Christmas Wishes from 4th Graders

 During the last two weeks before Christmas break, I found myself searching for videos on YouTube to play as a part of our morning prayer in my fourth-grade classroom at a Catholic school. I happened upon a video that was entirely in Spanish. which I knew I couldn't play in my classroom, nor could I claim to understand every word, but which captivated my attention anyway. Some store - I honestly don't remember which one - hosted an event where they asked kids to write letters to Santa. After composing the fairly typical lists of things they wanted, the kids were then asked to write Santa a letter on behalf of their parents. Listening to and watching videos of parents reading their children's letters on their behalf, I knew I needed to incorporate this activity into the final days before the Christmas break.

I found a window of time on the second to last day before the break. I shared a slide with my Bitmoji sitting on Santa's lap and asked my class to tell me what they wanted for Christmas. Everyone got to say one item. Then I had them compose letters to Santa.

Many of my students wrote the typical "I want, I want, I want" lists, which admittedly I had kind of set them up for. But we have written several letters this school year to guest speakers and have spent the past month writing weekly thank you cards to real people we know in and outside of school. As a result, some of my students took the time to write an introductory paragraph thanking Santa for past gifts, asking after Mrs. Claus, or telling Santa how amazing he is.

Potentially inspired by Phinneas and Ferb

One student only asked for books for himself, for a cure for COVID, and wished Santa a safe trip. For a ten-year-old, that's about as selfless as it gets!

But of course, the whole reason I wanted to do this activity with my students was to see what they wrote in their second letter. When the majority of kids were done with their letters to Santa, I put up a slide with my Bitmoji wishing on a star and asked them to share what they wished for their parents to have this Christmas. 

The responses ranged all over the place in the discussion, from gadgets I had never heard of before (the Lululemon mirror) to a new bed because one student's parents have been sleeping on a mattress on the floor since their bedframe broke, to a peaceful and stress-free drive to their holiday get togethers. I read letters with all of those requests, and others wishing for more family time, less work for Mom and Dad, and even less stress or worry for the family. 

My students primarily come from privileged backgrounds. Very few of them really understand the plight of people who don't know where their next meal is coming from or where they will lay their heads at night. (Though on a fourth-grade intellectual level they are aware because our school community is constantly praying for and hosting donation drives for those in need.) But they do know that the past year and nine months have been extraordinary. They feel the anxiety of their families and wish they could help.

If only we humans could crush the coronavirus, and quick too!