Written by: Ate Claudine Regino, U! Resident Photographer
What does it take to make a child smile this Christmas season? Well, for the children of GK Camacho in Marikina, it would only take one’s time and a couple of fun-filled activities to make them not only smile, but also fill their hearts with happiness.
In the afternoon of December 22, Ate Ras served as a Secret Santa and spent a couple of hours of her time with the kids to make them feel the spirit of Christmas. At around 3:00 pm, the program started and the children were grouped into five teams of twenty. The groups formed were “Team Santa,” “Team Reindeer,” “Team Elf,” “Team Olaf,” and “Team Snowman.” The members had to introduce themselves to everyone, mention what gift they would like to receive for Christmas, and which among the fictional Christmas characters is their favorite.
Once the kids already got to know each other, they then played a game called “Pass the Ball.” The members simply formed a circle and passed the ball to another while the music was playing. When the music stops, the person holding the ball must stand up and have his or her nametag marked with a star to claim a prize at the end of the program. For the next round, the teams were asked to stand up and dance to the music. When the music stops, the children must strike a certain pose as stated by kuya Rich. Ate Ras even joined in the fun and their funny poses and candid facial expressions were captured in the photos.
The next part of the program was a bubbles show performed by kuya Allan. The children were startled at the sight of the big bubbles and cheered marvelously as they floated in the air. Some even tried to come closer and pop the bubbles before they can even reach the ground. Soon, everyone was given the chance to stand in a small pool of bubble solution so kuya Allan could create a large bubble while the person was inside. The kids excitedly lined up and asked their mothers to take pictures of them when it was their turn to be enclosed in the bubble. It seemed like they didn’t even want kuya Allan to leave anymore because they were having so much fun.
After the bubbles show, the kids enthusiastically participated in the next activity, which was the Christmas-tree-making with ate Mhazy. Each member of the team was provided with the materials to make their own paper Christmas tree. While ate Mhazy demonstrated the procedure, ate Ras, the mothers, and older children assisted the younger ones who needed help with cutting and following the instructions. The children were very happy to have successfully made their own Christmas trees and showed them off to one another.
Before eating merienda, one of the kids volunteered to lead the prayer before meals. Afterwards, the children were served with spaghetti and lumpia to satisfy their little tummies. The kids happily enjoyed their meal while bonding with each other and ate Ras.
Soon, the children were given school supplies as parting gifts and early Christmas presents. They couldn’t stop thanking ate Ras and the other volunteers for spending time with them, but truthfully, it was them who made the afternoon truly special. Indeed, it was a time well-spent and everyone left with a smile on their faces.
