Getting ready for Santa - Baking and Celebrating

Like almost everyone else, the kids and I had school right up until the Friday before Christmas. That last week of school was jam-packed with fun activities. I was able to help out the 4th grade team while Jake and his classmates got to visit each of the 4th grade teachers for a special craft. Jake strung the beads to make me this necklace (the clear beads) as an early Christmas gift:

In the evening, the kids and I put together Snowman Soup kits (hot chocolate packets with mini candy cane, marshmallows and hershey kisses) to give to classmates before leaving on winter break:

 

Jadyn and I dressed festively for that last day of school and not realizing it, was photobombed by Jelfie who had taken over ALL of our stockings:



In my classroom, we did a Polar Express theme. The kids made reindeer hats and I got to read them the book (my all time favorite!). After lunch we made a Polar Express gingerbread train and watched the movie before passing out goodie bags and sending them home with all their holiday crafts. I hope that my students, so dear to my heart, cherish the day as much as I did:

 

And of course what holiday would be complete without baking! Lots and lots of baking!

 

Decorating the sugar cookies:

 



A sample of all our (okay mostly Joe's) hard work:

 

 Another tradition in our house is to let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve Eve, always a new board game, so we can spend quality time as a family. This year after being introduced to the full version over the summer with Grandma Kelly and George, we got Apples to Apples Jr. It was a big hit. I personally love hearing Joe try to argue why his word is the best. It really is a fun game and it really builds the kids' vocabulary and critical thinking skills (but shh! don't tell them it's educational):

 

And with all of that, we were as ready as ever to celebrate Christmas!