The weather outside may be frightful, but landlords and property managers still have a number of fun options for throwing parties and gatherings for residents in their rental apartments. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 15% of Canadians experience the “winter blues”, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. By encouraging your residents to get together, especially during the winter months, you can help to raise the spirits of those who otherwise would not be able to get out much to socialize. So don’t let Mother Nature hamper your rental apartment building – let’s start planning some winter parties with these tips and ideas from RentSeeker.ca!
Let it Snow:
Canada is having quite the winter, with large snow accumulation and very cold temperatures. You can use this to your advantage when planning a party, particularly if your building has a number of young families. Organize a snowman building competition, rewarding the most creative (and biggest!) entries.
Organizing a trip to a local skating rink is a fun and inexpensive way to encourage your residents to get to know each other outside of the building. Take to your Facebook page to ask your residents to vote on a day that they would like to hit the ice. Many outdoor rinks offer free skating, so bundle up and take advantage of the Canadian winter.
Charity Drives:
Ask your residents to submit suggestions for charities they would like to give to, then hold a charity drive to benefit the top vote-getter. Wintertime is perfect for bake sales and clothing donations. Start by posting a sign-up sheet in the lobby or on your Facebook page where residents can indicate what they would like to contribute in the way of baking or clothing. Determine the best day for holding your event (Saturday or Sunday afternoons usually work best) and get set up in your apartment rental’s common area.
If you receive a number of suggestions for charities to give to, you may wish to consider making charity drives a monthly or bi-monthly event in your building. The spirit of giving is a wonderful way to bring people together!
Game Night
When the sun goes down at 5pm, the nights can feel long. Organizing a game night is a great way to encourage your residents to socialize with each other without having to leave the comfort of the building. Cards, board games and even charades are just a few of the options to get your residents together. Provide refreshments in the way of soda, coffee and snacks and you’re bound to have a great night of laughs with residents of all ages.
Indoor Exercise Groups:
When it’s cold, windy and icy, it can be difficult for residents to get outside to get enough exercise. Organize a weekly or monthly exercise group that allows your residents to get together in the warmth of your building and get their stretch on. Activities can range from simple yoga moves to a low-impact step class. However, you’ll want to ensure safety for all who participate – consider bringing in a personal trainer who understands the needs of people of all fitness levels. Many city-run gyms have affordable trainers that can come to your rental apartment to run a monthly class, so it’s best to determine the interest of your residents first before committing.
If your apartment building has a entertainment room complete with a television, hosting a movie night is a perfect way to use the space on a cold winter’s night. Here’s some ideas for getting the party started courtesy of evite.com
What to Watch:
Give your viewing party a little direction by choosing movies or TV shows with a common thread. This can be as simple as watching movies with a favorite actor or director, screening movies in a trilogy or series, or watching a season of a TV show.
Or for a less straight-forward approach, try one of these themes for your next movie / TV night:
– Screen a classic and follow it up by a recent remake.
– Have a before-they-were-stars party and watch George Clooney in Facts of Life and Leonardo DiCaprio in Growing Pains.
– Narrow down a theme to a specific time and genre, such as Disney blockbusters from the late ’80s and early ’90s. You’ll marvel to think that the animation was actually done by hand.
Activities:
Your movies or TV shows are sure to be the main event, but not all life has to revolve around the television. Take a break between showings with a few games to keep people interested (and awake).
Make your own trivia game about the movies or shows you’re watching. After each ends, quiz your guests on what they just saw. This adds a new dimension of excitement to movies your guests have seen several times and fuels everyone’s competitive spirit. Hand out prizes after each round to reward those with a keen eye.
If you’re screening cult classics, play a game of movie bingo: design your own cards, put famous phrases or expressions in different squares, and see who calls out “Bingo!” when they match four in a row. For example, if you’re hosting a John Hughes marathon or simply screening Sixteen Candles, the squares can feature “geek,” “dude,” “underpants” and other quotables.
Food:
A movie without popcorn is like a day without sunshine. Let your guests customize their corn with a popcorn bar. Pop a few bags of plain popcorn, and set out various accompaniments like the standard melted butter and salt. Then display dishes or shakers of savory popcorn seasonings like sour cream and onion, ranch, or white cheddar salts. Grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and freshly chopped herbs add an offbeat, homemade touch.
For those who crave a little sugar, pop a batch of kettle corn for your bar. Include M&Ms, bits of toffee, and honey-roasted almonds and peanuts in the selection of toppings. A dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate sprinkles will satisfy any sweet tooth.
So beat those winter blues back by turning bummed out into funned out 🙂
The RentSeeker.ca Team
