December days are always days of rushing, rummaging through store shelves, last-minute shopping. But they are also full of nostalgia, intoxicating smells that remind us of childhood and the magic of the holidays. I usually spent December with one grandmother or another. For the children, the most important thing was the arrival of Santa Claus. If we were too loud, naughty or, God forbid, disobedient, the elders would scold us, saying that Santa Claus hears everything! This would mean that there would be no presents, they would scare us that the “snowman” would take us away. On the last evening, we only talked in whispers, sat on the warm bread oven, and prayed loudly in the evening that Santa Claus would know how hardworking the children were living in the house. As day turned into night, a terrible noise began around the window, the jingling of chains, knocking and clattering. Then we prayed even louder, half-crying, to drive away the evil snowman so that Santa Claus could come to the house. Then he entered, in a white fur coat, with a high hat, a white beard, and a basket on his shoulders, comforted us, asked if we had been diligent, and handed out gifts. These were apples, walnuts, knitted socks, perhaps gloves and scarves. Happiness and joy filled our hearts and we soon fell asleep and had warm dreams. The next morning we rushed to look under the window and marveled at how big the snowman had made in the snow. How lucky we were to have been diligent! In the days before Christmas, we had a Christmas party. The house was filled with relatives who helped with the work. The kitchen was filled with the smell of mulled wine, and soon also of roasted onions and marjoram, as the black pudding was being cooked. The next day, grandma distributed the meat and sausages among the villagers – since there were no freezers, the farmers helped each other out in this way; they carried fresh meat to each other. For Christmas, we had black pudding, sauerkraut and potatoes with cracklings for dinner, and finally, walnut potica, still warm and fragrant. That day, we also put up a Christmas tree. We decorated it with homemade cookies and shiny silk candies. Here and there, one of the children slipped a candy cane, so that by the end of the holidays, the tree was more than empty. I can only wish that today’s children would take such beautiful memories with them into their mature years! Finally, we all from the Šeruga Guest house wish you pleasant, magical, warm holidays. Let’s be children again for a moment! I wish all those who despair to find hope in the new year, health to all the sick, a happy smile to all the sad, and may all the benefactors not stop until our world is beautiful and friendly to everyone!