We are looking forward to seeing everyone again in the new year!!! As we discussed with the Fall Semester families, we will be meeting on Thursdays instead of Tuesdays. This gives families the first 3 days of the week at home and the end of the week for co-op days. So the first day of the Spring Semester will be Thursday, January 10 instead of Tuesday the 8th.
Parents, remember if you need to leave while a student is in class, make sure we have a current Emergency Medical Form on file for your child(ren).
What a wonderful season! I have been enjoying listening to how different families have been celebrating Jesus' birthday. There are many similar traditions as well as some very special family, and unique customs all centering on Christ. Some of the favorites I have heard about are the mystery love baskets full of various goodies left on doorsteps, family Christmas plays written and performed by all the kids, special candle lighting ceremonies with scripture and singing and gift boxes under the tree for Jesus. What a great thought. What gift can I give to Jesus?
When our son was a toddler and preschooler we took him to the Dollar Store to pick out a gift for all the extended family members that would be at the family Christmas party. Knowing that as the youngest child he was bound to receive quite a bit, I wanted to impress on him giving over receiving. I wanted him to think about each person and what he knew about them to pick out their gift; and I wanted to have him pass out his gifts before he got all of his. This became one of the funnest things about present time and a source of many treasured memories for me. It usually took over an hour for him to choose about 20 gifts because he really thought about them. Everyone enjoyed how our son expressed his knowledge or view of a person through the gifts he chose. Many of those little dollar gifts are still around years later, not obviously because of the dollar behind it, but because of a little boys thoughts. As with many things concerning children, the adults got a lesson too. How did God express his view of us, with the gift of His son?
Whatever special memories or traditions your family has, I pray that they pull you into a greater relationship with each other and especially with our greatest CHRISTmas gift ever.
Robin
