Readings, Projects, & Quotes                  

"Jesus IS the Reason
for the Season!"

Christmas Activities

          December is always a very busy month.  Students are looking forward to vacation, parents are busy purchasing gifts and decorating their homes, and teachers are looking forward to sleeping in!  As hectic as the next weeks may be, it is important that we take some time to remember just why we celebrate.  It is always important that as student leaders, the student council members convey that same message to their student bodies. 
          With so many opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ, the Commissioner of Religious Activities can truly take the ball and run with it.  From Advent services to Christmas caroling in the classrooms, there are several ways to educate  and entertain the students.
          Other ideas include researching how other countries celebrate Christmas and creating announcements to be read over the PA system.  The Commissioner of Religious Activities could also be the chairperson for a school-wide service project.  Contact your local food-bank to help sponsor a needy family.  With the information you gained from the food-bank and the needy family, create a wish-list of food and Christmas presents and assign each class a family member and specific food products.  For example, Sixth grade can be responsible for canned foods while the fifth grade can bring in gifts for the Mother of the family.  Collect the goods for one week and have the student council gather up the collected items and deliver them to the needy family.     
          Just a couple of years ago, TACSC staff members and their families did this exact project.  During our annual Christmas party we collected all the gifts and food items and then delivered everything the following day.  Our particular family consisted of a Mother and her two children, ages 5 and 8.  When the 5-year-old boy saw that we had  given his family "canned pineapple," he ran, grabbed the can, and exclaimed, "Oh pineapple, my favorite!."  Needless to say those present were moved, not to mention the family eternally grateful!        
          It is special moments such as this that make Christmas such a wonderful time of the year.  The Christmas holiday is also a great reason to honor those students who have given of their time to be a part of the student council.  Moderators, take time to appreciate your student council members.  Have a cookie decorating party in the school kitchen.  Or, take an evening during the Christmas Vacation and go to the movies. 
          TACSC's wishes you and your family a very blessed and safe Christmas!  See you in the New Year!

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Commissioner of
Religious Activities
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Holiday Babysitting
          Organize a holiday babysitting service.  Hold it on a weekend early in December.  This service provides parents with a day to get their shopping done or complete other holiday preparations.  Student council members and other students from the junior high can supervise activities such as arts and crafts, movies and organized games in the gym.  Color in Christmas coloring books and make simple ornaments that the children can take home for the their tree. 
          Provide a simple lunch during the day and an afternoon sack.  Arrange for a visit from Santa after lunch.  Gather a few students around you in cozy place and read Christmas stories an poetry.  Play Christmas music thought the day.      
          The service could start at 10AM and run until 4PM.  Parents pay $15 for the first child and $4 for every other child beyond that.

Gingerbread People
          Looking for an activity that would retain the personalized nature of a decorated tree for the holiday but not require cutting a tree and undercoating it when school is out before the break?  A school in Virginia used this idea.
          Instead of a tree, the student council furnished each homeroom with brown poster board with a gingerbread person drawn on it.  Each class was invited to cut out and decorate it.  It was suggested that the gingerbread person somehow tell the story of each particular class.  The finished products were hung in the hallways for everyone to see and enjoy.
          The faculty was invited to participate as well.  The nurse, for example, decorated her person with a nurse's smock and the school secretary had her person holding a phone to her ear and wearing glasses. 

December Birthdays
          One of the unfortunate things about having a birthday in December is that your actual birth-day may be overlooked by the hype of the Holiday Season.  Don't let those December babies slip through the cracks!  Remember to announce their birthdays over the PA system and deliver candy canes to their classrooms in celebration of their special day!!

School Decorating
          Ever notice that schools don't decorate their buildings with lights like homes for the Holiday?  Consider having a "Lights-On" celebration at the school.  Have the student council members along with the help of the maintenance workers at the school trim the eves with lights (and don't forget those trees, too!).

                  DECEMBER = EVALUATION

December is also a time for re-grouping and evaluation.  Clean out and reorganize the council files and begin to assess your work as a council, thus far.  Use the end of the year and beginning of a new quarter to evaluate your council's progress.  Consider conducting an opinion poll and interviewing students and faculty.  

Who Makes a groups a succxss?

December's Quote

          Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it still works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx kxy.  I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly.  It is trux that thxrx arx 41 othxr kxys that do function wxll xnough, but just onx not working makxs all the diffxrxnce.  Somxtimxs it sxxmxd to mx that our group is somxwhat likx an old typxwritxr - not all of the mxmbxrs arx working propxrly.  You may say to yoursxlf, "Wxll I am only onx pxrson.  I won't makx or brxak an organization."  But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx bxcausx a group to bx xffxctivx nxxds activx participation of xvxry singlx pxrson.  So, the nxxt timx you  think you arx only onx pxrson and that your xfforts arx not nxxdxd.  rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr and say to yousxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in this group and I am nxxdxd vxry much."

For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The might God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

- Isaiah 9:6

If you have a quote, inspirational story, or activity idea you would like to share with us, please email us at:
tacsc@tacsc.org