No – not that one.? I have been musing over the time of year (as we all have) and the fact that this is my first Christmas in over twenty years that I have not spent the last term in a school.? The Autumn Term in a primary school in the UK is like running the gauntlet – first hurdle is the Harvest Festival, followed by the lead up and execution (in the nicest possible way) of the Christmas celebrations.? Frazzled music teachers attempting to instil the words to a ridiculous number of carols into children aged five to eleven so that they can sing sweetly in front of their parents, at the one time of the year when some non-teaching adults actually set foot inside the building.? The furious making of Christmas cards for the littler ones to take home, with a smattering of other faith and simple ‘I love you’ cards to show sensitivity of the fact that not everyone nowadays, in a UK school, is Christian.? Year 6 teachers trying to keep the balance between continuing to prepare their classes for the SATs in May of the next (calendar) year, whilst helping them to learn and practise the readings for the telling of The Christmas Story – yes, that one!? The decision whether to send all your colleagues – the ones you see every day or few days – a card to tell them how much you hope they will enjoy the coming holiday season (emphasis on the word ‘holiday’!) – or put all the money you would have spent into an envelope and send it off to buy a goat for a family in Sudan.
That I do not, and will never, miss.? However, there are other aspects to Christmas in a primary school.? Our house will be noticeably shorter of wine this year – some parents are very generous!? Seriously though, the kids still love it so much that it rubs off on you.? The pride when they finally get the words to that carol right; the joy at decorating the classroom – I always used to give them almost free rein – with some guidance, of course – so the final effect, whatever it was, belonged to them; the anticipation of what they will find under the tree on Christmas morning; receiving cards from children you don’t even teach!
The Christmas holidays period is not just one to drive yourself mad thinking of yet another present for those elderly relatives that they will actually use.? Nor is it working out a menu that will leave you bloated and groaning after three hours of eating, just so that you can say what a fabulous dinner you had.? Or forcing sprouts down someone because – well – it’s Christmas!? A wise friend once asked why Brussel sprouts are traditional at a UK Christmas dinner.? I don’t know that she has yet received a satisfactory answer.
I will not miss the insanity that is a primary school Christmas but I will miss the camaraderie amongst the staff, the happiness amongst the children and the joy on the parents’ faces as they watched their little angels belt out ‘Silent Night’ and ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’.? I invited myself to the junior school Christmas Celebration and loved it.? As an outsider.? Long may it continue.? Merry Christmas.
