by Aigerim, age 8, asks for homemade Christmas decoration ideas, about the Tian Shan mountains, and Kyrgyzstan’s nickname
Dear Santa,
Salom from Bishkek. My name is Aigerim and I am 8 years old. My grandmother taught me how to make paper snowflakes and strings of dried fruit and berries to hang around our home this year, since store-bought decorations can be hard to find where we live.
My first question is: what are some good ideas for homemade Christmas decorations?
My second question is geography: what mountains surround Bishkek?
My third question is from school: why is Kyrgyzstan sometimes called the Switzerland of Central Asia?
I left you boorsok, small pieces of fried dough, and a cup of tea with jam.
Love, Aigerim, age 8, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Aigerim, boorsok with a cup of jam-sweetened tea was a delightful, warming stop, thank you very much. Now, to add to your grandmother’s lovely decorating ideas, and your other questions.
What are some good homemade Christmas decoration ideas?
Your grandmother is already onto some wonderful ones. Paper snowflakes, cut from folded paper, add delicate sparkle to any window. Strings of dried orange slices, cranberries, or popcorn make beautiful, fragrant garlands for a tree. Pinecones collected from outside can be dipped lightly in paint or glitter for rustic ornaments, and simple ribbon bows tied around branches add colour without much effort at all. Handmade decorations often end up meaning far more than store-bought ones anyway, since they carry the memory of the making, exactly like the snowflakes you are learning to cut with your grandmother.
What mountains surround Bishkek?
The Tian Shan mountains rise dramatically just south of Bishkek, snow-capped peaks visible from the city on clear days, part of one of the great mountain ranges of Central Asia.
Why is Kyrgyzstan called the Switzerland of Central Asia?
Kyrgyzstan earned that nickname because of its own dramatic, snow-covered mountains, clear alpine lakes, and green valleys, landscapes that remind many visitors of the Swiss Alps, even though Kyrgyzstan sits thousands of kilometres away in a completely different part of the world.
Keep making those snowflakes, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
