Holidays....on the Loop

Looping with  my class has proven to be a wonderful experience! I have seen so much growth in my students and it has truly been a privilege to be with them another year. There have also been a few challenges...namely, finding new holiday activities to do with them! All of the crafts, stories, activities that I'm used to doing this time of year I did with them last year, so I've been looking for new items to fill the need.
A huge thanks goes to my team who gives me a copy of everything they have in their files. I would be pretty  lost without them. Even more so than normal! Yet my independent spirit won't let me rely on them for everything, so I went hunting on the web and found some really cute ideas. My favorite is using water bottles to make snow globes. I'll be making my "prototype" tomorrow to find out all the glitches before we make them on Friday.
I don't do a big food party at the end of the week. In fact, there's very little food at the party. I couldn't stand watching all the food be thrown away....pizza, chips, candy, cupcakes....it was too much. So I have an arts & crafts party. There's one big craft and several smaller crafts. This year, the spotlight falls on the snow globes (prayers for smooth sailing please) and the smaller crafts are:
Icing their own sugar cookies (the sole food item)
Holiday Graph Art
Felt Mice Candy Cane Holders
Foam Ornaments
Parents are welcome to come and help with the crafts. The students always have a fun time and don't miss all the food. They love taking home a bag full of presents to give to their family. In the past, our crafts included:
Beaded Candy Canes
Candy Cane Reindeer
Bag of Reindeer Food
Icing the sugar cookie
Jingle Bell Bracelet

I was also a little stumped about what I would give them for a gift. I usually write their name on an apple ornament and give it to them after it has been hanging on the class tree all week. I thought it would be weird to give that to them again, so I went hunting.... again. I came across the "Student Survival Bags" that most teachers give out at Meet The Teacher to welcome students back to school. I thought, "Why not for Christmas?"  So, this year my students are getting a Christmas Treat bag from me that includes:

Ball: Rolling into a new year with exciting and interesting things to learn.

Bookmark: A reminder to read.

Crayon: You color my world with happiness. I’m glad you’re in my class

Eraser: It’s OK to make mistakes. That’s how we learn.

Hershey Hug: We all need hugs, if you need one let me know. I LOVE hugs.

Lifesavers: To remind you to help each other.

Gum: Always “chews” to do the right thing.

Pencil: This pencil will help you start the year off WRITE!

Smilie Sticker: A reminder to smile because life and learning are worthwhile.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Not sure what the blue is, but this sums up what looping with my class is all about.