Christmas tuesday meeting, a very special gathering

Last Tuesday we held our monthly meeting, and this time it took place in a truly special context: Christmas. By mid-December, the Christmas spirit is already a natural part of our everyday lives, and we wanted that feeling to be reflected in this gathering as well. During the meeting, we baked Christmas cookies for people experiencing homelessness and shared many traditions from our different countries.

The gathering began at the Nowa Huta headquarters, where all the volunteers came together, ready to bake gingerbread cookies for people without homes, who will be able to enjoy them during the holiday season. We split into two “teams”: one focused on baking the cookies and the other on decorating them, although in the end, everyone did a bit of everything. While baking, we listened to Christmas carols and shared traditions from our cities and countries. We shaped the cookies into festive forms and later decorated them together. During the decorating, a very special atmosphere emerged as we shared family stories and personal memories while working side by side.

Once the final batches of cookies were ready and beautifully decorated, with lots of creativity and laughter, we immersed ourselves in the Polish Christmas Eve tradition. This tradition includes a beautifully decorated table with candles and twelve different dishes. We had the chance to taste traditional Polish borscht, a beetroot soup served with dumplings, which was absolutely delicious. As we ate, we shared typical Christmas Eve traditions from our home countries and sang some traditional carols, including Polish ones.

Sharing this “Christmas Eve dinner” with our volunteer family made us feel as if we were celebrating Christmas Eve with our own families, surrounded by a warm and festive atmosphere. The evening ended with a small piano recital by Kristina, who played several beautiful songs that made the moment even more magical.

After this special moment, we held our Secret Santa exchange among the volunteers and our coordinators, Aneta and Kristina. Kristina took on the role of Santa and spread joy by handing out the gifts. Everyone was happy with their presents, and after answering Santa’s question about whether we had been good this year or not, we concluded the first part of the gathering.

We also wanted to share this day with the mentors, so we invited them to join us for dinner, where everyone brought something to share. After the meal, we did an activity in which each person brought a personal object that represented them. Through this, we shared meaningful experiences that inspired us all. Surrounded by this magical atmosphere, we said goodbye to 2025 together and welcomed 2026 with our best wishes.