21 Jan CHRISTMAS CAME TO ODÖS/SPAIN
The excitement and the magic came to Ödos for another year. 2021, because of the pandemic, turned out to be a strange time, during which we have been unable to enjoy closeness, love and the magic as would have liked… We tried, well in advance, to spread the spirit of Christmas to the women and children in the Centre, especially as the majority of them do not celebrate this season in their home countries. We organized some workshops to make elves to decorate our Christmas tree, others to learn how to wrap up presents , make Christmas cards, and we wrote letters to Father Christmas. In addition, the youngest children enjoyed films set in this Christmas season.
On the night of the 24th, all the women and the boys and girls ate together, enjoying one another’s company and breathing in the family atmosphere that stands out so clearly on Christmas Eve. Afterwards, they celebrated by performing their typical dances.
In the same way, on December 31st, the last day of the year we enjoyed another great dinner and this time, we talked about the customs we follow here in Spain, like eating grapes together. Afterwards, the women and children wrote down their wishes on a small piece of paper which they burnt in the flames of some lanterns and which they threw away in order to leave behind everything that they had suffered in the past and to begin a New Year full of hope.
Auxiliadora Fernández, Directora Odös. Montilla
