By Federica Gruppioni | Project Leader
As the winter frost settles over Panciu, a wonderful atmosphere of joy and excitement has filled the halls of Center Pinocchio. We are writing to share with you the magic of these past few weeks and to thank you for making all of this possible.
The school term has officially come to an end, and our children have finally started their Christmas holidays. After months of hard work, they are thrilled to have some time to rest, play, and enjoy the festive spirit. Their smiles are the best testimony to the peaceful environment we strive to build every day.
Throughout December, the association Lumea lui Pinocchio organized several special moments to celebrate the season.
On the night of December 5th, we celebrated one of Romania’s most beloved traditions: Mos Nicolae (Saint Nicholas). Traditionally children clean their boots and leave them by the window, hoping that Mos Nicolae will leave some treats. At the Center Pinocchio the children carefully wrote their letters and prepared their little boots, leaving them by the fireplace. After some days they found their boots filled not only with sweets but also with a personal note from Saint Nicholas, featuring kind words and thoughtful messages chosen specifically for each child. The joy on their faces was a light that filled the entire room.
Last Friday, December 19th, was an unforgettable day. While many people receive gifts from Santa, few have the privilege of actually meeting him and talking to him. Well, at Lumea lui Pinocchio, he actually showed up!
The younger children saw him for the very first time, and everyone—big and small—was absolutely delighted. They spoke with Santa, recited poems, sang, and danced for him. Of course, they all claimed to have been very good this year! Santa was so happy with their performances that he rewarded everyone with sweets, fruit, and toys.
On the same day, we were also joined by officers from the Penitentiary Center, who brought even more gifts and helped the children decorate our beautiful Christmas tree. It was a wonderful moment of community and sharing. We were honored to host officers who visited us with a car full of surprises. They brought beautiful plush toys, sweets, and plenty of holiday cheer.
During this holiday break, both IBO Italia and Lumea lui Pinocchio want to take a moment to look back with gratitude. None of these smiles would be possible without your constant support and generosity.
We wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with peace, health, and joy.
With deepest gratitude,
The Team at Centro Pinocchio Panciu, Romania
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
