Vianoce, ktoré nás zoberú na výlet

The scent of Christmas punch, lights glowing in the dark, the buzz of people, the soft melody of Christmas songs. Feels like ages ago, doesn’t it? We’ve almost forgotten that Christmas and Christmas markets even happened. Outside, the snow has already melted (not that there was much this year), the birds are starting to sing, and though the sun is still weak, it shines beautifully.

But here at the center, we haven’t forgotten our project “Christmas That Teaches Us New Skills.”

We wanted the very first edition of the Christmas market by the belfry to be special for the children of Jemná cesta. From the start of the school year, the kids worked hard preparing products for the market, helped with organizing the event, and took part in the market itself.

They made glow-in-the-dark lanterns, hearts of love, melted wax together to pour honey-scented candles into molds. Our “pinecone grandpas” didn’t quite turn out as planned, but the children beautifully decorated glowing bottles. St. Martin on his white horse came to help us “snow” our Christmas decorations. We also made dreamcatchers, heartfelt Christmas cards, and to have something tasty to offer, the children dried fruit full of vitamins and baked the best gingerbread cookies in the world. They managed so much! And now a well-deserved reward awaits them.

The money they earned at their stand during the Christmas market by the belfry will be used to organize their spring trip. When do children learn the most? When they are guided by inner motivation, the desire to achieve something, the wish to experience something new. And how better to learn organizational skills, independence, and financial literacy than by preparing something for themselves? We are already looking forward to what the children will come up with and where they will take us on their trip.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the Náš Rohožník grant program, the municipality of Rohožník, and to Miška Vrábelová, Nelka Kožuchová, Natálka Luciánová, and Miška Balážová for helping with the Christmas market itself. Thanks also to all the children who created the products and had fun with us at Jemná cesta, and of course to all of you who stopped by our stand, exchanged a few words and smiles, and bought our children’s crafts or hot punch. You contributed to a good cause—and the children are overjoyed because of it.

Author: Zuzka Recna