Christmas in Tonga

Christmas in Tonga is definitely different than any Christmas I've had up until now...

Christmas Eve started as a normal day, until that evening when I dressed all up thinking we were going to church...

Had my fan, my hymn book , and tao'vala tied ( all by myself, my first true feat in Tonga! )

Christmas cake in hand I walked over to my neighbors to head to church. Once I handed the cake over and exchanged Merry Christmas's I was led by a young girl named Elenoa to my principals wife's family house. Where I sat and chatted with I assume my principals wife's father for about half an hour. We then walked together to the hall across from the western Free Wesleyan church. Where all the kiddos were dressed up in red and waiting not for church but for the gift giving ceremony. Gifts were given through Sunday school classes ( all the gift were some kind of food like chips or candies). After the kids were given gifts, the teachers were next , and then they opened buckets full of bags filled with goodies and everyone in the hall received one! 

Before the gift giving the kiddos did a choreographed song all together! It was super cute! 

The faifekau ( church minister and my neighbor) doing the fai lotu ( prayer) to start the ceremony.

The first kiddo to receive there gift ( the Sunday school teacher and ministers wife, Lose guiding each kiddo through )

Each kid had a part of a bible verse to say.

All the goodies! Santa definitely came early :)

I got some fancy treats from cassava chips to burgers chips ( there were so many chips I didn't know what to do with them, good thing we have a training in January with hungry volunteers!) 

Yep... These are a thing... good news is though there is actually no burger or burger flavoring listed in the ingredients.