McDonald’s may not be everyone’s idea of a Christmas feast, but for twenty small street kids at Tulay Ng Kabataan it is. Aged between three and fifteen, these twenty plus kids moved earlier this year to a purpose built house with a small courtyard, and they think it is luxury. We visit them at TNK in Quezon City every Monday for two hours of activities, to give the full-time teacher a break. Today was the Christmas party, and we were a larger group of visitors than usual, with the added bonus of dance instructor, Marvin, to show them some dance routines.
The courtyard had been simply decorated with brightly coloured, home-made decorations, and a rather spectacular Christmas tree made from second-hand books and ribbon. We added a string of balloons along the back fence, which unexpectedly burst from time to time, much to everyone’s amusement. The boys were dressed in their best, which included trainers for all. It was the first time we have seen them shod in anything but flip flops, and a much wiser plan for dancing as it turned out.
Marvin started the boys off with a simple routine to ‘Gangnam Style’ which they joined in 
with vigour and enthusiasm, amazingly quick to pick up the steps. It is no myth that the Filipinos are naturally musical. These kids can really move to the music. A couple of us attempted some moves in the back row, but John Travolta we were not. Eventually the kids had exhausted even Marvin, so a group of older boys showed us a couple of dance routines they had devised themselves. It was quite beautiful watching them and their gentle, flowing hand movements made my skin tingle. The judges of ‘You Think You Can Dance’ are looking in all the wrong places for new stars!
When even they had run out of steam, we sang some of their favourite songs and played a few party games. They got highly excited by a round of Musical Chairs and showed an unexpectedly strong competitive streak. Eventually the McDonald’s delivery boy arrived and we set out simple plates of cheese burgers and chips, and rather flat coke, and the boys couldn’t have been happier with their Christmas feast.
Santa dropped in for a visit looking decidedly overheated:his red suit was stuffed with a huge cushion and his face was disguised under a long white wig and beard. Needless to say the older kids are quite familiar with Uncle Colin’s Santa, and peered behind his gold rimmed glasses just to confirm they were right.
An enormous Christmas chocolate cake brought by one of the volunteers was a huge success. The boys clapped and shrieked as Father Matthieu made quite a performance of cutting it into large pieces and we watched them promptly cover themselves up to their elbows in pink icing and chocolate-sticky-fingers. Santa awaited their arrival on his knee with understandable trepidation!
The small parcels they received from Mr. Claus contained a small car, a wallet and a pair 
of reflective sunglasses, and the whoops of delight must have been audible in Manila Bay. They posed like practiced celebrities with wide, chocolate-toothed grins and danced once more to ‘Gangnam Style’ in their very cool new sunglasses.
As we left them to finish off the monster cake, they farewelled us with thank you songs, broad grins and grubby hugs.
It was utterly heart-warming to see the enthusiasm and huge amounts of Christmas joy they radiated for a bite of McDonald’s and a pair of plastic sunglasses. Such simple entertainment and such small gifts, and yet such enormous appreciation for all that we did reminded us all so clearly what Christmas should be about.
Wishing you a care free and loving Christmas…