25 Days of Christmas-12

One of my favorite things to do around this time of year is Secret Santa. At the school where I used to work we played every year. At the beginning of the last week before Christmas break we would draw a name of a faculty member then secretly give them little gifts all week long. At the end of the week we would give a bit larger gift and reveal who was each person's secret Santa.

The best week I ever had with this game was my very first year teaching. All week long I got gifts, and it was fun, but nothing prepared me for the most thoughtful gift I would get at the end of the week. It was this tree here... It was decorated with apple ornaments that had each of my students' names written on them. I was so surprised to get such a thoughtful gift during what was just a little Christmas game.



This tree is something that I cannot wait to set out every year. I think about everyone of those little kids as I hang the ornaments on the tree. There were so many memories I made with that bunch of kids that year. This year they are all in 8th grade. Recently I talked with one of them, Jamie, and I ask him what he remembered about 1st grade. He said, I remembered you loved us very much, and we made a lot of bag puppets." I cannot believe how time has flown by!

Merry Christmas!