We're thinking about Christmas here in Romania. We're getting really busy with workshops and organising presents and things for friends and family in the UK. It's more difficult as Christmas isn't quite the big event it is in the West. The shops don't sell many Christmas items of the quality we are used to. Even Christmas paper is difficult to get hold of. Thank goodness for internet shopping.

The one big family occasion in all villages in Romania is the 'cutting of the pig' ceremony. The family members all return to their villages for it. A fattened pig is slaughtered in front of the house in a ritual way and then butchered so that the family has lots of fresh meat for Christmas and the New Year. People even have their own manual machines to make sausages. What is left is smoked to last the bitter winter from January to March.

We were privileged last week to visit families in poverty and bring some cheer and laughter to children (between 7 and 11 children in each family) who won't be getting much in the way of presents this year. Some of them are young carers who look after dying or grieving parents. We hope to offer some play therapy to these lovely children in the New Year.

For the well-off children here they have a small present left in their shoe on 6 December by Mosi Nicolai (Old Nicholas) and then another present at Christmas from Mosi Craciun (Santa Claus). There is one day off work when most people go to church and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Then it's back to work as usual.

It's so easy for those of us from the West to get busy at this time of year and forget what Christmas is all about.

Have a peaceful Christmas with your family and a New Year of family fun and play.