“Ho, Ho, Ho! Papai Noel Chegou!!” was the cry we were greeted with as our small caravan of three cars, not camels, arrived at the daycare center, or Creche, in Santa Maria. The kids were chanting “Ho, Ho, Ho, Santa is Here!!” because we were bringing these kids Christmas gifts. They all come from very poor families, and live in a rather poor neighborhood, and otherwise don’t receive any gifts. Their excitement was contagious and quickly spread to the church group, made up of Americans and Brazilians.
The kids sang for us, and then we taught them new songs and one team member had a puppet and told the kids a Christmas story about the first Christmas with the puppet. The kids loved it! There were smiles all around, as the kids waited in anticipation to get to take their presents home. We were glad to share the real meaning of Christmas with them, as well as love on and give to those who have less than we do.
We gave the kids a snack, and had a chance to play with them. We sort of gave out the gifts to some kids, but they weren’t allowed to unwrap them. Can you imagine 30+ 2-6 year olds all opening up Christmas gifts at once? What chaos that would be… so we took photos with the kids we bought the gifts for, and when their parents got them, they took the gifts home to open.
This visit to a project was a nice change for me. I wasn’t leading it,which was different. Almost everyone spoke Portuguese and English, so no translating for me either. I wasn’t even interviewing the co-ordinators of the project or anything, as I usually do. I was just free, absolutely free.
I was able to play with the kids, photograph them playing, see their joy in receiving gifts, and be reminded that we give gifts to these kids just as the magi gave gifts to baby Jesus. We, the rich, the middle class, the modern day magi, took time to give thoughtful gifts for these children, born into destitute situations. Many come from broken families, born out of wedlock, the mother pregnant without being married, like little baby Jesus’ family was. We never know who these children will grow up to be, like Jesus came from such a humble family’s beginnings, yet grew up to be the Savior of the World. 
We give to kids we don’t even know, to kids we meet when we give the gift, in the same manner as the magi gave to a baby they had never met. But the magi knew he was special. Like we all know these kids are special.
As we celebrate Christmas, we must not forget the real reason why we give gifts, and why we celebrate. And if you have the opportunity to give an Angel Tree gift, or an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, or donate to a local homeless shelter, please take the opportunity you have to bless someone else and show them what Christmas is really all about.
