Kindergartners at Harold McCormick Elementary were visited by a very special guest Thursday afternoon.
Santa and Mrs. Claus, played by Tom and Barbara Sams, stopped by the school to hear the Christmas wishes of the students and share some treats with the children.
The holiday couple took a seat near the school’s Christmas tree and was visited by each individual kindergarten student.
“Ho, ho, ho, it’s Santa!,” Dayton Cable exclaimed. “I like him so much.”
Santa and Mrs. Claus received a warm welcome from each of the students that came to share their wish list.
“I’m so happy,” Mahala Nave said. “I’m glad he came.”
Kindergarten teacher Beth Stevens said Santa’s visit correlated with a lesson the students have been having on Christmas stories, as well as the day’s planned Christmas party.
All week long, the students have been reading different versions of the “Gingerbread Man” story. They also made their own gingerbread houses and gingerbread man cookies.
On Wednesday, the students read Polar Express and were allowed to wear their pajamas to school. They were served hot chocolate with peppermint sticks, like the characters in the book.
“It is not just fun,” Stevens said. “They are learning too. There are so many different versions of the Gingerbread Man. They have been comparing those characters and writing about their similarities and differences. It has been a unit of study.”
On Thursday, the students were going to be sharing gifts with each other. Stevens said instead of bringing in presents to exchange, each student brought in $2. A toy store was set up in the school and the students picked two gifts that they would give to other students.
The children then wrapped their presents and were exchanging those on Thursday afternoon.
“We are just wrapping up a week of festivities,” Stevens said. “The students have loved it.”