Children from five Czech children's homes spend Christmas in the mountains

Children from five children’s homes in the Czech Republic found presents under the tree on Christmas morning this year thanks to the Duha Zámeček (Rainbow Manor) association’s annual Rainbow Christmas in the mountains. This year the children took an imaginary journey across the ocean and experienced an American Christmas with Santa Claus and turkey.

Traditional Czech Christmas involves opening gifts on Christmas Eve, but these children’s non-traditional 24 December involved fun competitions with nine reindeer created by the program managers. The organizers, who work with the children from the homes year-round, prepared an interesting, variegated holiday program for them.

"This wasn’t a camp with exercises where we give the children points, but something was always being done with them nonetheless. We baked cookies with them, made decorations for the Christmas tree, and watched films," said Ivana Sobolová, who assists the editor of Zámeček magazine, which is made by and for children living in the children’s homes.

The children also enjoyed the World of Technology in the town of Dolní Vítkovice and the aquapark in Kravaře thanks to the generosity of both facilities. In addition, they made presents for the senior citizens living in the House at the Chateau in Kyjovice and sang Christmas carols to them.

One of the high points was roasting an 18-kilo turkey, a food most of the children got to taste for the very first time. "The children were not much concerned about waiting for Santa Claus, and on the morning of the 25th they had more time to play with their presents than if they had opened them at night on Christmas Eve," Sobolová said.

Each child received approximately CZK 1 000 (EUR 37) worth of gifts donated to the organizers by their friends, as were the funds for the rest of the program. The main benefactor was the Mayor of Čeladná, Pavol Lukša, who donated CZK 20 000 (EUR 740) to the Rainbow Christmas.

Children from children’s homes in Čeladná, Příbor, Liptál, Býchory and Uherský Ostroh spent Christmas at the Myšinec hiking and tourism facility in the town of Budišovice u Hrabyně. Duha Zámeček regularly organizes camps and weekend trips for them as part of a project entitled "Let’s Give Abandoned Children Experiences, Not Presents".   

PHOTO GALLERY 

(PHOTOS: Vladislav Sobol)