Sophia Snow Place 1205-1215 Centre Street West Roxbury, MA 02132 * (617) 325-7900

‘Tis the Season…

History of the Holidays

Christmas Christmas is both a religious holiday and a worldwide

cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two

millennia, people around the world have been observing it

with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in

nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of

the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Customs include exchanging gifts,

decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with

family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.

Christmas Day has been a federal holiday in the U.S. since 1870.

Hanukkah The eight-day Jewish celebration known as

Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the

rededication during the second century B.C. of the

Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had

risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean

Revolt. Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, begins

on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in

November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the

holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional

foods, games and gifts.

Kwanzaa Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Black Studies

at California State University, created

Kwanzaa in 1966. After the Watts riots in Los Angeles,

Dr. Karenga searched for ways to bring African-Americans

together as a community. He started to research African "first fruit"

(harvest) celebrations. Karenga combined aspects of several

different harvest celebrations to form the basis of Kwanzaa.

December

2012

Sophia Snow Place has its roots in the charitable spirit of nineteenth-century Boston. In 1856, a group of civic-minded citizens raised money to operate and maintain the Roxbury Home for Aged Women. In 1962, after a century of care, the home was relocated and renamed Sophia Snow House in honor of Sophia Snow.

Today, the parent company, Roxbury Home for Aged Women, has affiliated organizations: Snow House & Snow Place. These non-profit organizations continue their mission to provide comfort, companionship and security in a warm, homelike environment for seniors.

ARE YOU 60 OR OLDER THIS YEAR?

Financial Preservation Workshop

REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED During the workshop we will discuss several areas that affect today’s current and future retirees,

including:

The new PART D of Medicare as well as the most up to date Medicare Information and recent changes

Medicare Supplement Insurance vs. HMO’s

Long Term Care and Home Health Care Insurance and whether it is right for you

How to help protect your assets from unexpected illness and nursing home costs

How to earn interest linked to the stock market with our Equity Index Annuity

How to possibly double, even triple your returns on what your CD’s are paying with no risk to your principal

How to maximize the interest on your Social Security Income or other money

How to help protect your assets from probate

And answers to YOUR most important retirement concerns

Please Contact Nancy Sawyer If You Have Any Questions at 781-436-5183.

IF YOU ARE 60 OR OVER DON’T MISS THIS FREE INFORMATION WORKSHOP

Monday, December 10th

at 11:00 AM in the Great Room

Neither Bankers nor its agents are connected with or endorsed by the Federal Medicare Program.

Employees from Blue Hills Bank will be here for those who need to do banking on:

Tuesdays at 1:30 P.M. until 2:30 P.M.

in the Private Dining Room

Exercise for Arthritis A Program for Better Living

Join instructor Nellie Moore for the Arthritis

Foundation Exercise Program, which is a low-

impact physical activity program proven to

reduce pain and decrease stiffness. The

routines include gentle range of motion

exercises that are suitable for every fitness

level.

Benefits - This Program will help you:

Keep joints flexible and muscles strong

Sleep better

Increase energy

Improve your overall outlook

Nellie will be instructing exercise classes on

Fridays at 2:00 PM in the Great Room

Starting on Friday, December 7th.

For more information on this program, please visit: www.arthritis.org

Art Matters Program:

Monet & Renoir

Wednesday, December 12 2:00 PM in the Great Room

They were fast friends at the very heart of the most radical revolution in art since the

Renaissance. Join us for a tour through the life and works of Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir,

two of the most beloved of the Impressionist artists.

December 2012

Join us for the annual Sophia Snow Place Holiday Party

Food, Friends, and holiday fun!

When:

Sunday, December 9 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Due to a large number of those attending, there is no space for

outside guests. Thank you for understanding!

Lights at La Salette Shrine

Come and see the 59th Annual Christmas Festival of Lights at the La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, MA. This year’s theme, “Descending Dove,” will

be developed through the beautiful display of 350,000 lights.

Wednesday, December 12th

Van will leave around 5:00 P.M.

Admission is free, but donations to La

Salette are requested.

Please sign up in the Activity Book

Let’s Celebrate Hanukkah

Join Rabbi Koller-Fox in the Great Room for an afternoon to celebrate the

traditions of Hanukkah. This is not limited to those of the Jewish faith - all

are welcome to join the party!

When: Monday, December 10th

3:00 P.M. in the Great Room

Trip to the Enchanted Village

Once, called the Enchanted Village of St.

Nicholas, the holiday display was originally

created in 1958. At that time, Jordan Marsh

Company commissioned a Bavarian toy

maker to create 28 fully decorated holiday

scenes with 250 “magically” animated

figures.

Jordan’s Furniture purchased the surviving

pieces of the Enchanted Village at auction in

May of 2009 and restored the vintage

collection to its former glory.

Join us to walk through the Enchanted

Village at Jordan’s Furniture and top it off

with a Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin!

Monday, December 17th

Van will leave around 11:00 A.M.

Please sign up in the Activity Book!

*There will be a lot of walking

Carols with Little Blessings Daycare

Come to the Parlor and listen as the young

children from Little Blessings Daycare sing us

songs for the holidays!

When: Wednesday, December 12 at 10:00 A.M. In the Parlor

ATTENTION: The next Resident Council

Meeting will be held on Monday, December 17th at

1:30 P.M. in the Great Room

December 2012

Lunch Out at…

In Taunton, MA

Thursday, December 20 Van will leave around 11:30

Please Sign up in the Activity Book by Monday, December 17th

Let’s Ring in

the New Year

Come to the Great Room and ring in 2013 with some food, fun,

games, and friends!

Monday, December 31st At 3:00 PM in the

Great Room

Did you KNOW?!

Santa Statistics

U.S. has 78 people registered under

S. Claus and one under Kriss Kringle

December is the most popular month

for nose jobs

Weight of Santa's sleigh loaded with

one Beanie Baby for every kid on

earth: 333,333 tons.

Number of reindeers required to pull

a 333,333-ton sleigh: 214,206 plus

Rudolph.

Average wage of a mall Santa: $11 an

hour. With real beard: $20.

To deliver all his gifts in one night,

Santa would have to make 822.6

visits per second (at 3,000 times

the speed of sound).

At that speed, Santa and his

reindeers would instantaneously

burst into flames in Earth's

atmosphere just like meteors

The Sophia Snow Place Staff would

like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season!

Postage

Information

Sophia Snow Place 1205-1215 Centre St. West Roxbury, MA 02132

Sophia Snow Place Staff

Dana Ramish: President & CEO

Judy Jose-Roddy: Executive Director

Robert Swan: Maintenance Director

Jean Yin: Office Manager

Christopher Howsen: Dietary Manager

Joan Hurley: Nursing Supervisor

Carmen Occon: Housekeeping Super.

Judy Dovev: Marketing Coordinator

Shauna Bennett: Activities Coordinator

Andrea Nason: Administrative Assistant