Remington Elementary School students Jenna Romines, 7 (left), and Ariel Lunsford, 7, hold up a chain of Chinese lanterns their class made in lessons about holiday cultures aroudn the world. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World
It’s school holiday party time today.
That means parents all over town are scrambling to find the last box of mini-cupcakes and counting the number of juice boxes to cover a whole class.
Workplaces may be a little empty between noon and 3 p.m. as Moms and Dads take off to join in the festivities.
Little children are wearing pajamas for “Polar Express” day, where they watch the movie and drink hot chocolate.
Older students get a free dress day and have parties featuring all the fun treats they usually get denied.
I’ve heard the musings about missing the Christmas in the parties, in favor of the holiday or winter ones.
Truthfully, kids don’t notice.
Students of all faiths like cookies, Chex mix and bingo.
Christmas isn’t missing.
That is still the dominant conversation at their desks and in their essays and projects.
In the dioramas on display in my son’s public school classroom, more than half are Christmas themed.
Students were able to select any holiday during the winter months to present.
The go-to was Christmas, some focusing on how the Christian holiday is celebrated in different countries.
But, but there are displays of Channuaka, Kwanza and Chinese New Year.
It’s nice to see diversity among students at these December parties.
Without a conscious effort, they come together in fellowship to celebrate the end of a semester and with respect to the varied religious traditions they hold in their homes.
Christmas hasn’t been taken out of schools.
If anything, "holiday" just added more cheer to the occasion.
