This holiday season, open your doors to your extended family — creatively!

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While COVID-19 has forced many senior citizens to stop visiting with their extended families, seniors are still finding creative ways to enjoy a virtual visit with their families — especially over the holidays.

One way is decorating their front door as a family project and entering Chatham Literacy’s Holiday Decorated Door Contest.

“No matter where your mom or dad live, the entire family can plan, create and put up a unique front door for their loved ones that will be very special for all,” said Chatham Literacy executive director Vicki Newell.

For a $20 registration fee, decorate a door through Dec. 18 and your household may win a prize and bragging rights. Winners in the contest will have door photos published in the News + Record and on the websites of Chatham Literacy and Chatham Homes Reality Company.

To begin the decorating process with your loved ones, Newell suggested, try planning a Zoom or other virtual discussion to brainstorm fun ideas that all family members can create together. Perhaps both parents grew upon a farm; then have someone in charge of making color or black and white copies of all children at the farm over the years. Have kids create their own memories of special farm visits. Then either send the copies and memories and other decoration ideas by mail — or, if allowed, have the family simply drive up to decorate and “visit” through the front door as new type of family gathering.

“If you get your children involved, not only is this is a great way to emphasize helping grandparents you can also demonstrate care and concern for neighbors as well as others in your community,” Newell said. “This simple act of decorating for others fosters feelings of goodwill in the community through their creativity.” Their $20 entry donation will help make a difference in people’s lives in their community. That’s because Chatham Literacy is “opening doors” of opportunity for others by helping them learn how to speak and read in English, or help them get their GED or develop better job skills and even enable them to become a US citizen.

“What better way to kick off our holiday season,” said Chatham Literacy chairperson Linda Nalty, “than by supporting adult learners and their families through Chatham Literacy.”

The goal of the door decorating event is the mutual planning, sharing, creating and constructing a very special 2020 memory for your loved ones. For more information or to register, go to www.chathamliteracy.org or call (919) 742-0578.

Submitted photos

Chatham Literacy’s Holiday Decorated Door Contest is accepeting entries through Dec. 18. These local entries show Christmas and Thanksgiving themes.