Christmas at The Creche

We are so lucky to have a support group of other adoptive parents who are in our same situation. We belong to a Yahoo group made up of all parents adopting from the same orphanage as us. One of the girls posted this message. It just really made me so happy to picture this and know that our children are celebrating Christmas and having a very special day at the creche while we are home wishing they were with us.

I am sure I am not the only one who finds it hard to know that while we are celebrating Christmas here our children are so far away in Haiti. However, I don't want anyone to picture them alone or sad. My husband and I spent last Christmas Eve and Christmas with the Bernards and at the creche, and it was very sweet and special (you can see some photos in my album-- I think it's called Christmas 2010).

First, there are some simple Christmas decorations-- so it does look festive in the creche. Then, on Christmas day, the nannies spent hours in the morning washing and doing hair and dressing up all the kids in their nicest clothes (and themselves-- I was amazed at the formal dresses the nannies wore!). A little after noon, all the kids gathered in the big room by the pool, sitting on their little colored chairs, and Dr. Bernard and Claudette came down for the Christmas performance. Last year, all the little kids were wearing Santa hats made out of construction paper. The kids are out of school for two weeks at the holidays, but the nannies work with them during that time and from about 3-years-old up, all the kids put on the Christmas program-- they sing, recite the Christmas story and do dances to music. Then, there is a big meal (about 2 p.m. Haitian time). Finally, Dr. B passes out little gifts to every child by name and they all go up and say Joyeax Noel and he hugs them and gives them their gift. There are huge smiles and lots of laughing and squealing and checking out each other's presents. It was so sweet.

Anyway, those happy pictures in my head from last year really help me in preparing for a holiday spent apart, and I hope it might help some others too. =)