Christmas has different meanings for each person. The essence is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, but it is also a time to reunite the family, to be grateful for the year that has passed, and to exercise empathy and solidarity.
And for AIRE residents, Brazilian Christmas is even more special. For those who come from non-Catholic countries, the traditions of that time are very different. December 25th is a day like any other with nothing different planned, and for this reason they are quite surprised by the parties and the contagious joy that this time of year always brings.
Christmas at AIRE then becomes synonymous with celebrating life, celebrating the opportunity to dream of a life without persecution, and celebrating the chance to start over and plan a future. Recently, we received a donation of a Christmas dinner that was served on the 24th. Aire residents will celebrate with a full house – not with their blood family, but with the family that Brazil gave them, from different parts of the world, but with the same dream of making a new life here.
