Residents Entertaining Family and Friends at Linden Ponds

Hingham, MA – With all of the decorations, music and parties, Linden Ponds, a continuing care community developed and managed by Erickson Living in Hingham, MA, is a festive place to be during the holiday season.  In addition to attending the many holiday-themed events put on by Linden Ponds, residents also do plenty of hosting throughout the holiday season (and all year long). People might think that downsizing for retirement means the end of entertaining family and friends in your home. However, Sales Director Chrissy Hansen says that is not the case at Linden Ponds.

Not only do many residents host dinners and parties in their spacious, modern apartment homes, but living at Linden Ponds means they have access to the entire campus and all its amenities, such as private dining rooms and a full-service catering staff. That means residents have the option to outsource the cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking and cleanup, leaving them free to enjoy their parties along with their guests.

"They can still cook and entertain in their apartment homes, but more importantly, residents have access to much larger social spaces to entertain," Hansen says. "Having two 65,000-square-foot clubhouses is a big plus when it comes to hosting."

With private dining rooms and larger event spaces on campus, residents can work with staff to host any type of gathering—from a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for family to a lively luncheon for a big group of friends.

Dining room manager Stephen Slicis says residents take full advantage of the ability to host meals and parties in the common areas on campus, with an event scheduled nearly every day during November and December.

Marty Kovick is one of the many residents who enjoys entertaining at Linden Ponds. Two years in a row, he has bid on a silent auction item at the community's annual gala to host an elegant dinner for eight in one of the private dining rooms. Last year, Kovick worked with the catering staff to create a custom menu.

The evening began with an artisan cheese board with fresh fruit and crackers, along with bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes with lemon aioli. The salad course featured Boston Bibb lettuce with endive, avocado, goat cheese candied pecans and citrus vinaigrette. Guests could choose entrees of either seared halibut with fresh corn, asparagus, tomato and pea risotto with beurre blanc or a filet with roasted potatoes and asparagus. The decadent meal ended with strawberry shortcake and chocolate marquee cake with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. But it wasn't just the expertly prepared food that made the dinner such a memorable experience. Kovick says everything from the fresh flowers on the tables to the attentive service delighted him and his guests.

"The service was outstanding, it was really what you would expect in a fine restaurant," Kovick says. "Management even checked in with us to make sure everything was going well."

Holiday season entertainment is very special at Linden Ponds.  The season kicks off on December 1 at Linden Ponds, a not-for-profit organization, developed and operated by Erickson Living®. The community is governed by its own board of directors affiliated with National Senior Campuses, who provide independent financial and operational oversight of the community.  Up first, the annual Festival of Trees, in which the Oakleaf Clubhouse is decked out with a stunning display of 12 Christmas trees, each decorated by different resident-run clubs.

The weeks that follow will be abuzz with holiday-themed events such as a Friday afternoon sing-a-long social hour, and live performances by well-known tenor David Won, the Boston group Castle Island Singers, The Rusty Skipper Band and the New England Irish Harp Orchestra. The celebratory season culminates with an evening of dinner and dancing on December 31.

"The biggest event of the year—aside from the yearly gala—is New Year's Eve. This year the theme is the Great Gatsby," says community resources manager Molly Lynch St. John. "Two hundred tickets are sold and at midnight there are usually still about half the people welcoming in the New Year."

Photo:  Molly Lynch St. John preparing for the all entertaining that will take place this Holiday Season in the Performing Arts Theater at Linden Ponds.

About Linden Ponds: Linden Ponds, one of 20 continuing care retirement communities developed and managed by Erickson Living®, is situated on a scenic 108-acre campus in Hingham, Massachusetts. The not-for-profit community of more than 1300 residents and 800 employees is governed by its own board of directors, affiliated with National Senior Campuses, who provide independent financial and operational oversight of the community. Additional information about Linden Ponds can be found at LindenPonds.com.