A Season of Joy: Embracing the Mission This Christmas at St. Louis Center
At St. Louis Center, Christmas is not just a season—it is a joyful way of life. Our residents look forward to Christmas all year long, delighting in the many opportunities to celebrate, create, and connect with the wider community. Each activity is an expression of our mission: to walk alongside people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, nurturing their gifts, dignity, and joy.
A Tree Full of Sweetness and Community
This year, participants in our Skill-Building Program once again took part in the annual Comstock Christmas Riverwalk tree lighting celebration in Adrian. Embracing a cheerful Candyland theme, residents handcrafted colorful game pieces and candy decorations using techniques they have been practicing in their daily programming. Their creativity and pride shone brightly as they traveled to Adrian to decorate the tree, complete with a whimsical tree topper created last year by our Human Resources Director.
On Friday, December 5th, residents returned to Adrian for the official opening of the Christmas Riverwalk. The evening began with a relaxed dinner at Culver’s, followed by the festive downtown light parade. Though the night air was brisk, hearts were warm as the trees were officially lit. The evening concluded with hot cocoa at a local café, where residents shared their Christmas hopes and dreams—simple, sincere moments that reflect the heart of our mission.
Lighting Up Chelsea with Candyland Cheer
Closer to home, St. Louis Center joined the Chelsea Chamber’s Hometown Holidays Light Pole Decorating Contest. Continuing the Candyland theme, our Development Office team created a joyful display of brightly wrapped candy, candy canes, gumdrops, peppermints, and twinkling lights. This colorful pole is a small but meaningful way our community celebrates inclusion, creativity, and the festive spirit of Christmas. Voting remains open through January 1st. We invite everyone to cast a vote for St. Louis Center HERE! Winners will be announced on January 5th.
Voices Raised in Song
Music is a powerful way to build connection. On December 10, Good News A Cappella, a Christian a cappella group from the University of Michigan, visited St. Louis Center to share the joy of Christmas through song. The group, whose mission is to spread the Gospel message of Christ through music, was recommended by seasonal employee Ella Easterday, a U-M student and friend of several members. Ella joined the residents for the performance, delighted to reconnect with those she had not seen since returning to school in the fall. The choir performed traditional Christmas carols and invited residents to sing along, creating a joyful, shared experience. The evening concluded with cookies, cocoa, and a promise to gather again—a heartwarming reminder that community grows when voices and hearts come together.
The Heart of the Season: The Annual Christmas Program
The highlight of the Christmas season at St. Louis Center is always the annual Christmas program presented by the residents. Carlie Hartwick, Assistant Program Director, with help from the direct care staff, put together a show where the residents displayed their talents, sang traditional Christmas songs, recited poems, and presented themes of the first Christmas and the true meaning of the season.
A testament to how beloved the St. Louis Center Christmas Program tradition is, happened while visiting Jerome in the hospital in early November. He was facing some serious health challenges and had to stay at the hospital for a few days. Carlie took a small group of Jerome’s friends to visit him in the hospital. During the visit, instead of worrying about his own health, Jerome was worried that he wasn’t going to be able to sing and play piano in the Christmas Program. They reassured him that he would be getting better soon and that he would be back home to perform and celebrate this St. Louis Center tradition. Jerome’s health improved, and he was able to perform, “O, Come All Ye Faithful”, including the second verse in Latin. His strength and joy of sharing his musical gift were an inspiration to Carlie and all who attended.
On December 14th, the St. Louis Center gym filled to capacity and, with much excitement, welcomed family, friends, and the greater community for the annual Christmas program. Some family members traveled from as far away as Merrill MI to attend. Fr. Satheesh welcomed all the guests, Fr. Franklin opened the event with a prayer, and Carlie introduced the show with its new theme: a Jeopardy-style game show. The Jeopardy game board was festively decorated with three columns that each had three questions. Each of the contestants selected a category from the Jeopardy board, and taking turns to reveal the next performance were Lisa and Jacqui.
The program unfolded as a joyful and meaningful journey through music, movement, and storytelling. Bradley opened the evening by playing “Frosty the Snowman” on the piano, with Sarah accompanying him on the recorder, immediately setting a festive tone. The Father Guanella residents followed with an energetic dance to “The Happiest Christmas Tree.” Sarah then brought a reverent pause to the celebration by playing “Silent Night” on the recorder as the Nativity scene was set. The joy returned as Bradley and Sarah teamed up once more for “Jingle Bells,” inviting everyone in the audience to sing along.
Laughter and excitement filled the room when a group of residents staged a playful “snowball toss,” complete with a friendly snowball fight during “Run, Rudolph, Run.” A tender Nativity moment followed as Danny, Josh, and Bryan, dressed as the Wise Men, delivered their gifts to the baby Jesus while Sarah played “Away in a Manger.” Jerome then offered his heartfelt rendition of “O, Come All Ye Faithful,” leading seamlessly into a lighthearted skit by Charlie, who brought The Grinch to life during “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
The program continued with Kyle channeling Elvis in a spirited performance of “Blue Christmas,” followed by all the St. Louis Center ladies dancing joyfully to “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Keavan then shared a moving reading of Jesus’ Love poem, and Janet Best, Direct Care Worker, joined the House 4 ladies in a beautiful sign-language performance of “Tell the World of His Love.” The evening concluded on a high note as all the residents came together to thank everyone for coming and to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” filling the room with warmth, joy, and the true spirit of the season.
My favorite moments are the unscripted ones during the show night. The on-the-spot jokes, dance moves, laughs, and breaks of character are the things that make our Christmas play one of a kind. The residents’ spin on the play is better than anything I could write for them. The joy from watching them be themselves on stage and celebrate Christmas with all their loved ones watching is something I look forward to all year round. Helping this tradition come to life each year is one of my favorite parts of my job at St. Louis Center.”
Though there is only one performance, the staff has been spending weeks in preparation, making sure that the residents were confident in their presentations and know the content well. As a result, this year‘s show was the best show of recent memory. After the performance was over, the St. Louis Center Family Association presented gifts to each staff member. The residents and the audience made their way into the main lobby for a time of fellowship and food. If you would like to see a recording of the show, please follow this link: CHRISTMAS PROGRAM VIDEO
Celebrating Christmas, Living the Mission
Every tree decorated, song sung, and performance shared is a testament to the mission of St. Louis Center: to create a home where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are cherished, supported, and empowered to live meaningful lives. This Christmas season, we are grateful for the joy our residents bring and for the community that embraces them with open hearts.
There are two Christmas Marathons organized by St. Louis Center for your holiday enjoyment. The mile-a-day challenge, Holiday Virtual Marathon, and the 12 Days of Christmas Cheer video message on social media. Both challenges are motivating many community members to get moving and listen to the messages while walking.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we are reminded that love, kindness, and inclusion are at the heart of the season—and at the heart of all we do at St. Louis Center
Read the entire issue of St. Louis Spirit here!
