4P Day celebrated at Tres Pinos School
The scene is typical of most Christmas mornings
– kids in pajamas running around, torn wrapping paper and
half-eaten candies tossed aside, oohs and aahs over gifts, sleepy
looking adults smiling through the chaos.
4P Day celebrated at Tres Pinos School
The scene is typical of most Christmas mornings – kids in pajamas running around, torn wrapping paper and half-eaten candies tossed aside, oohs and aahs over gifts, sleepy looking adults smiling through the chaos.
But on this particular Friday, it is not Christmas; it isn’t even morning. On the last afternoon of school before winter break, Tres Pinos Union School students are celebrating the upcoming holiday the only way they know how – with the school’s annual 4P party.
“It’s so much fun,” said Valerie Quezada, 11, a sixth-grader in Susan Carpenter’s class. “You get to go into all the classrooms and visit and have snacks, and it’s a good way to say Merry Christmas to all your friends.”
Although no one on the teaching staff is exactly sure how long 4P Day – the four P’s stand for pajamas, party, pizza and presents – has been a tradition at the small, rural school, teacher Nancy Wilcox says it has been held each of the 18 years she has been on staff.
“We have done this as long as I can remember,” said Wilcox, as her class of kindergarten and first-grade students run around waiting to cut into a large cake shaped like Frosty the Snowman. “When we were smaller, the whole school would meet and we would sing carols and open gifts and have a little party. Now that we have grown, we split the grades, but we still have the party, songs and gifts.”
Students and staff are encouraged to wear their pajamas to school on 4P Day, and in Wilcox’s class, the students are treated to a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon cooked by Wilcox and a handful of parent volunteers. Although some of the upper grades have to do a small amount of class work, for the most part, the day is devoted to friendship, admiring each other’s pajamas and the spirit of the holidays.
“I like wearing my pajamas to school,” Kevin Casillas, 8, said. “I like the party because it means that Christmas is almost here.”
“I slept in these pajamas!” said Taryn Selskie, 8. “I just got up, ate breakfast and went to school.”
In Renee Hodges fourth/fifth grade class, students share original stories they have written based on “T’was the Night before Christmas,” while Carpenter’s fifth and sixth graders sing carols and watch movies. Janet Caldera’s second and third graders work on gifts for their parents, and at noon, the Tres Pinos Parents Club serves up a lunch of pizza and drinks.
For the presents, students are asked to bring in a small age appropriate gift ranging from $5-$7. Girls buy presents for girls, boys for boys, and students are asked to put only their own names on the gifts. The teachers spend the morning sorting through the gifts, making sure there is something for everyone.
“I went shopping for my own present to give away,” Tasia Belton, 8 said. “It’s really fun. I like getting a present at school.”
Once the presents are sorted and lunch is finished, the younger students go back to their classrooms for more snacks, stories and songs. The two upper grade classrooms have their own smaller party, exchanging gifts and playing songs.
But the real action is just beginning – the kindergarten through sixth graders are clamoring their way into the school’s multi-use room, anticipating the arrival of a very special guest who will hand out their presents.
“I’m so excited because Santa Claus is coming!” Kylie Saling, 9, said. “I want to tell him what I want and to tell him thank you. I want to ask him for a Nintendo DS.”
“I already told Santa what I want,” adds Casillas. “I want a rocket ship that goes up into the air.”
Quickly the room is full, and a cheer goes up as Santa Claus comes into the room. Parents and teachers alike snap pictures and two staff members hand the gifts to Santa, who calls out the name of the recipient. As more and more students have presents in hand, it becomes harder and harder for Santa to be heard over the noise. The younger students, like kindergartners Garret Zaucha and Mason Holter, have a hard time waiting, but soon enough, everyone has a present and the sound of tearing wrapping paper fills the air.
“I feel like we are one of the few schools who still acknowledge Christmas,” said Wilcox, as she watches her students play with their new presents. “At so many schools today, the whole holiday is treated in such an ambiguous way. They’ll do cultural events, but nothing like this. And here, we learn about the different ways of celebrating and all the other holidays, but in this particular region, this is what we do. And no one has ever complained that we support the season.”
In fact, it appears most parents of Tres Pinos students appreciate the effort the staff goes to in wishing their children a Merry Christmas.
“We came from Gilroy, and the schools did a holiday party, but there was no religious affiliation or anything like that,” said parent Chris Preston. “There was usually a craft station, and cookies, and that was about all. I think this is a lot of fun for the kids. They are very excited and I think its good closure for the end of the year and the start of winter break.”
As 4P Day finally winds to a close, students pack up their gifts and their belongings while teachers and parents pick up trash. Hugs are given, Christmas wishes expressed and good-byes are said. And already, students are talking about next year’s celebration.
“This is pretty cool,” sixth-grader Nick Vargas said. “I’m glad we do this. It makes me pretty glad that I get to come to this school.”
