The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Happy December, friends. I absolutely LOVE the holiday season. This is the month you MUST remember to take care of yourself, have some fun with your family, AND make some unforgettable memories. I find by adding fun activities for my staff, I automatically
get an energy boost from their positivity, smiles, and excitement. Research is clear when you help others fill their bucket, YOUR bucket also gets filled. I encourage you to go for it this month and try something new and unique. Your staff will appreciate
it, and so will your heart and spirit. Remember to email me or tag me on social media so I can see your creations and celebrations.
Festivus For the Rest of Us Still Working in Late December
I am a HUGE Seinfeld fan. As evidence, my cats are named Newman and George. This means the week before winter break we are celebrating “Festivus for the Rest of Us” with a variety of staff dress-up days and fun activities to help all of us
get through the wild ride. Each day I have specific activities or games to participate in with super cheap prizes I purchase on or around black Friday to save money. Then on the last day, we end with a fun day of trivia and prizes. A few dress-up
ideas include: Holiday Sweater Day, Sparkle & Jingle Day, Dress Up as a Package, Holiday Hat Day, Hawaiian Holiday, Crazy Sock Day, Comfy Day, and Red/Green Day. I have played “Find the Elf” where I hide the elf in different locations
throughout the school each day and staff email me where it is for an entry into a prize drawing. No matter what it is important to recognize that the week leading up the break can be difficult for not only our students but our staff. Every chance
you have to support staff this week will support their ability to finish strong.
December Days to Remember
December 1 | “National Christmas Lights Day” | Surprise students and staff when they walk into your office and staff room with lights. There are battery-operated lights to help you spruce up areas without needing
a nearby plug-in. December 1 is also “National Eat a Red Apple Day” –Think an apple a day keeps the doctor away during cold season. AND also National Pie Day. So many individual little pies to have available for staff and bring around
in your treat cart for an afternoon snack.
December 2 | “National Mutt Day” | Encourage staff to post and share pictures of their pets.
December 3 | “National Play Outside Day” celebrated on the first Saturday in December. This is a great message to send to your students and staff to get outside and enjoy the day. Make an intentional effort to disconnect
from your technology.
December 4 | “National Cookie Day” | This could be one of the easiest days to plan and one that would be guaranteed to be remembered. This is a SUNDAY but — on Friday pass out pre-made cookie dough to your staff.
Let them know that you want to provide them with the opportunity to begin to make family memories this weekend.
December 7 | I want to combine a couple of days here. “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day” and “National Letter Writing Day” in my mind can beautifully intertwine. December 7 is such an important
day in our history and if we can have students write a quick note to former service members (local VFW, Legion or retirement centers) on behalf of the legacy of the veterans who lost their life on that day could be very powerful.
December 8 | “National Brownie Day” | Little Debbie Brownies with a sticker that says “Happy National Brownie Day — It is a true treat to work with you.”
December 9 | “National Pastry Day” | A quick trip to the bakery department will help you with this. Choose a variety of pastry treats available as you go throughout your school with a “treat wagon,” or
this would be a great time to provide a dessert room delivery service for your staff. And as a bonus, Dec 9 is also “Christmas Card Day." Provide each staff member with either a Christmas/Holiday Card from you or give them one to use that already
has a stamp on the envelope for them to send. Another idea that I will be using this year is to have several Christmas Cards out for my staff to sign to wish various district employees a Merry Christmas. (Food Service Supervisor, Transportation, Maintenance,
Human Resources). Let’s not forget about the people who do so much for our students and school.
December 12 | “National Poinsettia Day” | Purchase small poinsettias to decorate classrooms and office spaces. Need some team collaboration opportunities? Well, December 12 is also Gingerbread House Day!! If you have
a staff meeting, have a team competition, or leave a couple of kits out in the lunch room and encourage staff to build them. Have a competition between your different lunches.
December 14 | “Monkey Day” | Enjoy some monkey business today and start off with a breakfast of muffins, bananas, and coffee for staff. Have a few games in the staff room to play during lunch time such as Barrel of
Monkeys.
December 15 | It’s another cupcake celebration day with “National Cupcake Day” this is for every flavor of cupcakes so you know how this works. Pick some up, and maybe have some sprinkles or toppings available
for staff to add. December 15 is also *“International Tea Day” *borrow a few water-warming pots and have a tea bar available for this cold winter day.
December 16 | “National Chocolate Covered Anything Day” | You can rent a chocolate fountain and provide staff with a variety of treats to dip OR purchase a variety of chocolate-covered items such as raisins, pretzels,
almonds, doughnuts, cupcakes, brownies, ice cream, the list could go on and on. I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS DAY. As a Friday, if you are in need of a themed dress-up day? December 16 is also “National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.”
December 19 | “National Hard Candy Day” | As staff leave for winter break, give them a roll of Life Savers candies. Thank them for being a “Life Saver” during this ever-crazy season.
December 20 | “Game Day” | What a great time to bring in some board games for staff to play during lunchtime or to have game time with students during lunch.
Cindy is in her 23rd year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek for 23 years.