Embrace Christmas Party

By Embrace Coordinator, Lauren:

Christmas parties provide a festive preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. As much as we all love Christmas Day, most of us also like a good party. Games, presents, singing, crafts, and yummy food. But we don’t give much thought to those that can’t engage in the festivities. Maybe moods are too low to think about getting out of the house. Finances depleted from the last food shop. There aren’t any friends and family around to celebrate with. Or perhaps the season is not celebrated in certain cultures or religions. For various reasons, there are many that are not able to engage in Christmas festivities.

Many of the Embrace families have never experienced a Christmas party. But a few days before Christmas, we met to celebrate Christmas. Befrienders and Embrace friends and families gathered together for a few short hours to mark the birth of Jesus and the love that he brought. We came as peers. Not as superiors or inferiors. Not as natives and foreigners. Not as white and coloured. The room abounded with differences and was made beautiful by its diversity.

One corner of the room was face painting. One was crafting. One was cookie decorating. Scrumptious food was consumed. Games played. Songs sung. And for a few hours, sadness turned to joy. Heaviness was lightened. And ladies that have worn heavy weights could experience a lighter load.

Each year, I am brought to tears after the party. It reminds me that this project is worth every minute of our time. Every penny from our pockets. Because each Embrace Christmas party is a testament to the fact that friendship can be part of the healing process of trauma. And friends that would never have met can form close bonds.

Thank you to everyone that support Embrace. We hope to have lots more Christmas parties.