These are the gifts I am leaving the children this year. Books. I always gave my own children books for the holidays and I follow suit with the children of the Hogar San José. The authors I have chosen for the older kids are Isabel Allende, Laura Esquivel, Jules Verne, Ernest Hemingway, Alexander Dumas and other lesser known authors who write well. The elementary set get color books and crayons. When I return from Seattle next year I plan to begin a Literature and Lenca History class and continue Astronomy, English and sign language classes. The children will be busy: they will also resume their marching band activities. Tomorrow I fly to Seattle for a  month. Happy Solstice and a Merry New Year everyone!