Christmas in a foreign country with seven children

Everyone considers Christmas a holiday of love and intimacy. Could you imagine not spending this period with those who are really important to you? Melinda has been living here at the campsite for almost half a year with her husband and seven children. For her, the most important things are her loved ones, so this period is particularly stressful for the mother, whose family was torn apart by the war.

What were your habits at home, how did you prepare for this period?

We lived in the same yard with our relatives, so we usually got together at this time and prepared together. We always spent the holidays together, in a good mood. While we cooked with the women, the children decorated the tree with their father. We made simple dishes that everyone loves. French salad, stuffed cabbage, meatloaf and fried meat, which were typically served on the table.We don't usually give each other gifts. 

We lived in great poverty at home. We had no assets, only our house. We lived in simple circumstances, there was nothing to buy, so gift-giving is not a tradition for us. The children didn't demand either. For them, the Christmas tree was always the biggest surprise during the holiday, it was what they expected the most.

"We would go back if we could, but there is often no electricity for weeks. The women are cooking outside in the yard. We keep in touch with the grandparents and other members of our family, but it is very difficult. They cry into the phone. The children are also worried about them, they ask if mom and dad are okay, are you not sick? And my mother-in-law is alone, her husband died more than 4 years ago."

Sometimes they don't pick up the phone, so we call the neighbor and we can talk to mom for a few minutes. We are constantly watching the news and hoping, but unfortunately nothing is improving.

How do children cope with this period?

At first it was difficult, they wanted to go home, but now they prefer to stay.

"They hear what the situation is over there and say, mom, let's not go home! Little Melinda will cry into the dark! What will happen to us at home? Dad won't be able to work!" - The older boys are afraid, what if we go home.

In addition, they are used to kindergarten and "Mom what time is it? You have to go to kindergarten and school!" - They get dressed, wash up, eat something for breakfast and leave.

The two big brothers already went to school, but they didn't attend school regularly either. The younger ones heard from them at home that they were going to school, but they really learned what it meant now. Unfortunately, they didn't want to admit Gypsy children to Hungarian kindergartens here, they looked out for them, so they haven't been to kindergarten so far.

Still, have you prepared anything for Christmas?

We don't look forward to the holidays so much now. Not the real one, because most of my family is in Ukraine. My mother, father, and brothers stayed in Transcarpathia. One of my sisters also lives here in the campsite with her own family. We will cook together and have dinner with them, that's all we plan to do.

There will be a Christmas tree for the children. This is why they look forward to Christmas the most. I am always asked - "will it have a burner?"

"We hope that next year we can spend the holidays at home with our loved ones."