Rygaards School’s value this past autumn term has been love – a choice it considers to be appropriate as we approach Christmas. 

“At a time when most children are thinking about what they would like to receive for Christmas, Rygaards has been encouraging its students to think about how they can share God’s love at this special time,” explained a spokesperson for the school.  

A challenge presents itself

And given how practice speaks louder than theory, the school launched an initiative to give a Christmas present to every child at a school in a poor area in Lithuania to which the parents of one of the Rygaards pupils has a connection. 

The school’s aim was to collect 94 presents in the space of a week – quite a challenge, but the children were up for it. The younger children in particular took great delight in filling a shoe box with small presents, wrapping it up and putting it under the Christmas tree at school. 

Giving just as good

There was great excitement at seeing the number of presents grow, and by the end of the week, over a hundred boxes has been collected – enough for the kindergarten next to the school in Lithuania as well. 

The knowledge that those children will soon enjoy a lovely surprise when they receive those presents has really brought home the message that Christmas is just as much about giving than it is receiving. 

Spreading Christmas cheer

Meanwhile, the older children at Rygaards have been collecting money for a new school bus for another school in Lithuania that caters for over a hundred disabled children. They are in urgent need of a bus to bring the children to and from school. 

Nearer to home, some of the children collected money to give each of the homeless a pair of gloves at the Mother Teresa Soup Kitchen in Copenhagen. The children took their gifts over on Saturday afternoon and brought some Christmas cheer by singing carols.

“In all these small ways, God’s love is shared at home and abroad,” said a spokesperson for the school.