Greeting from Head of Early Years:
It’s that time of year when we look forward to time spent with our favourite people doing our favourite things. Whether the break involves plans for festive getaways, catching up with family and friends or time for reflection and quiet mindfulness, this time of year lends itself to fulfilment and enrichment. By this, I mean filling and enriching our lives with those things that truly matter: people, experiences, memory-making and having opportunity to simply ‘be’. The giving of gifts is, to some, what Christmas is all about. However, giving the gifts of time, attention, energy or love can last well beyond the festive season and live forever in the hearts on whom they are bestowed.
My favourite festive book is the Polar Express written by Chris Van Allsburg. It recounts a magical journey taken by a young boy on a magnificent train to the North Pole. Here, the boy meets Father Christmas and is lucky to receive the ‘first gift of Christmas’ where he chooses a bell from Father Christmas’s sleigh. To the boy, the bell makes the most wonderful sound and reinforces his belief in the magic and spirit of Christmas. The book has the most beautiful ending,
At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.
I believe the message here is that Christmas is about the magic created by the experience itself, which is unique to each person.
On behalf of the team here at Hiba Academy Shanghai, I wish everyone the very best for the winter break. Whatever you do and wherever you go, make memories to share with your friends here at Hiba Academy Shanghai upon your return on Thursday 3rd January 2019.
Vanessa Szucs-Hussain
Head of Early Years
Greeting from Master of Wellington College:
What do you get if you cross a kangaroo and a sheep? A woolly jumper, of course – and today here at Wellington UK there are jumpers everywhere, but extra special ones: Christmas ones! As you may know, Friday 14th December is Christmas Jumper Day in the UK, a day organised by the Save the Children charity to help create a brighter future for children all round the world – and it is an event wholeheartedly embraced by our students, especially as Friday also marks the end of our term. They head off to the holidays safe in the knowledge that they have worked hard and achieved much over the last three months, and they certainly deserve their break, just as I am sure the Wellington Shanghai students do. Despite all their achievements (and it has been another fine term) the thing that has pleased me most is the way they have upheld the College values. The jumpers they are wearing today, and the money collected because of that initiative, is proof of the importance they place on two of those values: the responsibility to look after those less well off than themselves, and the kindness to do just that. At this time of year, when so many children are excited by the nearness of Christmas, it seems to me especially important to remember those who are not so lucky – and I am delighted to hear that so many in the Wellington family share that belief.
Happy Christmas to you all.
Julian Thomas, Master, Wellington College
