Wishing You A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Russian Embassy Invitation to The Nutcracker

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF FLIER

To FRUA Families in the Mid Atlantic Region who have adopted from Russia:

FRUA INC has received the attached invitation for our FRUA  families to join the Yolka holiday festivities at the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. on Dec. 16. If you plan to attend, RSVP directly to the Russian Embassy and if you are bringing children, please note that. Please note that the embassy does not confirm receipt of your email; simply assume that they have you on the list. You will need identification with you when you arrive for the party.

We’re pleased that we could facilitate this invitation to the embassy’s Yolka celebration for our FRUA members.

Sincere Holiday Wishes,

Jan Wondra
Chair
National Board of Directors
Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, Including Neighboring Countries 

Hope, Help and Community for Adoptive Families
Angel in Adoption, 2012,  Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute chair@frua.org
Mobile: 303-506-5269

FRUA
PO Box 2944
Merrifield, VA 22116 

info@frua.org 

www.frua.org

Who Are The Children Hopscotch Adoptions Serve?

While Father Christmas visited all the children of the world, these children may be some of the most beautiful and hope-filled children he visited. We happen to think so. Only, he could not yet bring the gift most wanted by all children… a forever family of their very own.

While many are touched by adoption, it is often forgotten that adopting a child is but only one way to help an orphaned child.

Of equal importance is your willingness to advocate for them by sharing positive adoption information, financially supporting others that are called and prepared to parent a child through adoption or simply   by being the friend, neighbor or family member that cheers an adoptive family on in their journey.
Make no mistake about this journey. The journey is difficult and long. The child waiting at the end of the family’s journey is worth every sacrifice necessary to bring them home.

Some of the faces in this video are home already, or soon to be, but most are still waiting.
Thanks for taking a moment to watch this video and share in their joy. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers that they too find their forever families.



Click here to see video.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays From Your Hopscotch Family!

Merry Christmas from Serbia!

Serbian Christmas (Badnje Vece) Recipes

By Barbara Rolek

Most Serbians are Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar. Thus, Christmas Eve is celebrated on Jan. 6 and Christmas on Jan. 7. In the old days, on Christmas Eve morning, Serbian fathers would take their eldest son to chop down (or in more recent times, buy) a young oak tree called a badnjak. There is a festive badnjak burning at night and then a meatless meal which varies from family to family. Typically, wheat grass, that was planted on St. Nicholas Day, symbolizing a good harvest, and cesnica, which isn't eaten until Christmas morning, are on the table.

Read more about how Serbians Celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas from Georgia!

Unique Traditions For New Year And Christmas In Georgia

By Kidworldcitizen

The traditional Georgian Christmas tree, called chichilaki in Georgian, is not green. Georgians have been making the Georgian-style Christmas tree since ancient times. Environmentally friendly Chichilaki originated in the provinces of Guria and Samegrelo, the western part of the country.Chichilaki was decorated with the two bow-shaped items called Kalpi and Bokeri. Kalpi was made from ivy leafs and Bokeli was a bread baked with eggs, flour, and cheese both as the symbols of life and fertility.

At first sight, nutwood twigs with long fluffy shavings may seem quite unattractive if you are used to lush green, fir-tree branches. The curly shavings, which the master removes moving upwards from the bottom, are called basila in honor of St. Basily’s beard, the patron saint of animals and harbinger of new happiness. A wooden cross is usually attached to the top of the chichilaki and the tree itself is invariably decorated elegantly with fruits, berries and flowers. Unfortunately, this beauty doesn’t stay long: after the holidays, people burn their trees, symbolizing that the previous year’s misfortunes go up in smoke.

More familiar Christmas concepts have a place in Georgian festivities, as well. Santa Claus, known as tovlis bubua (Grandpa Snow), is usually depicted wearing traditional Georgian clothes and a fur cloak called a nabadi. Although Grandpa Snow doesn’t have reindeer, but he still is believed to visit homes on Christmas Eve, leaving presents for the children.

Mekvele is another typically Georgian New Year’s tradition.  The first person to come into one’s house on New Year’s with “happy feet’ symbolically brings in joy and prosperity. He or she is showered with candies and in return presents the hosts a basket with delicacies wishing the upcoming year to be satisfying and sweet.  Those said to have “happy feet” are invited to Georgian households to provide good luck for the family.

Merry Christmas from Ukraine!

See video: Ukrainian Christmas Carol

Christmas lights around the world: How we light up the holidays @CNNTravel. TBILISI !!

See slideshow.

Merry Christmas!!

Source: http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/pamperspakhlava/2015/01/05/armenian-christmas/

By Beth Shepherd

To my friends here in the U.S., and overseas, who celebrate Armenian Christmas on January 6: Շնորհավոր Ամանոր և Սուրբ Ծնունդ (Shnorhavor Amanor yev Surb Tznund).

Whether you celebrate holidays the Armenian way or with your own cultural and seasonal flair:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Pampers and Pakhlava

Take the road less traveled,

Beth

Happy, Happy, Happy Holidays!

Christmas Kisses

News from Georgia: Pilgrims seek wish fulfillment at monk's tomb

found by BBC Monitoring

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-25639381

Father Gabriel - who died in 1995 and was later canonized - was rumored to have made the promise in a vision to a local nun, a story that spread through social media and word of mouth.

Two wishes would supposedly be granted to those who arrived at the tomb before Orthodox Christmas - which falls today.

Priests were quick to denounce the "vision", however. Hegumen Kirion Machaidze took to Facebook to accuse the visitors of "idol worship" and of treating Father Gabriel like a "genie".

Church leaders were finally forced to release a statement which declared "The notion that everyone will have all of their wishes granted cannot be true, as those requests which are pleasing to God and which are in line with the will of the Lord are fulfilled, not just any desire."

Read more

Merry Christmas to Our Armenian Family and Friends 2014

Funniest video... "Santa really needs to bring a FRIENDLY octopus!"

Katie telling David what she wants for Christmas. Click here to view the video.