The holidays were full of smiles and delight among our little explorers.
We had a party with carols, sparkling decorations and plenty of entertaining activities. Preparing the decorations took, as always, longer than the party itself — and that is precisely the part children like best, because the room takes on a new look under their hands and each of them knows exactly what they made.
The children made the finest secret Santas, giving one another presents full of affection and friendship. This game has a value we rarely notice: for the first time, a child has to think about what someone else would like rather than what they would like. It is an empathy exercise disguised as a game, and the little ones take it very seriously — they start remembering a classmate's preferences, what they said last week, what they looked at longest.
The thrill of keeping the secret does the rest. Knowing something and not telling, for several days running, is a real test at their age, and the joy at the end repays it.
We are glad to be part of this community and to bring smiles to the children's faces at this special time of year.