IMG_4642 (1)‘Twas the morning of Christmas, and all through the camp, not a Tweedle was stirring…” until the truck arrived bearing doughnuts and hot chocolate!  Christmas morning at Merri-Mac makes the magic of camp even sweeter, with girls getting to sleep in an extra hour and a half and have breakfast in bed, brought to them hot and ready out of the back of a pick-up truck that blasts “All I Want For Christmas is You.”  Girls in Stardust chatted all morning over their delicious breakfast while they exchanged Secret Santa gifts that they crafted last night for each other.  Each girl also received a stocking full of candy and an apple to enjoy before the day began.  Following a special breakfast, girls headed to Chapel in only the most festive Christmas pajamas.  Christmas carols, like Silent Night, rang throughout the area.  Adam then delivered a message about who Jesus is and what He requires from us.  Simply put, we need only to fix our eyes upon Jesus and know that He has already died in our place.

Following Chapel, girls from Intermediate Camp spent their free time before second period classes playing tetherball and hanging in the crowd of Eno hammocks on Senior Hill.  A group of girls from Rainbow Cabin played Apples to Apples card game outside while Tweedles played down the hill around the creek.  Before classes started, another group of girls left for a whitewater rafting trip and a canoeing trip for the full day.  For many, it was the first time some of them had ever paddled outside of camp’s beloved Lake Doris.

After the whirlwind of Christmas morning filled with candy, carols, and exciting free time, second period classes started off as usual, with girls running to the Patti-O for final knitting projects or the dock for kayaking, diving, and canoeing.  In fencing, Mary Ashton R. and Mary Averett B. finished playing a tournament that was organized in another class.  Campers in guitar class worked on bars, and more advanced guitarists played around with several Taylor Swift songs as well as songs played in morning Chapel, like “How He Loves Us,” a camper favorite especially among Sunnyside girls.  Samantha F. loved working in her last pottery class this morning because she found a unique rainbow-colored glaze to use on her pinch-pot that she has been working on this week.  Other girls squealed with delight in riding class because they successfully worked on jumps for the first time.

Keeping up with the Christmas spirit, lunch today was a traditional holiday meal consisting of turkey, stuffing, and delicious rolls.  Stomachs full, girls hiked back to their cabins for rest time followed by a stampede down to Trading Post for an afternoon sugar fix.  Betsy B. and Tieran S. held a miming tournament in the drama room, while Nicole S. ran a dodgeball tournament on the basketball court.  Each tournament that a girl hosts during her time at camp counts for a mark towards being recognized as a White Feather, which will be acknowledged later at a special ceremony.  Girls headed off to their final afternoon classes and even though girls leave in a few short days, they still strived to work hard and achieve high-level skills in each class.  In climbing, Katherine D. scaled the wall in the Mike with her eyes closed to make it more challenging, while Jess T. belayed her.  Ashlynn K. got her roll in kayaking for the very first time, a skill that few campers accomplish during the few weeks they spend at camp.  Abbie W. jumped off the blob for the first time during swimming class, overcoming one of her biggest fears on the waterfront. She said “it was the scariest thing ever, but I did it and it was awesome!”  Camp is a place where girls can try new things, overcome their fears, and succeed at something they never thought possible.  In DIY crafts class, Sunnyside camper Caroline A. constructed special suns to give to her counselors when she leaves after her final weeks as a camper, while other girls made friendship bracelets that will be sent to children in Africa later in the summer when one of the nurses takes a trip there.  Classes ended with the Christmas spirit still going strong in cooking, where girls made “Merri-Mac Christmas Pasta” with homemade marinara and pesto sauce.

Today, girls were able to reflect on the goodness of Christmas while also achieving goals they’ve had since the beginning of camp during their last few classes of the session.  It was a cheer-filled day that ended with a visit from Santa Claus and a Christmas party to top off the holiday festivities!

With love from Merri-Mac,

Stardust Counselor Morgan