In the days leading up to the school holiday break, the young kids of Breckenridge and Stephens County had quite a few opportunities to spread Christmas cheer and to visit with Santa Claus.
Along the way, Breckenridge Texan Publisher Tony Pilkington took photos at several East Elementary events and has created the following photo galleries. Click the photos to link to the galleries and get a little Christmas spirit.
Second-graders build gingerbread houses
The second-graders at East Elementary built and decorated gingerbread houses on Friday, Dec. 16. They used milk cartons for a base, graham crackers for the walls and roofs, and frosting and candy for the decorations. Click here to see more photos in the Photo Gallery from the event.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
First-Grade Christmas Parade
East Elementary’s first-graders held a Christmas parade down North Hartford Street on Friday, Dec. 16. Each class represented a different country, including Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Israel (for Hanukkah). As parents, grandparents, siblings and others lined the street and their schoolmates looked on from the playground, the first-graders carried flags and representations of each country’s holiday traditions. Click here to see the Photo Gallery from the event.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Pancakes with Santa
United Supermarket Store Director Raymond Quillin, left, serves pancakes to families at the Pancakes with Santa event on Saturday, Dec. 17, hosted by the grocery store and East Elementary. Families enjoyed a free breakfast, visits and photos with Santa, and an opportunity to shop at a crafts fair set up in the halls of the school. Click here to see the Photo Gallery from the event. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Second-graders’ visit to the Stephens County Courthouse
On Monday, Dec. 19, Breckenridge’s second-graders visited the Stephens County Courthouse. In the District Courtroom, they listened to stories by Justice of the Peace Steve Spoon, Tax Assessor Christie Latham, and Stephanie Elder with the District Court. Then, the kids took pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus before gathering on the courthouse steps to sing Christmas carols. Click here to see a Photo Gallery from the field trip. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Kindergarten Christmas Program
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, the kindergarten students put on a Christmas program for parents, grandparents, siblings, and others gathered in the East Elementary cafeteria. After a slight delay getting all the guests checked in, the kids sang a variety of Christmas songs, including “Jingle Bells,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Feliz Navidad” and more. The kindergarten hallway was decorated like a street in Whoville from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and featured a photo area, where the kids and their families could take pictures with a poster of the Grinch. Click here to see a Photo Gallery from the event.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Stephens Memorial Hospital’s Visit from Santa Claus
Also, on Thursday, Dec. 22, Stephens Memorial Hospital hosted Santa for one last visit in Breckenridge. See some photos from that event below:
Sarai Diaz, left, takes pictures of her daughter, Ariely, with Santa, while her son, Felipe, and husband, Felipe Diaz, await their turn at Stephens Memorial Hospital’s business office on Thursday, Dec. 20.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Santa holds Christopher Keisler, 3 months old, while his mom, Shelby Keisler and grandmother, Gina Sewell, take photos and his dad, Scotty Keisler, (not pictured) looks on. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Kresson Wood, 5, gives Santa a big hug Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Kresson Wood, 5, poses for a picture with Santa and his Elf at Stephens Memorial Hospital on Thursday.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: East Elementary’s second-graders sing Christmas carols on the steps of the Stephens County Courthouse on Dec. 19. On the field trip, they also took photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and listened to stories in the courtroom. Click the link listed above to see the Photo Gallery from the event.(Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Breckenridge Texan is in the midst of our annual fundraising campaign with the national organization NewsMatch. Donations made through the end of December will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch, and, if we meet our goal of $4,000 raised, we’ll get an additional match. That will triple every donation given to the Breckenridge Texan. The Breckenridge Texan is a non-profit news website covering Stephens County and Breckenridge, Texas, that depends on donations, as well as advertising, to continue our work. We appreciate your contributions. To make a donation, click here.