The Heart of Connection and Fun: Bringing Laughter to the Holidays

DIRECTOR’S CORNER
Connection and Fun: Creating Joy this December

As December arrives with Christmas celebrations and festive gatherings, it's the perfect time to embrace our core value of connection and fun. The holidays can be joyful, but they can also feel overwhelming for our customers. Your creativity in planning activities, your willingness to share laughter, and your commitment to making everyone feel included transforms this season into something truly special.

Whether it's decorating cookies, hosting a holiday movie night, or simply sharing a smile, you bring connection and fun to life in ways that matter deeply. Thank you for making joy a priority and for ensuring that every customer feels valued and celebrated this December.

Travis Toedtemeier
Founder/Director

DECEMBER’S QUOTE
Theme: Connection and Fun

NEWS AND HAPPENINGS
Fun With Santa in Our Community!

Connections NW, Full Access, and Resource Connections of Oregon come together for our first annual Lane County Holiday party for customers, family, and DSPs. Santa was the star of the show, and everyone lined up to have their pictures taken. The ugly Christmas sweater contest, dessert bar, and holiday crafts were a hit all around. When agencies team up to host community events we all benefit!

UPCOMING EVENTS
Holiday Fun For All! 

Please join us as we walk, talk, and make new friends. Our Lane County walking group will meet monthly beginning on Monday, September 22nd. Location may vary. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 971-266-2866. All abilities are welcome to join the fun.

VALUES IN ACTION

Joy and Laughter: Connection and Fun for the Christmas Season

As December arrives with its twinkling lights and festive celebrations, the theme of connection and fun takes center stage. The holidays bring opportunities for joy, but they can also bring stress and overwhelm. For adults with intellectual disabilities, access to genuine fun and laughter is more than entertainment. It's a vital part of mental and emotional wellness. Research shows that positive emotions help reduce stress, build resilience, and strengthen social bonds. For DSPs (Direct Support Professionals) and case managers, creating moments of joy is not a distraction from care. It's an essential part of it. Here are practical, actionable ways to bring fun and laughter into daily routines, even during the busiest weeks of the holiday season.

1. Make Joy Part of the Daily Routine

Tip: Build small moments of fun into everyday activities to create consistent emotional wellness.

How-to: Start the day with upbeat music during morning routines, add a funny joke to meal times, or end the day with a favorite show or game. Keep activities brief and simple so they fit naturally into the schedule without adding pressure.

2. Use Laughter as a Stress Relief Tool

Tip: Teach customers that laughter is a powerful way to reduce stress and shift mood.

How-to: Watch funny videos together, share silly stories, play lighthearted games, or create goofy photo challenges. Encourage customers to notice what makes them laugh and invite those moments more often into their routines.

3. Create Low-Cost Holiday Fun

Tip: Celebrate the season with simple, low-cost activities that focus on connection rather than expense.

How-to: Decorate cookies with supplies from the dollar store, have a holiday dance party with free music apps, create paper snowflakes, or watch free holiday movies online. Let customers help choose and plan the activities.

4. Encourage Play and Creativity

Tip: Play is not just for children. It supports emotional regulation, creativity, and problem-solving in adults too.

How-to: Offer board games, coloring books, building blocks, or sensory play materials like playdough or kinetic sand. Let customers explore these activities without performance pressure or rigid rules.

5. Model Joy and Self-Care

Tip: DSPs and case managers who prioritize their own joy and wellness inspire customers to do the same.

How-to: Share what brings you joy, take breaks to laugh and recharge, and be open about using fun as a tool for your own stress relief. Let customers see that caring for yourself is part of serving well.

Joy is not a luxury. It's a core part of mental health and emotional resilience. As DSPs and case managers, the fun and laughter you bring into daily routines have real, lasting effects on the people you support. This December, let connection and fun guide your work. Celebrate the small moments, embrace the silly and lighthearted, and remember that every smile you spark contributes to wellness in ways that truly matter. Let's make this holiday season one filled not just with activities, but with authentic joy.

SUNSHINE AWARD
Kelsi

What is the best part about working with CNW?

“I love my care provider she's amazing she's my best friend we laugh together and have a good time together!”

Do you have pets, and if so, what are their names?

“I do! I have a cat named Cheeto and a dog named bear.”

 What a fun and festive picture, Kelsi! Thanks for sharing sunshine with us!🌞

DSP OF THE MONTH
Jaymie

(Pictured above with Kelsi)

What do you like about working as a DSP?

"What I love about working with KeBe is seeing life through her eyes. She sees beauty in places you wouldn't think to look, she brings laughter and joy to the grey days. She is one of a kind.”

 If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be?

"I'd say being able to do a chin up!"

 What's your favorite comfort food?

"Korean food! I could eat it all day everyday!”

QUARTERLY CONTEST
Celebrate Gratitude With Joy Jars 

🏆 Quarterly Contest: The Joy Jar Challenge

This season, we're celebrating joy in everyday moments! The Joy Jar Challenge runs from October through December and is simple and meaningful for everyone. Each week, write down or capture one small thing that made you smile—a funny moment, a calm afternoon, a success in daily life, or just time spent together.

If a customer is nonverbal, DSPs are encouraged to help by writing down or describing some of the customer's favorite moments or things that brought joy.

At the end of December, you'll choose one favorite memory or photo to share with us. Here's how to enter:

1. Optional: Decorate or select a jar or box together with your customer to collect joy moments throughout the season.

2. Each week from October through December, write down moments of joy on small pieces of paper and add them to your jar (or collect photos if you prefer).

3. At the end of December, choose your favorite Joy Jar entry.

4. Send an email to [email protected] by December 31st.

5. Make sure to include your full name and the name of the customer (if applicable).

6. Share your favorite joy moment! You can send: a photo of a joy moment, a short description of what brought joy, or even a picture of the joy jar you made together.

 🎉🎉🎉🎉 You could win a $50 Visa gift card! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Katie, our Referral Specialist, loves crocheting or listening to audiobooks with her dog curled up on her lap. She's going to have so much fun looking at your entries and choosing her favorites.

Winners will be announced and featured in the January 2026 newsletter!

No purchase necessary to win.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We Want to Hear From You

GET PAID TO CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONE
We Are Hiring!

Get Paid to Care For Your Loved One
At Connections NW, we believe the best care comes from those who know and love your loved one best—family members or trusted friends who truly understand their needs and routines.

With our Bring Your Own Caregiver program, family members or trusted friends can be paid to provide care. Our DSPs (caregivers) start at $24 per hour, with annual raises up to $26, plus full benefits and overtime.

Join the Bring Your Own Caregiver program and start now!

Become a DSP Today
If you have a passion for serving your community, Connections NW is looking for Direct Support Professionals. All our DSPs start at $24 per hour with raises each year up to $26.

Go to: https://connections-nw.org/careers to apply.