‘Tis the season for the Sseko Uganda Christmas Party and a thrilling Secret Santa gift exchange! Yep, it’s that time of year again and despite the down pouring rain we keep having in the middle of dry season, it didn’t stop us from planning our annual Christmas party.
Over the mud puddles and through the traffic jam, To the Sseko Christmas Party we go! Some of the ladies brought their children and our day was spent laughing, singing and dancing in each other’s company. The ladies wore their finest dresses for the occasion, which didn’t stop them from participating in a rousing and competitive game of ‘Spoons’. We cut the cake and drank our sodas all leading up to the much anticipated Secret Santa exchange.
The exchange has become quite an annual saga at the Sseko workshop! The names are drawn on November 1st, and the women spend the next two months sneakily trying to find out who picked whose name and what they want for Christmas! Whenever the question “Who is your secret?” was asked, giggling was sure to ensue all around the workshop. And when the time finally came for us to exchange our gifts, the women could barely stay seated as they were just too excited to get started giving!
After all the presents had been unwrapped and passed around, we enjoyed a spread of fine Ugandan food while Oscar entertained the children with a big giraffe statue that the ladies kept referring to as a goat statue. And to finish off the day, we went for a train ride! All presents and purses in tow, the rickety train ferried us around the event grounds a few times, after which the ladies all tumbled out with huge smiles on their faces, proclaiming “We have made it home to Uganda after a long journey!”
Merry Christmas from Uganda! We hope you are enjoying every moment spent with family and friends this holiday season and giving from the bottom of your heart.