The first Christmas after the Turkish military invasion of Cyprus found most of the refugees living in tents. Journalists visited the camps and recorded the wishes of children and families who for the first time lived Christmas away from home.
"The most symbolic Christmas"
The "Phileleftheros" of the time, in his photographic report in the camps, spoke about the most symbolic Christmas of Cyprus. "Thousands of refugees, one third of the population of Cyprus, live in tents, stables, mangers. That is where Jesus was born. "
"Bitter Christmas"
In the tents the children were looking for any object that would help them decorate rough trees. Dry branches, calyxes and a few balloons were enough in the refugee camps where they even decorated shells. Christmas trees in the refugee camps. The most characteristic was the Christmas tree of the Municipality of Nicosia, which that year was not decorated to remind that Cyprus is mourning. "Auntie, auntie, bring me a present of my education" Journalists visited the camps and recorded the wishes of the refugees. The Civil Defense prepared many gifts for the children who lived in the tents. In the report of the time, a journalist states: "We left loaded with love and emotion when we heard a boyish voice behind us.
"Auntie, auntie, bring me a gift of my own."
Journalists wrote on their list: cars, bicycles, dolls, while other children simply asked to be found by their parents.