December has been a great opportunity for me to get more involved in the activities in the farm. I was very happy to help with the Christmas workshops organised for school children, where I learnt how to make candles and paper angels. I also watched the Christmas theatre prepared by the team who organises the workshop and I felt a lot of joy seeing the children singing carols or dressing up as traditional Czech characters. But what I probably enjoyed the most was the interaction with the children and the smiles on their faces after making their own candle or angel. Surprisingly, I can now speak some Czech and was able to communicate with them a little bit, explain them how to do this and that and answer some of their questions.

Besides the workshops, I also helped in the farm's kindergarten at some special events. First, I dressed up as an angel on the celebration of Saint Mikulaš. Children were also dressed up as angels and devils and we all went for a quest through the farm. They had to find clues and letters from the "čert" (the devil) and answer his questions in the letters. It was a great time with the children and a nice way of learning about the Czech way of celebrating this holiday.

In the last week of school before Christmas, I went with the children and teachers in the old church of Hostivař, where the little ones sang carols. It was the best way to enjoy the Christmas spirit here, in Toulcův Dvůr.

Happy holidays to all of you, wherever you enjoy them!

Roxana Nica