Holly and jolly—even at home

This holiday season, like the rest of 2020, feels different. Despite not going over the river and through the woods this year, Leisure Worlders still had a whole lot of fun in the same place they’ve been for the last three seasons—mostly at home. Christmas-time is usually a hustle bustle of making merry, baking cookies and collecting a busload of toys for tots. This year was different, but some traditions remain, and new ways to send cheer have been forged.

On this special eve, the LW Weekly has compiled a series of snapshots into a singular holiday season.

Toys for Tots

The annual Toys for Tots drive is one of Leisure World’s fondest traditions. Residents typically donate about 5,000 toys, enough to stuff a Minibus.

This year, Toys for Tots boxes could be seen at every gate and the Administration complex, and on Dec. 10, Marines showed up in a van to move the mountain of toys collected even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Toys are usually warehoused at the Naval Weapons Station pending transport to Santa Ana for distribution throughout the county.

Marines move the toys from trucks and buses that come from all over the region to a warehouse on base. It can take a dozen Marines several hours hours to move thousands of Barbies, Spotty the Dalmatian Squeakee Balloon Dogs, Elsas, Woodys, Play-Doh, Zing Air GoGo Birds, Power Treads and other toys. When it’s all over, scores of boxes with neatly sorted toys are stacked in an overflowing warehouse.

Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots representatives send a giant “thank you” to Leisure World shareholders, who have kept a tradition of lavish giving alive for more than 50 years.

Calendars for Veterans

Every year, Garnet Vydona of Mutual 5 collects calendars to give to veterans at the VA Medical Center in Long Beach. Usually, the News Office is the collection point, but this year, it was closed, like all other GRF facilities, to help stop the spread of COVID-19. So she got creative, made a sign that said “Calendars for Veterans” and stuck it in front of her home near a shopping bag to collect donations.

In two weeks, Leisure World residents deposited more than 250 calendars that Garnet will take to the VA in time for Christmas.

“People dropped off calendars, crossword puzzles and other miscellaneous items that I know the veterans will like,” she said. This season has been all about finding new ways to shine, and Garnet’s new way will bring cheer to lots of hospitalized vets.

Photos and Story

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Ruth Osborn LW Weekly GRF Holiday Caravan

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has kept people from holiday parties and dinners, it did not stop festively attired GRF staffers from sending greetings to a caravan of GRF and Mutual directors. On Dec. 18, GRF employees—many wearing Santa hats and all of them masked and at a distance—gathered in pre-arranged outside locations to convey holiday greetings and appreciation for another year of service.

The fun started at Clubhouse 3 with 16 stops to finish at the Administration Building.

There were some surprises along the way and Santa and his elves were waiting at the end of the road with a treat for everyone.

Decorated Light Poles

Mutual 14 resident Donna Melody, president of the Neighbor 2 Neighbor Club, reports that the club decorated more than 150 light poles this year. “This has become an annual tradition that takes place the weekend after Thanksgiving,” she said. “Our group buys all of the decorations, and our neighbors are very generous in donating to help defray the cost.

“I think it was especially important to do this outreach this year as it brightens up Mutual 14 and Del Monte Road near the gate.”

The poles are each uniquely decorated. Some have snowflakes. Some have stars. Others have wreaths and penguins, but all of them bring light into the holiday season.

Sweet Traditions

Susan Hopewell, Mutual 6

One of my family’s favorite holiday traditions involved four candleholder angels. Each angel represented a letter and when displayed correctly, they spell NOEL. My mother treasured these angels. My brothers and I would sneakily rearrange the letters to spell anything but NOEL. Our favorite was LEON.

This was an ongoing game we played throughout the holiday season every year. When our mom was not looking, one of us would rearrange the letters. When we were not looking, she would arrange them back to NOEL.

This tradition was handed down to her grandchildren, and then to her greatgrandchildren. LEON made its way into our holidays in other ways. One year, my brothers and nephew made a holiday garden sign for Mom and, of course, it said LEON. This past November, I received a birthday present from my younger brother and his wife. It was a Christmas face mask that had LEON embroidered on it.

Last year, I gave these priceless angels to my great-niece, Lacy. Today, the angel tradition continues with a fourth generation. Lacy has a 14-month-old son, Dallas. I am proud to say Dallas is learning to spell LEON this year. Somewhere in heaven Mom is laughing.

Joanna Matos, Mutual 2

My Christmas traditions moved 2,000 and 3,000 miles away when my children had important jobs waiting for them in other states. Two meaningful traditions remain in my/their lives, whether near or far. We attend our given Christmas Eve church service to herald the coming of our Savior’s birth, and on Christmas morning, before opening any gifts, we light a candle and sing “Happy Birthday to Jesus.” My new motto to my kids is “Jesus is the one light that never burns out.”

Bev Bender, Mutual 17

Laughter is the sweet tradition of the ages. A meditation book from Overeaters Anonymous has this from Matthew Green, called “Laugh and Be Well.” “We will never know how many people have been cured of both major illness and minor indisposition through laughter. If prescriptions for laughter could be writ-

Joanna Matos in her Christmas sweater manages to look festive even while wearing a mask.

GRF Human Resources staffers wave during GRF Holiday caravan.

Mutual 11 is represented during GRF Holiday caravan; Santa’s pointing at the costumed canine, wondering if he’s Prancer on parade.

“A COVID Christmas” by the Theater Club featured actors in a sword fight.