Merry Christmas and the End of the World

I know you may not need this now...but since the world did not come to an end, you might need it next year.  Was your day yesterday as crazy as mine?  We had a ton of dads wanting to be Watch DOGS and a ton who came anyway. We had a friendly policeman wandering the halls and it seemed like more adults than children.   I had 10 out of my 26 Kinders gone today.

But those who come had a GREAT time!  We went riding on the Polar Express.  We wore our pajamas, had a grocery bag suitcase and a ticket.  Each of our four Kindergarten classrooms had several activities for the kids to do.

Getting creative and making cards...pictures...whatever.

Snowmen

Snowflake number 1....q-tips, then dipped in gliter.   The q-tips were pre-glued by a wonderful Mr. (not mine, he did his own good things)

Gingerbread playdough (not everything was a craft)

Game Station...a Kinder favorite, BUMP.  This version is from Deedee Will's Christmas Math Work Stations.  You can get it here.

Paper Chains...see the reindeer in the baggie?  Students moved from one activity to another, returning occasionally to put things created in their "suitcase".

Surprise hit!  My husband suggested we set up a circle of trains.  Not my hubs in this picture (he went home to get ready for his later appearance).  Do you see our elf riding? 

Tri-bead candy canes

Snowflake number 2...popcicle sticks and buttons. 

Santa hats

3-D Christmas trees

Doesn't this look like fun?

Foreground, reindeer from candy canes, background, reindeer from little red ornaments (an Oriental Trading kit generously donated to the Kindergarten from Newmont Mining...leftovers from their Christmas party)

We put parents, extra staff, stray volunteers (kids of staff home from college) manning each station and a couple as escorts for difficult children, so as teachers, we were free to oversee it all.  We actually got to wander the hall a bit too and check on the activities in each room.  It all went so smoothly I think it may become a tradition!

After lunch we finished packing our suitcase, then settled in for hot chocolate and a movie.  In the middle of the movie....Santa came!!  He came and visited with each student, gave them a bell, a candy cane, and a pillow/animal thing generously donated to me!  (50 of them, so I gave the extras to the long term sub next door).  It was a wonderful day!

My wonderful hubs!

One of my students...I asked permission to post her happy face here.  See the pillow animal...again donated by Newmont mining (I felt a little guilty giving something much "bigger" than the other kindergartens...but how could I say no?)

The world did not come to an end, my kids and grandkids are mostly coming in to town for Christmas (we are heading out to see the rest for New Year's), and I have shopping, baking, wrapping, and a hundred other things to do  It's going to be a great Christmas.

I am wishing for everyone peace.  Peace of mind, body, and soul.  Peace in the world too...but for now I am hoping for just my corner.  May your Christmas be filled with Love!  Relax and enjoy...