Yesterday afternoon we had a little Christmas party at the after-school-school where I volunteer to teach English on Wednesday afternoons, Aprendizaje del Ingles. So, in the spirit of the season, I’d like to devote this post to giving my WOW readers the sense that you were there with us too.

First, in the school’s courtyard, the creator and director of this darling school, Linda Curran, gave a dramatic reading of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and the children, all gathered around her, echoed every line:

Then the children came into the classroom and worked on Christmas crafts, making wreaths and decorations to take home to their families, and learning such English words as “bow,” “ornament,” “wreath,” and “bell”:

Other children chose to color Christmas bells while they ate their Oreos and party snacks:

Linda took this group photo of me (left) with Stephanie, another volunteer teacher, with some of the children:

Best of all, for me, was the oversize Christmas card the children made for me (and another for Stephanie), with their handwritten love notes in English glued onto it. Mine all began with “Dear Ms. Bonnie,” and each note was individualized: “Thank you for teaching us with puppets,” “Thank you for helping me learn the shapes,” “Thank you for helping me read,” “Thank you for being a great teacher. I love you!”

My heart burst. I feel as if I’ve already had a Feliz Navidad, thanks to these dear children. I wish the same for you.