Santa Claus and Make-a-Wish bring the magic of Christmas to Bremen-Vegesack

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – thanks to the Christmas spirit and generosity of Constructor University students, staff and members of the surrounding community who donated hand-wrapped gifts, funds and time to support the annual Make-a-Wish gift drive. In addition to delivering Christmas gifts to more than 300 children from KITA Lüssum and KITA Fillerkamp in Vegesack, this year’s effort raised a record-breaking €1,800 through fundraising at Constructor University’s annual Winter Gathering and other student events.  

Now in its 17th year, Make-a-Wish is an annual collaboration between the university’s student Rotaract Club, Vegesack Marketing, Thalia bookstore and the Parents' Association for Psychomotor Development Support (EPSYMO). The long-standing event has become a cherished tradition that brings the local community together with Constructor’s global campus to share the Christmas spirit with those who need it the most. “It warms my heart to see that we have such a tight-knit community, where people are eager to support our cause and make the children’s Christmas truly special,” said Constructor University Rotaract Club leader Sofiya Kirillova. “Knowing that our efforts would help put smiles on children’s faces made being part of the Rotaract Make-A-Wish campaign especially meaningful,” added fellow club leader Pablo Vasquez Pocasangre.

In total, 325 Christmas gift wishes were collected from the participating KITA’s and hung with care on Christmas trees at Constructor University and Vegesack Marketplace. Participants could take a wish from the tree, purchase the requested item and return a hand-wrapped gift ready for delivery. “This project embodies the true magic of Christmas,” said EPSYMO’s Elke Schött. “Starting with the children’s colorful wish notes and the many people who eagerly wait to pluck them from the tree and turn them into fulfilled, beautifully wrapped wishes.” Cash funds raised this year will also go directly towards purchasing new, learning-based play equipment for the participating KITA’s – such as sandbox toys, puzzles and building sets to encourage cooperative play and tactile learning.

Of course, the most exciting moment came when Santa himself took a moment from his very busy schedule to drop in with his elves (student volunteers) and hand out the gifts to all the children before Christmas break. The honor of donning the big red suit and white beard went once again to Constructor University faculty Dr. Arvid Kappas and Max Schlenker. Professor Kappas, who has played Santa for the past nine years, savored the purity of the moment. “Putting on the red suit is about taking responsibility for creating magical moments that will resonate for a long time. There is so much behind-the-scenes work, but when the moment finally happens, it’s transformative—not just for the children, but for my Elven helpers, the EPSYMO staff and me. There is no space for irony when it comes to the pure Christmas spirit shared with these kids,” he said.

For many low-income households and families who may be experiencing Christmas for the first time after migrating from less fortunate countries, Make-a-Wish can be a true Christmas miracle and heartfelt moment of feeling welcomed and cherished by the community they call home. “Many of these children come from countries where Santa may not be a tradition, yet everyone joins in singing, dancing, and preparing gifts for the man in the red suit. It is a beautiful reminder that the true heart of Christmas is love in action,” said Professor Kappas.

So what exactly did children ask Santa for this year? Unsurprisingly, Paw Patrol, Barbie, Play-Doh, toy cars and stuffed animals were among the most popular wishes, reflecting both timeless favorites and the latest trends. However, one child in particular had a very special Christmas wish. They and their family were new to Germany and still learning the language. When asked to submit their Christmas wishes, the child and their mother brought in a piece of paper simply asking for “happiness and health for all the world’s children.” That may be the greatest Christmas wish of all.

Happy Holidays and a very special thank you to everyone who participated and donated to this year’s Make-a-Wish!