This week began in a state of holiday enthusiasm, as staff and peers of Perry Wellness Center prepared for tomorrow’s annual Cheer Up the Blues event and other Christmas activities at the center.

Each Monday, staff member Ric Vogt leads peers in Tai Quiong exercises for relaxation and meditation. This week, she added a new activity, as she began a discussion of Christmas by introducing holiday terms in different languages. Peers played an interactive game to guess the different names of Santa Claus of St. Nickolas from around the world. This activity led into discussion of cultural traditions surrounding Christmas around the world.

"I hope I can research more languages for Christmas words and let the peers hear and say the different sounds," Ric says, pictured below with an international list of Santa terms.

Stuart Perry hopes that all the celebration and discussions will inspire as well as educate. He notes, “I know that many peers and other believe that Christmas is only about material things.We are trying to instill the true meaning of Christmas at Perry Wellness Center.”