2. Appeal to a shared interest
For German-born Achim Barrow, senior director of operations at The Army Residence Community in San Antonio, Christmas is one of the most special times of the year. When he noticed that many of his residents—all retired military personnel—had been stationed in Germany at one time or another, he decided to host a two-night German-themed holiday celebration called Weihnachtsfest. The menu features German beer and gluhwein, and a dinner inspired by recipes passed down from the grandmother of Barrow’s wife, Silke.
“Generally, the residents rush in, sit down, eat and go home,” Barrow says. “I broke that tradition those two nights. They were still sitting there three hours later, which was a first. I got pulled to all the different tables; we talked about their times in Germany and where they were, what Christkindlmarket they went to. It became personal and not just a dinner.” Diners end the night with a sweet treat as a parting gift: Last year, it was a pound of traditional German Christmas cookies; this year, it is christollen, a sugar-dusted bread studded with dried fruit.