In preparation for Christmas at St Stephen’s, children gave us a gift of singing! 

On Sunday, December 22, the Sunday after St. Nicholas, our parish joyfully celebrated Children’s Day (Detinjci) as an extended St. Nicholas celebration. The Mrdaković, Popović, and Malivuk families shared their slava joy with the entire parish. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the žito was blessed, and the kolach was broken, followed by a festive meal of love that brought everyone together in fellowship.

This Sunday also marked the third Sunday before Christmas, and in keeping with our Serbian Orthodox tradition, we celebrated Detinjci by “capturing” the children—tying them up until they redeemed themselves with gifts they could offer. This delightful custom was performed twice in our parish: first, after the Divine Liturgy at the church, and later during church school.

Both times, the children were incredibly generous, sharing pieces of the songs they are preparing for the upcoming feasts. At church school, they also learned about the life of St. Nicholas and crafted beautiful personal cards for their parents. The children showed great creativity as they made plans for the next two Sundays, eagerly preparing to “tie up” their parents in celebration of Materice (Mother’s Day) and Oci (Father’s Day).

Another important activity this Sunday was planting the Christmas wheat (božićna pšenica), a beloved tradition symbolizing growth and renewal in Christ. While the children were busy planting, St. Nicholas made a surprise visit, leaving small gifts in their shoes. The joy and smiles on their faces were unforgettable!

These celebrations remind us of Christ, who came into this world as the most precious child, and the importance of family on our spiritual journey to Bethlehem. We thank God, who is glorified in His saints, for blessing us with St. Nicholas, a shining example of good deeds, boundless love, and faithful teaching.

May the upcoming feasts be fruitful and blessed for all!

The children of St. Sava North Port celebrated Detinjci on Sunday, December 22. After the Divine Liturgy and traditional rope-tying ceremony in the church, the kids and families went to the sala to have a Lenten meal lovingly prepared by the Kolo sisters. Of course, our dear Father Saša led the children in prayer and visited with them throughout the afternoon. 

After eating lunch, a “Children’s Workshop” was hosted where kids, from toddlers to teenagers, had the opportunity to make Božić/Christmas crafts with the church school teacher. 

The little ones enjoyed making Christmas cards by first choosing an illustration for the front of the card, working with glue to paste it, and then writing or drawing a message inside the card. 

The little ones also made Christmas trees from popsicle sticks and green paper, decorated them with baubles and glitter, and then pasted a badnjak in the center. Hopefully, this craft conveys a respect and appreciation for American Christmas customs while still celebrating Serbian heritage. 

The teenagers made an origami Christmas ornament featuring Sv. Nikola in a boat. The kids asked why Sv. Nikola was in a boat, so we had the opportunity to discuss his miracle of calming the sea on the voyage to the Holy Land. We also discussed that to this day, the patron saint of the Greek navy is, of course, Sv. Nikola! We also recounted the story of bestowing gold coins to the three poor maidens, and saving the city of Myra from famine. 

The particular design of this craft was made by Orthodox Pebbles, who publish educational content for free. (Link: https://orthodoxpebbles.com/saints/st-nicholas/)

The church-school teacher was able to lead the teenagers in this craft and teach them how to fold the origami sailboat, which was a new skill for them. The teenagers’ creativity shone through, and they added extra features like waves and fish and clouds! 

It was a lovely Detinjci at St. Sava North Port, and we are looking forward to Materice!