to most is baking and spending time with family.
“My aunt loves Christmas. I come over a couple of days before, we’d decorate, set up the whole Christmas village, and we would all help in the kitchen. It’s how I learned to make stuff from scratch. I used to bake professionally, so often, my family and friends receive homemade caramel cakes from me.
“This Christmas is extra special because it’s the first holiday where I am a godmother,” Iyanna continued. “Buying my goddaughter presents is going to be the icing on the cake!”
A Happy Holiday at Lydia
At Lydia, 80 deeply affordable and supportive homes in Minneapolis, residents enjoy a tight-knit community. With onsite services from our partners at Avivo, the resident experience is elevated through the addition of community-building events such as weekly coffee in the community room.
Last January, the case managers hosted an extra special edition of weekly coffee to commemorate the holiday season. Residents were treated to holiday gifts, which were all donated to the building. Everyone was invited to pick out a gift ranging from crockpots, air fry ovens, self-care kits, streaming sticks, gift cards, and more!
Thank you to the staff for helping build community in the building, and thank you to those who donated their time and resources.
Home for the Holidays at Audubon Crossing
“Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all hold a special place in my heart because my boys and I were in shelter right before Thanksgiving,” reflected Jessica from Audubon Crossing, family supportive housing in Minneapolis. “I promised my two boys that we would be in our homes before the holidays hit and not in the shelter.”
For Jessica, home means being with the people she loves every single day. Having a space to celebrate each day with family means the world to her. With a stable home she can comfortably afford, the holiday season is made that much more special to Jessica and her two boys.
“We love to celebrate with every single one of our family members,” she shared. “Some of the traditions we keep is getting together at my mom’s and having turkey bread. It goes great with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, mixed greens, and onions on top!”
Christmas at Cedar View
Meloney is spending her first Christmas at Cedar View, supportive housing for young families in Minneapolis.
“I am thankful for having my own place for the holidays,” Meloney exclaimed. “I am looking forward to creating new traditions with my daughter. I bought us matching Grinch pajamas to wear for the holidays!”
With this being her first home, Meloney is going all out with the decorations.
“I have my Christmas lights and big candy canes out,” she smiled. “I plan to buy even more lights.”
As Meloney enjoys this season at home with her daughter, she reflects on the importance of having a place to call their own.
“Home to me is peace,” she said. “There is comfort. I like being home. It’s my sacred place to laugh, cry, and be by myself.”
No matter what celebration or tradition, everyone is better off spending the holidays in a home of their own. Will you make a gift this season to support families and individuals in their Beacon homes? Click here to learn more and make a gift today.
