Niko, a curious kindergarten boy with a mop of curly hair, pressed his nose against the frosty windowpane, watching the snowflakes swirl outside. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned to his mother, Anya, who was busy in the kitchen. "Mama, is it time to start preparing for Christmas?", he asked eagerly. Anya, a loving and patient woman with a warm smile, nodded and motioned for Niko to join her. "Yes, my little one. Let's begin with making some ornaments and baking pirozhki," she replied.

Niko carefully rolled out dough on the table, his small hands dusted with flour. Anya showed him how to shape the dough into little crescent pirozhki, filled with sweet berries. "Like this, Mama?", Niko asked, holding up his creation, his face beaming with pride. "Exactly like that, Niko," praised Anya, her eyes twinkling with joy.

Niko cut and shaped paper into stars and bells, while Anya guided him in stringing them with twine. Each ornament was a symbol of their heritage, a piece of their history. "Why do we celebrate Christmas differently, Mama?", Niko inquired, his eyes full of wonder. "Our Christmas is special, Niko. It follows the Julian calendar, and it's a time for family, love, and sharing our traditions," explained Anya, her voice filled with pride.

Niko stood by the window, his breath fogging up the glass as he watched the night sky. The anticipation of sharing his traditions with his classmates filled him with excitement. "I can't wait to tell my friends about our Christmas," he said, turning to Anya. "And I'm sure they'll love the pirozhki you'll bring," Anya replied, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Niko stood in front of his classmates, a plate of pirozhki in hand. His eyes shone with excitement as he spoke about his family's traditions, his voice confident and clear. "We celebrate Orthodox Christmas with pirozhki and handmade ornaments. It's a time for family and love," he explained, passing around the sweet treats.

Niko's classmates eagerly tasted the pirozhki, their faces lighting up with delight. Niko felt a sense of pride and happiness, knowing he had shared a piece of his world with them. "I'm so proud of you, Niko," Anya whispered as she hugged him after school. As they walked home through the snowy streets, Niko held his mother's hand, the spirit of Christmas warming their hearts.