St Nick at the Luxembourg Embassy in Washington DC, 2021;
Credit: C Naseer Ahmad
It is Christmas time and jingle bells were ringing, with children eager to meet their beloved St. Nick on Sunday 5 December 2021 at the Luxembourg Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, DC.
The Embassy website has posted some beautiful pictures of this special gathering with the note that the children’s patience was rewarded as Kleeschen (also known as St. Nick / St Nicholas) made a stop at the Embassy on his way across the ocean to Luxembourg, with a bag full of gifts, chocolate treats and, of course, the traditional Boxemännchen, the Luxembourgish pastry to celebrate the event. The children had prepared songs to welcome their special guest. He received lots of smiles and laughter, and even a lovely card and a thank-you note!
Children of all ages wait all year long for this special occasion; however, the pandemic brought an abrupt halt to many heart-warming gatherings at the Luxembourg Embassy. Vaccinations, along with a number of protective measures, have made it possible to organise a special event like St. Nick’s Day. Safety protocols were followed strictly to ensure the health of the children, guests and the staff.
H.E. Ambassador Nicole Bintner-Bakshian extended a personal warm welcome to the children and the guests. Deputy Chief of Mission Gilles Bauer assisted her in greeting the guests and performed as the DJ playing memorable tunes for the evening.
The wonderful event was a team effort in which everyone contributed to the success of this gathering. St. Nick (Kleeschen) and was able to convince the children that he knew whether they were naughty or nice. With a red book in hand, as Kleeschen, he conversed in various languages with the children, who enjoyed his loving demeanour. He was assisted by an angel who handed gifts to the children
Most heart-warming was to see a young child get up and hand a gift in return to Kleeschen for being such a loving person.
Elisabeth Herndler, Social Secretary and Assistant to H.E. Ambassador Bintner-Bakshian, helped organise this special gathering, which including a delicious child-friendly dinner menu.
The guests included the Luxembourg representative at the World Bank, who participated with her parents. Together they contributed to the success of the event hosted by Ambassador Bintner-Bakshian and her able team in Washington.
