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I’m sure many of you are working on your activity calendars for October, and I want to be sure you include International Necktie Day. Also known as Cravat Day, we celebrate this little-known holiday on October 18th.
This day offers so many opportunities for fun and creativity. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
Share stories
Invite residents to bring a special necktie to show to the group. It could be one that’s unusual or one that’s tied to (no pun intended!) a special event in the resident’s life.
Host a guest speaker
Invite someone from a classy clothing store to come in as a guest speaker. Perhaps they can talk about how they’ve seen necktie fashions change over the years. Or, maybe they’ll demonstrate various ways to tie a necktie. (There’s more than a dozen techniques!) I’m willing to bet they’ll also have a few humorous stories to tell about their customers.
Be crafty
For a couple of weeks before International Necktie Day, ask people to donate old ties for craft projects. Nearly every man has a couple of no-longer-used neckties in his closet. Here you’ll find 13 craft ideas to get you started.
Learn something new
First, share some necktie trivia. For example, did you know that people who collect ties are known as grabatologists?
You’ll also want to learn about the history of neckties. They’ve been around since the 17th century!
Finally, just for fun, check out these silly jokes. (Do you know other necktie jokes? Please share them in the comment section!)
- What did the hat say to the necktie? “You hang around. I’ll go on ahead.”
- Two silkworms raced. They ended up in a tie.
- What kind of ties can’t you wear? Railroad ties.
- A clean tie always attracts the soup of the day.
Enjoy a snack
Your residents are sure to feel hungry after all these activities, so you’ll want to create a snack that fits with your necktie theme. This could mean decorating a cake or cookies to resemble neckties. You’ll find lots of unique ideas on Pinterest.
For even more fun, make a Croatian treat. Why Croatian? Because if you clicked on the link about the history of neckties, you know that the idea originated with the Croatians. You’ll find lots of delicious possibilities on the Yummly recipe site.
Involve everyone
My favorite activities are those that can be celebrated by the staff as well as the residents. Encourage employees and volunteers, as well as the residents, to wear a funky tie on International Necktie Day. It can be a real tie or a handmade one. Again, you can find lots of fun ideas on Pinterest.
If you have a childcare center on campus, include the kids, too. The residents will get a kick out of seeing the children wearing neckties, and it’s a great opportunity for kids and elders to interact.
Now it’s your turn! How do you celebrate International Necktie Day? Please let us know in the comment section.
And, if you’re looking for little-known holidays for the rest of the year, check out this extensive list.
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