Holidays at Barrington School

The end of the year is a magical time for our Barrington families, with our classrooms coming alive with joyful traditions and opportunities to celebrate the season of giving and gratitude.    

A Month Centered on Generosity 

Each month, Barrington has a school-wide social-emotional learning focus. In December, we always center our conversations around generosity.   Throughout the month, our classrooms intentionally explore what it means to give without expecting anything in return, as well as how to show kindness in ways that feel meaningful to them. 

Our teachers also weave generosity into daily classroom life by: 

• Modeling generous behavior: sharing materials, offering help, and speaking kindly 

• Celebrating generous moments: noticing when children help a friend or share during play 

• Facilitating conversations about how giving can make others feel cared for 

• Creating opportunities for children to practice generosity in age-appropriate ways 

  
  

These small, meaningful experiences help our kids understand the joy that comes from giving – a lesson that extends far beyond the holiday season.  

This theme also beautifully complements our biggest community effort of the year: our annual holiday charity event. 

Holiday Charity Event: Supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital Behavioral Pavilion

Our annual holiday charity event is the perfect way to help our children understand how the concept of generosity connects to the real world. This year, we are proud to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Pavilion by collecting essential items for the Ronald McDonald Family Room.  

Other Holiday Happenings

• Annual Santa Visit: Santa comes to visit our classrooms every December.  

• Cookie Decorating: Mid-month, our children have the chance to get creative at our holiday Cookie decorating classroom party!  

• Spirit Week: During spirit week, children are encouraged to dress in festive outfits all week long. For example, on “Silly Sweater Day”, children can show off their favorite Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or fun winter sweater! 

  
  

Year-Round Holiday Celebrations at Barrington 

The spirit of celebration continues well beyond December at our schools. Throughout the year, we embrace and celebrate all traditions, holidays, and cultures. Our monthly family-invited classroom parties give us a wonderful opportunity to do this alongside parents, too. During these gatherings, children and parents can explore cultural traditions together through hands-on art projects and stories, helping them to understand and appreciate the many ways people celebrate around the world.  “We are always listening to our families and looking for meaningful ways to honor their traditions and incorporate what’s important to them,” shares Ashley Jones, Curriculum Coordinator at Barrington School.   Our classrooms also enjoy creating gifts and keepsakes for special days like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, and more. 

The Importance of Holiday Celebrations  

Holidays are more than themed days – they are shared experiences that help children learn about community, culture, and connection. At Barrington, we love bringing holidays into our classroom as a way to build bridges between school and home, celebrate our diverse community, and nurture values that last a lifetime.