Contributed by Kathy Landry

I would like to share a couple of events our property hosts annually to involve our residents during the Christmas season.

Right after Thanskgiving each year, we start promoting our “Door Decorating Contest.”  This contest has seven different categories to challenge the residents.  We give money prizes from $25 to $100, as some categories ahve 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place.  Judges vary from one year to the next, so it is possible to use the same decorations year after year.  We really encourage creative handmade decorating and it is amazing the beautiful, original, various ideas our residents have!  As a person that looks forward to Christmas all year, it is especially pleasing to have our apartment homes decorated on the exterior throughout the property.

Our most reecent annual Christmas function is our “Christmas Carnival Food Drive.”  We set up carnival type games for children of all ages, complete with Christmas type prizes and small gifts.  Admission to the games is canned food, which is collected for our Baton Rouge Food Bank.  They provide the barrels for us.  We also collect raffle prizes such as cash and local gift certificates, donated by our vendors.  At the end of the carnival, we announce the winners of 25 or more raffles.  Residents can purchase raffle tickets with canned food donations.  One food item for each ticket, no limit.  This year residents brought food by the wagon-full, just to enter the raffles.  Our Christmas Carnival also provides a buffet with a wide variety of food and snacks, and residents really enjoy getting to know each other.  This carnival has become very satisfying to our staff because we know it is for a good cause, and each year we have collected more and more food donations.

Please share your Multifamily Holiday Idea with us!

Green Holidays

Planning new landscaping for your apartment community? Here is an idea that you could copy!

For those who are not LA based we need to find away to offer this to our residents this year! Christmas trees are 1) awkward to transport and 2) terribly depressing when they’re discarded in January. Los Angeles landscape architect Scott Martin has his way; he founded The Living Christmas Company, which gives LA residents the chance to temporarily rent a living Christmas tree and have it delivered right to their door. Unlike regular Christmas trees, around 20 million of which are felled each year in the US, living trees are transplanted, roots and all, into pots to be enjoyed over the festive period. After the holidays, Scott and his team pick up the trees, replant them and nurture them until next year.

http://livingchristmas.com/

Deck the Halls!

• Start decorating for December on the day after Thanksgiving. This not only gives you plenty of time to decorate appropriately, but helps you and your staff get into the holiday mood. Break out the eggnog and put on some holiday music to really get the festivities flowing!

• We all know that nothing smells like a real Christmas tree, but few things are more practical than a realistic-looking artificial one (the key word here is realistic… unless you’re going for retro kitsch, silver foil isn’t an option). A little pine-scented potpourri in a pretty bowl can supply the scent, as can a few strategically placed real pine boughs. (Note: spraying pine disinfectant on your artificial tree will not do the trick. I only say this because I actually know someone who tried.)

• Tiered rows of poinsettias make an excellent “tree”! Have your service team assemble a stand made of progressively smaller boxes that stack on top of each other, with a wide enough margin around each to place rows of potted poinsettias. Place a dowel in the center of the top box to attach a star!

• Decorate your tree to complement your décor and atmosphere. You can choose a more sophisticated, coordinated set of decorations; or make it a little more “homey” with hand-made ornaments contributed by your staff and / or residents. Add plenty of brightly wrapped “presents” (empty boxes) under your tree. Use the nicest wrapping papers you can find (red, green, silver, and gold foils look great). Your local fabric or craft store should have an excellent supply of ribbons from which to choose, including wire edged varieties that can be shaped into big elaborate looking bows with little trouble.

• Remember that the holiday season doesn’t mean Christmas alone. Chanukah and Kwanzaa are also celebrations of the season. Decorate for and plancommunity events accordingly. Find out more about the holiday traditions ofall your residents, especially if yours is a multicultural community. I once attended a holiday party where the host’s decorations included a gorgeous Christmas tree decorated in an African theme for Kwanzaa and a lovely Menorah burning in honor of Chanukah. The guests were inspired by the decor to get to know more about each others holiday traditions. We all learned a great deal that evening, and felt as though we had truly experienced the joy of the season.

• Play holiday music in your Leasing Center, clubhouse, and even models! The staff may tire of them, but they’ll really brighten the mood for your visitors.

• Keep a running supply of holiday refreshments (cookies and punch or spiced cider) in the Leasing Center for visitors. A crock-pot full of warm spiced cider makes a great treat for future residents visiting on a cold day.

• Lights are a must. The tiny white outdoor ones are perfect for trimming windows and shrubbery .

• Don’t forget your models! A miniature decorated Christmas tree on the coffee table or counter, a few wrapped “gifts”, and some pine or cinnamon potpourri is all it takes to add a warm holiday touch to a decorated model, or turns a vacant apartment home into a holiday mini-model! Play a little seasonal music in the background, and you’re ready to welcome your new residents home for the holidays!

• Be careful not to overdo it. Simple elegance is best. Plastic figures on the roof or a puny tree can look tacky and convey a tired image. Remember that the holidays can be a stressful time of year for your residents; and are especially trying for future residents who are searching for a new home during the hectic holiday season. Your message of polished professionalism will be well received and appreciated.

Happy Holiday Activities

• Host a tree-trimming party in the clubhouse, and supply all of the materials for residents to make the ornaments!).

• Hold a Christmas tree drawing. Give away a tree, complete with decorations!

• Plant a live tree.

• Hold a door, patio, or balcony-decorating contest. Award the winners with a special wreath on their door, and / or a holiday gift certificate.

• If you community features include fireplaces, deliver firewood on December 23rd with a note offering “Warmest Holiday Wishes.” If you can’t afford to give firewood away, make it available for convenient purchase on-site.

• Promote January and February lease renewals by sending out a stocking cut out of construction paper that reads: “Spend another year with us and we’ll put something extra in your stocking! Renew your lease today!”

• Hang stocking or wreath shaped party reminders on your resident’s doors the day of your holiday party.

• Team up with a local charity to provide a gift-wrapping service to your residents.

• Clear out a storage area and offer it to parents in the community as a “Santa’s Hideaway” for gifts. You may want to have residents sign a release of liability, and allow access to only select staff members.

• Plan a “Twelve Days of Christmas” party count-down.
• Hold a Santa’s storytelling hour in the clubhouse (gives parents a little free time to assemble and wrap presents!).
• If your area allows referral incentives, create and distribute a referral flyer that reads “Let us Give You a Christmas Present!”
• Host a one-day, on-site Christmas tree sale with a local charity that sells trees.
• Print holiday safety tips in your newsletter.
• Plan to offer Christmas tree recycling on-site. It makes great mulch, and is a nice way to get some positive press as well!
• Hold a drawing for front-row tickets to a local performance of The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol.

Holiday Party Themes

• Toyland – A magical world of giant lollipops, candy canes, ornaments, toys and huge packages wrapped up with colorful ribbons. This fantasy theme will bring out the child in every resident.

• Surfin’ Santa – Tell your residents to leave their heavy coats at thedoor and come out to the beach! Set up a volleyball net with beach balls.Add a “Christmas” palm tree. Hang a bright sun, beach towels, sand pailsand shovels with a sprinkling of Christmas decorations (pink flamingos withholiday wreaths around their necks, beach pails full of Christmas cookies,life preserver Christmas wreaths, etc.)

• Reindeer Round-up – Bring the spirit of the West alive with Country and Western holiday music. Decorate with a cactus done up as a Christmas tree. Use rope around the room like garland, and serve western-style treats.Last But Not Least – Remember to Stay in the Holiday Spirit

• A warm inviting smile from your staff is the perfect crowning glory to your holiday decorating efforts. Greet everyone with a warm welcome, and ensure your faces and attitudes reflect the same joyous message that is presented by your community decor. Nobody wants to lease an apartment from The Grinch!

• Don’t be distracted by the Holidays to the point that you forget your number one mission. It’s more important than ever that our residents andfuture residents receive the full benefit of our commitment to provide quality service.

Lori Konover contributed this idea to us.

Idea/Theme: We implemented complimentary gift wrapping at our primarily single Navy guy property, from Thanksgiving until 2 days before Christmas. They loved it, their families were impressed!!
Estimated Cost: 50.00
Results: Several residents stated that they renewed simply not to have to wrap gifts anymore!

Elsa  from Centra Asset Partners contributed this idea

Category: Management

Idea/Theme: "Candy Cane Treasure Hunt"

Materials needed: Candy Canes, Labels, Vases, Ribbon,

Print specials/concessions on labels and place them on the Candy Cane, insert Candy inside decorative vase. Offer prospects to participate in the treasure hunt for a special/concession.

Same idea can be used for renewals.

Key Visuals: Candy canes, vases, ribbon, decorative tissue.

Media Vehicles: Fliers, direct mail, My Space, Craig List, Facebook.

Estimated Cost: $85.00

Stay tuned to Multifamilypro for more great holiday ideas!

It’s the time of year when wallets start to creak, and it becomes a bit more painful for everyone to spend their hard-earned money. Purses don’t open as easily as they usually do, and bank account balances are generally under more scrutiny.   That’s right  ... the holidays are upon us!

This highly anticipated time of cheer, complete with lights, Santa and merriment, is here. But when decorating is considered a major expense, you have to get creative. You have to think outside of the box, and use this time of year to capitalize on your community’s desire to give back. It’s a chance to build awareness, to create atypical reasons for people to come visit your office, and most importantly… it’s your chance to do some good. Here are some ideas for providing residents with services they’ll especially love at holiday time!  You’ll want to start your programs the day after Thanksgiving—Black Friday—so start making your plans now!

Elf Storage

Offer storage rates on those vacant garages or unrented vacant apartments. Lease out bedrooms that can be individually locked (we all know we have tons of locks lying around) and used easily and conveniently by parents to wrap gifts away from prying little eyes and hide gifts from their children until Santa makes his delivery!  Make certain to get a signed release of liability, a one month storage lease, and charge enough to cover the cost of utilities before handing them the key.

You can offer other kinds of storage (in a secure area of the clubhouse for example) as Elf Storage, just make certain in all cases that the area is secure, a release of liability is signed, and that all items are clearly marked and tagged by the owner when checking the items and out of the storage area.

Sound like a lot of work? Do what we did! Simply contact you local self storeage (drop the "S" and you have Elf Storage!) and let them know what you want to do! They gave me the space and we decorated a vacant unit for a gift wrapping party, including holiday lights outside the unit, and held several "block party" type gatherings for our residents. We had a great turn-out and the storage facility actually received some rentals! The unit was used by our sister communities throughout the season so we shared the expense. The events were so successful that following year we took three units side by side and had multiple communities hold their wrapping events on the same night, and each community's management team took turns on responsibility. The staff time invested was decreased and our residents received full benefit.

Added tip: Buy several full reams of wrapping paper and save! I like the selection at Gift Wrap Gifts; and while you're there, don't forget to check out the clearance section for some amazing deals!

Make Room for the Christmas Tree

We all know living in an apartment can sometimes present space challenges, and especially during the holidays; so take a vacant apartment and offer to store a piece of furniture that needs to be moved out of the way to make room for a Christmas tree or a small holiday gathering of friends. Have the resident sign a liability waiver and personally check the item in and out.

Special Delivery

If you’re not already, begin accepting shipments of resident’s gifts from online retailers. But don’t stop there: offer to place the boxes in their apartments for them.  This is a great way to save them time during the holidays. The key is to make everything as easy as possible for the resident. Help with outgoing shipments, too, by allowing them to leave pre-postage-paid packages in the office for UPS/FedEx/USPS pickup; and make certain you stock up on the free shipping boxes that they offer.

Host Wrapping Parties

One or two nights a week, hold an event where everyone is invited to come to the model to wrap their gifts! Provide all the necessities at no charge:  paper, scissors, tape, bows, and gift tags.  Serve cookies, hot cocoa and cider. Since the event is all contained within a model, it’s both easy to find (and easy to introduce potential residents to the benefits of living in our community)! For $200 or less, you’ll generate a ton of goodwill! Don't have a model? Use a vacant apartment, or as seen in the photo below, a vacant garage!

Become a Donation Location

Keep in mind that  residents like to help others in need around the holiday season; and by using your community  as a drop-off site for charitable donations, you provide a valuable service while building awareness of your  community and its location, and demonstrating your commitment to caring and service to everyone in your neighborhood area.

You can become a drop-off site (or on a larger scale, donate a vacant apartment for use as a processing site where items are gathered from the larger area and prepared for distribution) for the United States Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program, Salvation Army Angel Tree, and other organizations; and there are probably a variety of locally-based programs in your area—including food banks—that you can become involved in serving, as well. You may also consider hosting your own toy drive and opening your community as an “Open House” site that underprivileged families can visit to select toys for their children.  Why not host a mitten/hat/scarf drive? Or a canned food or winter coat drive? Become a “go to” destination that area families can visit and do something great for the community while they’re out on their annual drive to see the holiday lights!  There’s no more positive way to get attention for your community than to EARN IT by doing something good!

Holiday Parades

Most mid- to large-sized towns have an organized, well-attended holiday parade; and if your community does, use it to promote your community!  If you have a partnership with a moving company, turn a truck into a colorful, moving billboard; or use an open vehicle as “Santa’s Sleigh” with the  Big Guy himself and your staff throwing candy and small gifts to the crowd (branded with your logo and/or message, of course).

There are opportunities aplenty during this time of year, and only a little creative thinking is needed to help make your community or company a memorable part of the holiday experience for your residents and future residents.  It’s never too early to celebrate the spirit of giving, so Happy Holidays to you and your team from all of us at Team Multifamilypro!

Looking for more holiday ideas and low cost or money making opportunities for your community?  Join Tami on  November 10^th to get your holiday strategy completed!  (REGISTER HERE!)

IS YOUR COMMUNITY READY FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON?

Join us for the MproTV Holiday Idea Special, Hosted by Tami Siewruk … a live, online MproTV broadcast that you can watch from the convenience your computer screen!

WHEN: Friday, November 11, 2011, 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time (1:00-2:00 PM Central, Noon-1:00 PM Mountain, and 11:00 AM – Noon Pacific)

HOW: REGISTER HERE!

HOW MUCH: Only $19.95!

Halloween has just come and gone and now the busy Holiday Season is quickly on its way! Do you know what most people want for the Holidays? MORE TIME! As much as we love this time of year, the planning and preparation it demands from Thanksgiving through the New Year can lead to major overload. That creates some serious opportunities for your community to make a huge difference, building relationships with residents in ways that have significantly more impact than your efforts for the rest of the year, and attracting new residents at the same time!

This is the perfect time for your community to stand out from the crowd! There is no reason that a limited budget and the time demands of managing a community have to hinder the incredible opportunities the Holiday Season offers. ARE YOU READY? What can you do to celebrate in ways that will reinforce resident relationships, your community’s reputation and presence in the marketplace, too? What have other communities done with great success? Join Tami and learn:

• Dozens of low- to no-cost ways to decorate your community with amazing visual impact!
• Proven ways to dramatically increase resident involvement in your community that start during the Holidays and continue all year long!
• Special seasonal services for your residents that will save them time and effort—including ideas that will boost ancillary income, and that your residents will be happy to pay for!
• Holiday traffic boosters!
• And much, much more!

Spend one idea-packed hour with us, and receive more great Holiday solutions than you can possibly implement this year along with links, resources, and even artwork to get you started, all for ONLY $19.95!

And it’s GUARANTEED! If you don’t receive just one idea that can repay the cost of your registration, we’ll give you a refund, no questions asked. But you won’t just receive ONE idea. You’ll get DOZENS! Join us and jingle all the way … to an amazing Holiday Season for your residents, prospects, and team!

REGISTER HERE!