We closed the office for the "sing-in". (On Friday the "sing-in" was held twice for parents.)
Our principal had all grades sit together in a circle around the gym. The little kindergartners were on the steps to the stage. (That's a cute sight.)
He had a piano in the middle and 2 6th grade boys with the CD's using the sound system. (they were perfect)
Each grade stood and sang their song which they have been working on for about a month. Some had hand motions. (2nd grade always sings "All I Want for Christmas" and trust me they all have toothless grins!)
Santa came in during one of the songs. The kids yelled and held up their hands for high 5's and he ran the circle. He listened to the songs while the teachers came up and got bagged candy canes that we had already counted out per class to pass out to their students later.
Then, this was the best part all, the 1st grade teachers (5of them) stood in a circle around the gym and they lead the whole school as they all sang the first grade song, "Hippopotamus for Christmas" So many kids have been at our school for their school lifetime and they knew it!
They were then dismissed and Santa visited each of their class rooms.
Before I moved to Utah, I lived in Washington and I worked in an office in Southcenter. They were very generous at Christmas and I always got great bonuses. I was telling Kim that I was going to miss that this year. Little did I know what kind of "bonus" I would get this year. I was overwhelmed with gifts from teachers, co-workers and PTA staff and even parents who I have become friends with. Then, yesterday it was party day in the classes I was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of people who came in the school to help with class parties carrying armloads of things to make the parties fun. Just tons of happy families!
At the end of the day after all the children had gone home I was out in the halls and the teachers were leaving. They all left with a box of gifts from their students. I have always been on the parent/teacher gift end of things and have never seen it from the other way around. As I was leaving, finally at the end of the day there was a red bow laying in the hall, fallen from a box, I bent to pick it up and thought about what a great day it had been. A real bonus for me.