It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I LOVE Christmas! It is by far my favorite holiday and favorite time of year. I am the kinda person that has Christmas up the day after Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately here in Korea I have not been able to decorate. The fake trees, Christmas lights and decorations are a) not cute and b) very expensive.

I knew I couldn't get through the holidays without some kind for decorations so I began to brainstorm.
Then on Thanksgiving, Joe and I watched the movie "ELF". There is a scene in the movie where Buddy the Elf goes nuts with paper chains and paper snowflakes. That scene was just the inspiration I needed. I set out to decorate my classroom with a "Winter Wonderland" theme.

I had hinted to some of my first graders that it was going to "snow" at school. Then during my prep break that afternoon I set out to make it "snow" in my classroom. I used a bunch of homework I had collected and had no plans on correcting and some papers that needed to be recycled. I made paper chains and some snowflakes. Joe came in and helped me hang everything. 

 The kids were SO excited. They were shocked and it was fun to watch their reaction as they came into class. Not to mention it completely helped curve my craving for holiday decorations.

Over the last couple days at school I would tell each class that if they worked hard and got their work done I would let them make snowflakes to add to the walls/paper chains. Even some of my kindergarteners have made some snowflakes.

One of my first graders, Eunice, loved the "Winter Wonderland" theme. She decided that I needed a sign.

I tried to convince her that we needed to color in the letters, maybe light blue. But she said no. "Snow is white." She had a point so I let it go.

Then on Friday I walked to my classroom to see that my coworker Leah was spreading Christmas cheer.

She replaced my picture with Buddy the Elf. I seriously laughed for twenty minutes when I first saw it  and had a laugh attack every time a kid said "Ms. Stephanie is an ugly man" pointing to my new picture.

Leah spread cheer to all of the teachers. Here is Joe's new picture.

 

Ben (low level first grader)- "Ms. Stephanie, Mr. Joe Santa? Really? Mr. Joe really Santa?"

We all had a really good laugh, it was a great way to end the week.
Next week we will begin "Secret Santa". We only have 5 teachers participating, but I am excited to spread and receive some holiday cheer.