The story goes, that if a child has been good all year, and leaves their boots out on the stairs or fireplace ledge, on the night of December 5th, St. Nicholas will pay them a visit and fill their boots with all kinds of goodies. At our school, the PTA does a really cool thing. For St. Nicholas Day {Nikolaus Tag} they give each teacher a little money to replenish classroom supplies, and buy new toys for their room. Then, the PTA wraps the gifts and we meet in the gym for a visit from Nikolaus. He tells funny stories about each classroom, mostly in rhyme, and each class is presented with their gifts in a big decorated sack. Fun, Fun!
Emma greeted us with this silly smile as we came into her classroom. We had just missed her classroom's singing time in the gym, so even though I felt a little awkward asking her teacher if we could open presents with them (Rebekah and I were the only non-students there, and all the kids were kind of making a big deal about our unexpected presence) I knew I had to ask.
I hadn't even planned on going into school for Nikolaus Tag, the celebrations are pretty brief, and I had packed up all the Nikolaus bags earlier in the week, so I knew what the kids were getting and I figured they wouldn't mind if we didn't come. But the morning of, both A and E were requesting our attendance, and I'm always happy to see what they're up to at school. As usual Emma was so excited we were there.
Rebekah sat on Emma's lap to watch the gifts being opened, and I was taking pics when all of a sudden, the entire class turns around to look at me, smiling, and rattling off some eager request (in German, no less). I look at the teacher for help in figuring out what they are asking, and he said, "They want Rebekah to go to music with them." Notice Emma flashing a huge smile and her folded hands {she's got the sweet begging routine down to a science}. We had to run to the gym for Alyssa's class to see Nikolaus so no schule musik for Rebekah.
Nikolaus addressing all the children.
Alyssa standing up with a few of her classmates to recite a poem for Nikolaus. Each class has a chance to sing or talk to Nikolaus before the gifts arrive.
A wider view of the gym, the kids, and Nikolaus.
Alyssa smiling to the back of the gym where we were watching her. She was so sweet. She had misinformed me of the time to arrive for Nikolaus. In past years, the entire school met all together in the gym for the presentation of gifts. Well, because the school body is growing {and the gym isn't}, they split it up this year. So when I arrived at the school at the time she had suggested that I should, Alyssa realized that I had missed Em in the gym, and she felt terrible. She couldn't have known though, and other than running back and forth from Emma's classroom to the gym, to make sure I wasn't missing that too, it ended up working perfect for me to see the gift opening for Emma, and the gym part for Alyssa. Once again, I can thank the efforts of trying to be in more than one place, for more than one child, at the very same time for a good workout!
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