The Spirit of the Holidays

Organizations or individuals mobilize during the holidays to give gifts to children from disadvantaged backgrounds

Ana-Maria Cononovici, 26.12.2023, 14:00

The winter holidays involve various preparations. For some people, however, it also means bringing joy to others. Organizations or individuals mobilize during the holidays to give gifts to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Internet abounds with mobilizing messages such as: ‘We expect you to give warmth to children this year as well, by donating a jacket or a pair of boots for the little ones and the big ones. Jackets and shoes should be clean, new or carefully worn’, or ‘The greatest joy for little ones are toys. No matter how hard it is for them, play is essential for their mental development, keeping them upbeat and happy.’ Supplies and hygiene products are also collected, but especially those that can be associated with a visit from Santa Claus.

However, the exhortation At Christmas Time Be Better should be extended throughout the year. And this was the discussion I had with Florentina Baloş, the president of the Keg of Smiles Association, who was running to complete her plans for this Christmas:

We are better for Christmas, I hope we are not better only at Christmas, let’s follow our own example that we set in December and continue to be better throughout the year, from January to December! This Christmas, we would have liked to gather as many as possible in one place, so that Santa Claus would come and give them gifts, but we also have many at home, so this December we focused on the delivered gifts part. We want the packages to have something to help them go to school in January, because usually in January it’s cold, and then they have to have a thick coat, boots, so this December we’re focusing on the gift side, so that no child should be left wanting.

And because I know that Florentina’s association already has a long tradition of collecting and handing out Christmas gifts, we asked our interlocutor where this year’s gifts end up:

We go into repeat mode, and we like the repeat mode. We are proud of the fact that from year to year we improve what we offer and we do our best in this sense. This year I am Mrs. Santa Claus, and together with the elves we help Santa reach as many special needs children as possible. Santa reaches children from the special school in sector 6 (Bucharest) and many children from villages. We will also award 200 children from the Children’s Palace, because we love them so much! We are very fond of those who work to achieve their goals, and the children who will be awarded go to school, go to rehearsals, go to competitions, and we are glad that we can be partners with them and their teachers.

Florentina Baloş, the president of the Keg of Smiles Association, told us that if, a few years ago, they were looking for the areas to reach or the cases to oversee, now the requests come directly to the association:

Now we don’t seek them out anymore, they come to us. Indeed, all cases are verified, because it is a matter of mutual trust. There are plenty of cases, they are coming to us, we are at the limit at this moment! We go for quality, we don’t take more children than we can support, we take children that Santa can reach for sure.

The holidays pass, their joy fades over time, the need for help remains, however. The joy of offering support can also be maintained, as shared, full of hope, by Florentina Baloş, the president of the Keg of Smiles Association:

I would like as many people as possible to understand that it doesn’t matter how much you give, and it doesn’t matter what you give. You can give money, but you can give time, or you can give ideas. Or, the easiest thing, you can give smiles! And it’ll return to you a thousand fold most of the time!

We also send a message to all those who want to make the world a better place, to always aim to contribute, at least with smiles to those in need, and not only during the holidays!