BrendaV
Exactly how many children does your daughter have? I can see a need for one Kris Kringle or Secret Santa in a classroom - this is where names are drawn and kept secret with the person who drew the name doing and/or giving small kind acts or gifts for or to the person whose name they drew. This indeed takes the “me, me. me” out of Christmas and moves the focus to others in whom we are to see Jesus. This goes for the gathering of “stuff” for the CPC, Maternity home, food bank etc. Families should be able to choose one from the list to give to if they have the means to do so.
To answer your question, Brenda, she has 3.
Right now she is trying to put together a cow costume, because her 3rd grader is to be a cow in the 3rd grade song in the christmas show and their song is Bless the Beasts and Children. She is to go buy a piece of while felt or similar material and making it long enough to cover the front and back torso with a hole so it slips over the head but not so long that it gets in the way of the feet and she is to sew or attach brown, red or black patchs to this felt.
She needs to find a black skirt and white top and red bow tie or ribbon and green apron for her daughter in 8th grade who will be a server at sunday mornings breakfast with santa for the younger children. She also must comfort this daughter because, even though very popular, she did not get chosen for the part in the christmas tableau, because the school secretary’s daughter was chosen and who just happens to be the best friend of the homeroom teacher. A typical type happening.
she has to go buy about 10 different personal toiletries and wrap them in paper in a shoebox for homeless men…one for each child…each class is doing this…actually it’s 30 toiletry items.
she is to bake 6 dozen homemade cookies for the cookie exchange in her 6th grade son’s class. no peanuts or peanut products please.
for the 3rd grader this week she needs to find and send in glitter, 2 empty toilet paper rolls, gold foil and red and green ribbons. i’m not sure what they are making.
she needs to buy or find 30 different items for the kris kringles because they do this in each class and for 10 days before the last day of school they put the ‘surprise’ in the other child’s desk and then 3 larger gifts for no more than $10 for the final gift.
her children must each pick an ornament from the school hall tree and for each she must provide the gift requested and wrap the item chosen and label it as to sex and age.
she is one of the homeroom mother in one of the grades and must plan the classroom party and contact all the other parents to provide the drinks treats cupcakes napkins etc…and even the music.
she is to send in in separate envelopes with the child’s name and homeroom # and specified offering for each of these.
- money for the pastor’s christmas purse
- money for the principal’s gift
3)money for the janitor and his assistants
Each child is to bring in money in an envelope so they can go buy things at the secret santa shop at school next week.
Each grade gives to the immigrant center food pantry…each class brings in something different. One has to have 2 cans of soup, another 2 boxes of crackers and another something else, I can’t remember.
Each child is to bring in one item for the ‘layette bag’ for the local, what they now call 'infant maternity home.
She is providing some of the food for the pta christmas party for the school faculty.
The poinsetta sale is now going on and she is trying to keep track of orders for the $15 plants.
Her 6th grader in scouts is involved in some other worthy project, I’ve forgotten what and she has to drive 6 of them to this place miles from her home one evening next week so they can serve ‘those in need’
Each child must bring in $2 to be out of uniform on the last day…no jeans or sneakers please.
her oldest I know is part of the decorating the church team toward their confirmation service hours and she will be taking her up to the church a few nights for that.
all tests have been cancelled one afternoon and must be retaken the following week due to the school assembly’s carol sing-a-long.
the oldest sings in the childrens choir, the son is an altar server…many sessions and practices.
She must also christmas shop for her own children and other family members. She must shop for and cook meals for a large christmas dinner.
Now there is much much more, but I can’t remember all of it. I don’t know how she does it. But I shall try to remind her that
“Advent is a season with a penitential and eschatological character…” She’ll be happy to hear it I’m sure. Thank you all once again.
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