This year, I'm celebrating the season from a little town just south of Santiago, Chile.

We sang Christmas carols on the plaza and in the market

Walked door to door to pray with people and hand out candy and a note of encouragement 

Worshiped together 

Lit the Christ candle for Advent

Read the sorry of Christ’s birth 

Wrote feedback in the form of gifts we see in each of our teammates 

Baked and decorated Christmas cookies

Watched the Grinch and discussed Jim Carry's make-up and costume preparations

Ate chicken nuggets with American ketchup for dinner

Built and slept in a fort complete with hung stockings and a mini Christmas tree

Exchanged and opened presents from our secret Santa

Watched a Hallmark Christmas movie while eating the popcorn I was given as a Christmas present 

Sang Happy Birthday Jesus!

Waited for him to blow out the Christ candle

Went to la piscina

Roasted marshmallows

Put lemon in our hair 

Played headbands

Took a nap on a blanket under the shade of a tree

Played the part of a chair and cup holder for a 4-year-old

Ate manzana empanadas

Played go fish 

Played in the pool

Learned how to squirt water with only our hands

Had ice in our drinks 

Ate Lamb all the way from Patagonia 

And watched Fireworks from our window at Casa Esperanza

All in all, it was a very unconventional Christmas. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Happy Birthday Jesus! 

From Chile, with love