The LJA Christmas party on Dec. 13, brought smiles to every face. Our day started with Dr. Simmons reading an inspirational Christmas story, Christmas Tapestry, by Patricia Polacco, which tells how an inside wall is ruined by a leak in a church. Jonathan Weeks and his father, the minister, find a beautiful tapestry, that was perfect for covering the damaged wall. But then, an old Jewish woman recognized the beautiful cloth. From this discovery came a real miracle on Christmas Eve. She was able to find her husband from whom she had been separated 50 years earlier by the Nazis.

Sticking with our traditional Christmas party celebrations, we played a hilarious game with the names of each student and teacher. A hint is given about each student and everybody tries to guess the name of the student. Whoever guesses the correct name gets to choose a wrapped mystery gift. A boy might receive a gift intended for a girl and vice versa. No one received a bag of coal this year. However, all students received peppermint candies in addition to a fun gift. Extra time was given at recess.

We also walked to Ventura Place and sang for the residents. The staff there gave us cookies and lemonade. Pizza and more cookies rounded out our party. Who ever said school was a boring place? Fun, learning and serving others makes for a good place to go to school.