Take a break from the yearbook work for some food and holiday fun

In December, the sun only shines about nine and a half hours a day – less in Alaska. Your yearbook staff may be getting to school when it’s dark and leaving when it’s dark. And the upcoming holidays only bring stress, as you and your students work to meet deadlines and prepare for the festivities.

So, take your own break before your school break with one of these ideas for celebrating the season and having fun.

• Hang holiday lights. Relieve stress by turning off the classroom lights and working from the light of holiday lights.

• Think of others. Collect canned goods or coats for kids and donate them, or adopt a family and provide for their holiday. Some elementary schools have a backpack program where they send needy students home with food for the holidays since they will not have school lunches. There are many ways to give during the holiday season.

• Honor Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. On a work night, have a holiday dinner that includes turkey, tamales, latkes, green bean casserole, jelly doughnuts and banana custard with raisins.

• Have a cookie exchange. Have everyone bring two dozen cookies to share, one to eat in class and one to exchange, plus a container. Wouldn’t you and your staff love to take home a variety of cookies to share with family and friends?

• Celebrate Poinsettia Day. The actual day is Dec. 12, but sometime that that week, take images of poinsettias and practice altering them in Photoshop or InDesign for a design contest. Print and hang as seasonal decorations.

• Name that right. On Bill of Rights Day, Dec. 15, make up a game to have staff match the number of the amendment to the rights it guarantees.