We did come up with 2 new ideas for our school to start as a tradition.
I contacted the athletic director and she is sending me a varsity football player to dress up as Santa. We sent over some Xmas stories and santa is practicing his reading. He will read to all the 2nd graders. (The little guys already had breakfast with Santa.We wanted to do something for those kids who are starting not to believe.)They are also sending over cheerleaders dressed as elves to help Santa hand out pencils to the whole school.Santa and his elves get extra credit from their English teacher for helping out and a nice letter in their file.
We also set up an email account a yahoo that looks like in comes from the North Pole. I interviewed teachers to find out what they are doing in class. Then Santa sends a personalized email to each class. All the info about their class makes them believe that this is real. I do not mention any children by name, as it would be too difficult to include the entire class. I don't want to leave anyone out and hurt feelings. I did mention one student though who has a birthday on Christmas. The letters are humorous and a lot of fun to do. I have tied curriculum content into some of the letters and talked about how Santa uses some of the same skills they are learning. This was effective and motivating. And it was really fun to do the older kids. They think they are too cool and smart to believe. But they can't figure out where all this info would come from.
I know we will do both these next year. I will get help to do the emails. One parent per grade level would make it easy. These were fun to do.
We are an elementary school (K-5) also. Since the teachers know their classes best, each teacher (with the help of their school volunteer classroom parent) organizes an appropriate holiday party. The only event PTO sponsors is called a "Giving Tree". We set up a Holiday Tree and ask the teachers/guidance counselors for names of students in need, getting specifics as to sizes of clothing for that student and anything on their wish list. We then make snowman ornaments and parents and faculty chose an ornament and buy a gift. This is all none without knowledge of the recipient or the giver (we call our givers "Secret Angels"). We also make sure all students within one family at the school receive gifts, even if a different teacher didn't sumbit the sibling's name. It is one of the parents' and faculty's favorite PTO event. Since we are such a diverse school, we try to stay away from "Santa" and the typical Christmas sayings. I'd be happy to give you more information if your are interested. You can e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Hope this helps...
Our school is also K-5. We have an assembly on the last day before vacation called the "Holiday Happening". It is for K-2. The kids all sing Xmas carols. And when they begin "Here Comes Santa Claus"...the Big Guy comes in! It is like a celebrity sighting. The little ones are ready to faint from excitement. He sings some songs with them. Asks a couple questions and then passes out gifts to every class. Our PTO provides a wrapped box of Crayola crayons for every student. After the kids go back to the classrooms, he makes his way down to their rooms, beginning with the Kindergarten. It is really a great afternoon. We also give the wrapped crayons to 3-5 but we don't have santa come for their sing along. (He tends to be heckled by some of these kids). We also run a Breakfast with Santa on a Saturday morning in Dec. All students are free and parents are $3. We have alot of fun doing both of these events. Hope this helps you.
As far as our classes, they walk a fine line between doing lots of the traditional Christmas art, songs, and activities par for this area and trying not to seem too embedded in any one tradition or belief. Where possible, they try to use neutral terms like "winter break" instead of "Christmas Break". They definitely steer away from anything religious, but "Santa", "Christmas trees", "Reindeer", most of the common songs pop up. The fact is that the vast majority of our kids celebrate Christmas (with Santa), so of course that can't help but come through.
As far as PTO, our main event is "Breakfast with Santa". It's a Saturday morning event held in our cafeteria, which also has the school performance stage for assemblies. Santa comes for pictures ($1.50). Hot chocolate/juice/donuts ($1) are available. The kids work on three or four crafts. Christmas karoke is happening on the stage so the room is filled with festive holiday music. We usually have some charitable action. Sometimes a food drive, last year was making greeting cards for the military overseas.
This year we are asking parents who celebrate other traditions to come and share those in the form of stories, songs, crafts.
Families can come and spend nothing or maybe a $1 and have fun. There's plenty of free stuff to do. Everyone has a good time. The whole event costs about $500 in supplies, and usually breaks even with the food and picture sales.
We are a newly redistricted elementary school. Out PTG wants to start some holiday traditions. I am tired of hearing what the teachers did at their old school. They are in a new school now and we want our own traditions. There were a few problems in the previous schools, so we really don't want to repeat or copy anything they did. It would bring out old feelings of resentment in the parents. And we really want to start new traditions that these kids will remember.
What does your school do for the holidays? Do you do something different for younger and older kids? We have k-5. Or does the whole school do the same thing? I mean beyond the xmas party in the classroom. Does santa visit school? Sing songs together? Collect food for needy? Secret Santas? decorate hallways? Read christmas stories? I would love to hear some ideas from other schools and PTO's.
