By Yuko Ito | Program Coordinator
AAR Japan held Christmas parties at four kindergartens and children’s houses1) in Soma City and Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture on December 24th and 25th, 2013. It was the 3rd Christmas after the 3.11 disaster. Many organizations came to Fukushima Prefecture and held events for a while after the disaster. However, as time went by, the number of such events has decreased. Today most of the events are held by the local institutions such as kindergartens and children’s houses themselves. AAR Japan, on the other hand, remains committed to providing long-term support to the institutions that were severely affected by the 3.11 disaster and are yet to achieve full recovery. AAR visited children’s houses where we held Christmas parties in the previous year and kindergartens, which received no Christmas-related support from any aid groups in 2013 to give Christmas presents to the children.
At a kindergarten in Minamisoma City, children marched into the play room with Christmas music, and we read a picture book to them. The children were absorbed in listening to their favorite picture book. After the storytelling, the children heard someone saying “Ho Ho Ho”. As they wondered whose voice that was, Santa Claus showed up from the stage with a big white sack. The children were not notified about this special guest and thus were very surprised. They all welcomed Santa Claus with delight. Soon after, Santa Claus found himself surrounded by the children.
The children received Christmas stockings filled with candies from Santa Claus, and they sang a song and played music with bells and castanets in return for his kindness.
Children really enjoyed the time with Santa Claus, and they gifted him a card at the end of the event. The principal of the kindergarten told us, “We could not invite Santa Claus at our own Christmas party this year. We were happy to see children having a fun time with him”
1) Children’s house is a welfare facility, which promotes children’s health and development through offering a variety of play.
All the photos were taken at the kindergarten at Minamisoma City on December 24th, 2013
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