For eight years the children from the Bulgarian schools in Munich and in London have been organizing a charity campaign called “Christmas in a box”. Workshops for the children have been organized at the schools where they have been wrapping their gifts and writing personal messages to the people who will receive them. Here, Christmas is already in the air.

The idea for this noble initiative belongs to Svetlana Kamps from the Paisii Hilendarski Bulgarian school in Munich:

“The gifts are already on their way and I am happy to say that by Christmas they will have reached their recipients. This year’s “Christmas in a box” evoked such enthusiasm, many children from the Bulgarian schools and the Bulgarian church joined in. Packages were arriving by mail. There are more than 300 gifts and every one of them is personal. They were prepared by whole families – Bulgarian, as well as Bulgarian-German – with so much love and affection. With a card, or a letter, with a Christmas wish from the children and from grownups. They are now on their way to small towns and villages in the vicinity of Varna, Plovdiv and Veliko Turnovo. Many parents helped us. To be able to send them off early, we worked through the week, we all devoted of our time and worked in the evenings. University students from the Bulgarian association Aleko also joined in. What makes me truly happy is that this campaign brought together all Bulgarian associations and people of initiative in the city, eager to do some good. This noble cause really appeals to Bulgarians because it makes them feel very useful and they are happy to see the response – photographs, postcards and the faces of the people who receive the gifts. And everyone is happy – the people giving and the people receiving.”

How were you able to cope with the transportation? At this time of year this is a real problem.

“Here I would like to express my gratitude. A transport company from Bulgaria, headed by Yanislav Totev has once again donated the transportation. His team made all necessary preparations in the days leading up to Christmas, so that the presents could reach their destination in time. We work in close cooperation with the Bulgarian Orthodox church in Munich. Father Nedyalko Kalinov supports every charity endeavour like “Christmas in a box” and other campaigns by Bulgarians for Bulgarians. This is a big city and for many people find it convenient

to bring their present to the church, or to the school, or to my own house. It is a wonderful thing to have so much support.”

This year, “Christmas in a box” will reach out to lonely elderly people in villages. They will get a small personal gift. Warm mittens, socks, sweets, cards. The children who will get surprise boxes are from socially disadvantaged families and from centres for children with special needs. They all need some additional joy in their lives.

English version: Milena Daynova