Two years ago, I spent Christmas alone in a community center in rural South India. Reflecting on the season was a vastly different experience, considering the new perspective of being in an unfamiliar country.

Last year was filled with friends in Pennsylvania. After my year serving abroad, what was supposed to be a brief visit to my former home became a six-month stay as I was discerning my next steps.

Both Christmases were very special in their own right.

Now, once again, I find myself outside my native country, in Kathmandu, Nepal, at a private PreK through 10th grade school, where I am the only long-term volunteer teacher the school has ever had.

Christmas is recognized as a day-off in Nepal, but it doesn’t carry the same spiritual or materialistic significance as it does in the West. While many stores attempt to mimic the spirit for commercial gain, playing holiday music to encourage shoppers, the variety is limited. (Mariah Carey’s 1994 Christmas album seemed to be on repeat wherever I went).

Saturdays are the only days off from school. During this time of the term, students have mandatory testing on Saturday mornings, and there are conferences and teacher activities as well. No rest for the weary.

Living among 700+ students ranging from ages 4 to 17, as well as the teachers and maintenance staff, for nearly 12 hours a day continues to fill my heart with gratitude—especially as I reflect on the true spirit of Christmas.

What I’ve really connected with this year is the boundless joy of children and their unquenchable sense of wonder. Kids don’t need expensive toys or electronic gadgets to be happy—they need only to exercise their imagination and receive genuine attention from adults.

Juxtaposed against the sprawling, beautifully designed modern playgrounds found in many North American suburbs, the early elementary girls in this short video made the best use of an undersized, antiquated slide.

I couldn’t think of a better tribute than offering this moment as a testament to the joy I’m talking about. It was unplanned, spontaneous—just me being in the right place at the right time.

As I continue developing my YouTube channel for elementary-aged kids, I’m on fertile ground to capture snippets of young life. I look forward to sharing more such moments—not just to entertain kids, but to inspire adults to reconnect with the joy and wonder of life itself while we still have it.

It’s this kind of childhood joy that marks the best memories of my Christmases past.

So, from Nepal, I send wishes to all my friends and family for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, filled with growth and achievement.