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What was your favourite Christmas present? To children in Compassion’s programme, Christmas presents are so much more than an expected event. They are a rare treat, something to be treasured for years to come.
Thanks to generous donors to the Compassion Christmas Appeal, every Compassion-supported child got a Christmas present last year. Be inspired today as children throughout the world share their memories of their most loved Christmas gift.
What is Sirinard’s favourite Christmas gift? “My blanket. I got it for a Christmas gift that I like the most. I don’t want to share with my brother. It’s my favourite colour and so soft. I will keep it forever.”
“I love my doll…I have amazing memories of playing with her and my friends. I’ll keep it with me until I get older. I’m deeply grateful. It’s not just a present it’s an act of love,” says Ana Luiza in Brazil.
In Tanzania, Methusela remembers, “Before I joined [the Compassion Programme], celebrating Christmas was hard because there were things that I did not get.
“As a child when you see other children well-dressed on Christmas and eating good food while you have not had any of those, you lack peace and even if it is a day to celebrate, you cannot really celebrate. But when I joined the programme [and was found a sponsor], I felt valued, loved through the gifts that I received and good food I ate.
“The best Christmas memory I remember is a year we all received clothes that looked alike. That made me feel like all of us were the same family. That really made me happy.”
Geovane, Jean, and Geova live in a small house with their parents and three other siblings. 11-year-old Geovane shares,
“I love my new school bag. Before, we had nothing to carry our stuff. Now we have. Our family is big and we never could buy anything like we have now. I’m really grateful, not just for the present but because I can feel God’s love through all these things and remember He uses different people to show His love.”
Chanaporn from Thailand can’t choose between her two favourite gifts. “This is a tent that I got as a Christmas gift three years ago and I still use it. I like it so much. I like to sleep in a tent and I like the colour. I always use it when I go on school camping trips in another village. I want to keep it forever.
“My favourite memory of Christmas was when I got a box for my Christmas gift. I requested and I got it. I put all my clothes in there. No one in my family has a box but I have. I was so happy.”
In sunny Tanzania, Delvin loves Christmas! “Receiving gifts shows that someone loves and treasures me because before when I could not get gifts I felt unwanted in the community. When I looked at other children and saw how good they looked in their new clothes I felt left out. But now I receive Christmas gifts and I know I am loved just like the other children.
“My best Christmas memory was back in 2008 when I was in class four. During Christmas, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour and he was born inside my heart. Since then I enjoy every Christmas.”
Adelina and Ivan are siblings from Brazil whose daily life is a constant struggle. Last year, they received their very first Christmas present.
I’m so happy because I received a beautiful doll. It’s the only one I have and it’s so special that I take her everywhere I go. I’m so grateful that now I can play among other girls with my own pretty doll. Now every time I look at my doll I remember about Christmas and what it really means. Before, my Christmas had no real significance, but now I know why Jesus came. It’s our greatest gift.
Sawika lives on top of a hill with her sister in a remote village in Thailand. The temperature becomes extremely chilly during the winter, leading to Sawika’s desire for a Christmas gift.
“I got this sleeping bag for Christmas four years ago. I had been wanting this sleeping bag for a long time and one day I hoped I could have it. It was too expensive and we couldn’t buy it. I wanted it for a Christmas gift so I requested it. I love it so much because in the winter it’s so cold here at my house and I really love to sleep inside this sleeping bag. It’s fun and warm. I really love it so much.”
Every child wants to know they’re loved at Christmas. A loving gift means the world to a child who wouldn’t otherwise receive a Christmas present. You can help your sponsored child, along with 2 million children in poverty, to get a gift they’re not expecting this Christmas. Imagine how loved they’ll feel when they unwrap a gift specially chosen for them.
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