El tresor del Cadí

7 of February we were in Espai Ermengol,where we saw a presentation from Pep Albanell...He is a famous writer in Catalonia,who wrote more than 100 books.Most of that are childrens book,such is the El tresor del Cadí ... After the storytelling they got a coloring paper with protagonist of story.During listen the story everybody was so concentrated and charmed.We didn't understand anything but it was a good and positiv experience for us,for the children ,but most of for the parents :)

(Josep Albanell was born in Vic (Osona) on Christmas Day 1945. He lived in Seu d’Urgell (Alt Urgell) during his childhood and adolescence. He feels himself a son of both communities, of Vic by birth and family tradition and of Urgell by adoption and devotion. These days he lives in Barcelona. He began journalism studies in Madrid but left them for a degree in Philosophy and Letters (philology), which he received from the University of Barcelona. For many years he worked in publishing. With the pseudonym of Joles Sennell he writes literature for boys and girls. He was one of the originators of Ofèlia Dracs. Between books of short stories, novels, children’s literature and theater, he has written a decent handful of works, some of which won him prizes. He is married with two children, Maria and Francesc, for which he has not been awarded any prize. 

He is a member of AELC (Association of Catalan Language Writers).)

Radio Seu with Volunteers

In 2015 every months you can listen us on local radio.
Radio Seu 107.2 FM

Every time we talk about other topics,the next will be the music from our countries.We will explain  and present with musics. Our motivation for this months from Stevie Wonder:

Music is a world within itself,with a Language we all understand...

We made a Cafe dels Idiomes advertising on 5 different languages-English,Catalan,Ukrainian,Serbian and Hungarian.
" Hello Everybody...
We are European Volunteers from Officina Jove.Do you want to improve your English?Than come to Cafe Xicolata,every Tuesday at 19.00! Follow us...See you there!"

Centre Obert

Every Thursday we are working in Centre Obert with children.Centre Obert is an Organization for helping to the social problems kids.This association is trying to facilitate the daily live of children,and we are here to be participants in this... Three times a week for older(7-12) kids and two times for younger(3-7) ones.There are different occupations-helping with homeworks,some sport activities,games,playing cards,drawing-wich are part of the non-formal learning.
This place has a wide variety of games,100 kinds of colorful pencils,different kind of books-so everyone can find their preferred activity! :)

Chocolate workshop

13.30.14 in Espai Ermengol took place very interesting and "sweet" "Chocolate workshop" for kids. 

The task was to make bar of chocolate with their own hands, used hot chocolate, corn flakes and foil. And after, to make the original festive box from paper. It was a big pleasure for them to experimented with their favourite food - chocolate and to use all their creativity to creat interesting handmade Christmas present for the people they love.

At the end everyone was dirty but satisfied. And took to home nice colorful packages tied with a cute green ribbons.

We, volunteers, receaved a charge of positive emotions for a whole week after this workshop.There was a big pleasure to see happy faces of children!

Photography.mARTina malesev

Workshops in Minairons

Since January every Wednesday, we are doing workshops with little children age 2 and 3.

It's a little bit funny because we don't speak the same language, but on the other side, we understand each other very well. With the help of pictures, songs, and prop that we made.

First three workshops were about our countries. We presented in our creative way Ucraina, Serbia and Hungary. We have fun with them and we hope they learned something from us. Maybe just a few English words, it will be more than enough :) Next workshops we are planning to make for children a little playhouse presenting fairy tales in English. We hope they will have fun with us like we do with them!

Ukrainian Ortodox Christmas traditions

The Ukrainian Christmas festive days according to the Julian calendar, start on 6 January, Christmas Eve, and end on 19 January.

Sviaty Vechir (Holy Evening)

Sviata Vecherya or "Holy Supper" is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.

Kutia (sweet grain pudding) is traditionally served at the Ukrainian Christmas dinner table. It is often the first dish in the traditional twelve-dish Christmas supper (also known as Svyaty Vechir) and is rarely served at other times of the year.

Koliadky (Caroling)

At the end of the Sviata Vechera the family often sings Ukrainian Chrisymas carols. In many communities the ancient Ukrainian tradition of caroling is carried on by groups of young people and members of organizations and churches calling at homes and collecting donations. The Ukrainian song "Shchedryk" became the basis for the world famous Christmas carol, "Carol of the bells".

 http://www.skarby.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/rizdvo3.jpg

                  
                  
                     

Didukh (Grandfather)

When the children see the first star in the eastern evening sky, symbolizing the trek of the Three Wise Men, the Sviata Vecherya may begin. In farming communities the head of the household now brings in a sheaf of wheat called the didukh which represents the importance of the ancient and rich wheat crops of Ukraine, the staff of life through the centuries. Didukh means literally "grandfather spirit" so it symbolizes the family's ancestors. In city homes a few stalks of golden wheat in a vase are often used to decorate the table.

Shopka (Nativity scene)

Shopka is a traditional portable nativity scene used to represent nativity and other figures in a puppet form.

Serbian Orthodox Christmas

There are many, complex traditions associated with the Christmas holidays. They are most likely to be seen in their purest form in large, extended families around the world. They slightly vary from place to place. I will talk just about a few symbolic old costumes.

The Serbian name for Christmas is Božić. 
Christmas for Serbs who are Christian Orthodox comes two weeks later than Christmas of Roman Catholics. Serbs do not celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but on January 7th, while they celebrate New Year on January 13th rather than on December 31st. This is because the Serbs follow the Julian calendar, while Roman Catholics follow the Gregorian calendar.

The Serbian name for Christmas Eve during the day is Badnji dan. 
Groups of young people go from house to house, congratulating the holiday, singing, and making performances; this continues through the next three days.
Early in the morning the head of each family, usually accompanied by several male relatives, selects and fells the tree from which a log will be cut for their household. The group announces its departure by firing guns or small celebratory mortars called prangija. The Turkey oak is the most popular species of tree selected in most regions, we call it Badnjak. The moment when the badnjak burns through may be marked with festivities, such as the log being kissed by the head of household, and wine being poured over it accompanied by toasts. A reward may be given to the family member who was the first to notice the event, and in the past, the men would go outside and fire their guns in celebration.
Since the early 1990s, the Serbian Orthodox Church has, together with local communities, organized public celebrations on Christmas Eve. There are typically three elements to such celebrations: the preparation, the ritual, and the festivity. The preparation consists of cutting down the tree to be used as the badnjak, taking it to the church yard, and preparing drink and food for the assembled parishioners. The ritual includes Vespers, placing the badnjak on the open fire built in the church yard, blessing or consecrating the badnjak, and an appropriate program with songs and recitals. In some parishes, they build the fire where they to burn the badnjak not in the church yard, but at some other suitable location in their town or village. The festivity consists of gathering around the fire and socializing.

Once the badnjak and straw have been taken into the house, the Christmas Eve dinner may begin. The head of household makes the Sign of the Cross, lights a candle, and censes the whole house. 
Before the table is served, it is strewn with a thin layer of straw and covered with a white cloth. The family members sit down at the table. Prior to tucking in, they all rise and a man or boy among them says a prayer or they together sing the Troparion of the Nativity in Church Slavonic language.

Christmas Eve is a fast day, the dinner is prepared in accordance with that, but it is copious and diverse in foods. Besides an unleavened loaf of bread called badnjački kolač, and salt, which are necessary, this meal may comprise e.g. roast fish, cooked beans, sauerkraut, noodles with ground walnuts, honey, and wine. It used to be served in some villages on a sack filled with straw, with the family seated around it on the floor. An essential feature of Christmas dinner is a česnica, which is a round loaf of bread. Dough for česnica is made with strong water. While it is kneaded, a golden or silver coin is put into it. Some people put also little objects made of cornel wood, representing chickens, oxen, cows, swine, bees, etc. 
In addition to  česnica, other kinds of Christmas loaves may be regionally baked, each with its specific name and purpose within the celebration. The božićni kolač, meaning Christmas cake, is despite its name a round loaf of bread. Before baking, a Christogram is impressed on its upper side with a wooden seal. For each male member of the family  round loaf named ratarica is made – the biggest one for the head, and the smallest one for the youngest boy.

It is a custom in Banat (the region where I was born) that, after Christmas Eve dinner, groups of children go from house to house of their neighbourhood and sing to neighbours. This custom is called korinđanje, and children who participate in it are called korinđaši. They knock on a neighbour's door or ring the doorbell; when the neighbour comes out they greet him and ask if they are allowed to sing. If the answer is affirmative, they sing a children's ditty, as a reward, the neighbour gives them candies or even money; more traditional gifts include walnuts, prunes, apples, and cakes. A bit similar to international holiday Halloween.

Gift giving on Christmas is not a Serbian tradition—instead, gifts are given on the three Sundays before Christmas Day. These three holidays are called Detinjci or Djetinjci, Materice, and Oci. Children give gifts on Detinjci, married women on Materice, and married men on Oci. But in fact, in modern time for Christmas day, we give symbolic gifts and bigger present it is left for New Year's Eve, as an influence from a culture in the West.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Z1IXzZjJc