Advent Calendar - Christmas At School

I remember that we always celebrated Christmas at Primary School - making Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, various other Christmas themed activities.  I also remember we used to sing lots of Christmas songs.  I only remember one Christmas pageant (for want of a better word).  It was when I was in Grade 1, so I had been at school for just one year, and all the Infant classes were crammed into two rooms which opened up with concertina doors between them.  We all sang Christmas Carols and there were probably some children dressed up for a Nativity performance.
At Sunday School I remember dressing up for various Nativity performances too.

When I became a teacher myself I loved Christmas in the classroom.  From 1st December it was fair game.  I always drew a large Santa picture on the blackboard, and all our activities (where possible) were Christmas based.  None of the big schools I was teaching at had Christmas Concerts, but both small rural schoos did.  My favourites where the ones at my first rural school - because there were only two full time teachers and 30 or so children we went all out.  Even some of the parents put on acts.  The annual Christmas Concert was a big attraction for the whole community - everyone came.

At the end of the festivities the children all chanted for Santa to pay a visit, which he always did armed with a small gift for each child.

A wonderful country supper was then enjoyed by all.