With reindeer antlers, Santa hats, menorahs and holiday props, second grade students at Wiley Canyon Elementary School celebrated the magic of holiday traditions from across the globe.
The “Holiday Traditions Around the World” performance featured 86 students from Jennifer Lopez’s, Patty Bloomfield’s, Faith Bearchell’s and Sandra Kryshak’s second grade classes.
“They’ve been practicing every morning,” Bearchell said. “We think they’re the best we’ve seen in years. We’re so proud of them all.”
Students spent three weeks learning about holiday traditions from Germany, England, Mexico, Israel and the United States, as well as rehearsing their lines and songs for Thursday’s performance.
“Since we’ve been back from Thanksgiving they’ve been learning about family traditions and holiday traditions,” Lopez said.
Dressed in their holiday best, the students performed a total of seven songs, including “O Christmas Tree,” “La Pinta” and “Joyous Chanukah,” to a room full of proud parents and family members.
“He constantly amazes me,” said Jason Lhamon, whose son August opened up the show. “He spoke well and I was so proud of him.”
The students also shared the history of common traditions like lighting the menorah and decorating the Christmas tree. Kryshak’s class taught the audience that the tradition of sending Christmas cards began in England, while Lopez’s class shared the Mexican tradition of breaking piñatas on Christmas Eve.
“They had to practice their lines at home,” said Nathalie Marg of her son Logan’s speaking role. “This was his first big Christmas holiday play at school.”
Rounding out the performance was a rendition of the non-traditional holiday song “It’s a
Small World” to show that holiday festivities and traditions are shared between people in countries around the world.
“In the end they come together because it really is ‘A Small World After All,’” Lopez said.
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