PRINCIPAL NOTES:  Many thanks to all of you for your generous donations to Sr. Margaret’s Pastoral Care Office for Thanksgiving Day.  Many people enjoyed a real feast.  Also, thank you for the generous amount of monetary donations coming in for Adopt-a-Family for the Pastoral Care Office.  We will truly make some children very happy at Christmas!

Cold weather is upon us.  Please be sure your child/ren are dressed appropriately for recess.  As long as it is not raining and the wind chill is reasonable, the students will play outside at lunch.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  We are all looking forward to a wonderful Christmas Program!

8TH GRADE GRADUATION PICTURES:  This is a reminder that graduation pictures for 8th  grade will be Monday, December 5th.  Cap and gown, as well as dress pictures, will be taken.  Boys should wear a tie.  No payment is due at this time.

CANDY/MAGAZINE SALE:  The World's Finest candy sale raised $8,100.00 for the school.  The credits toward commitment obligation/tuition credit paid to the families from that profit was $6,400.00!  The magazine sale earned $2,193.20, with $1,754.56 being given to families as a credit.  Thank you to everyone who participated and helped to make these sales a success!

WREATH / POINSETTIA PICK-UP is this Sunday, December 4th from 8:00 a.m. to Noon in the Windemere Room.

HOME RUN INN PIZZA DAY:  Don’t forget Home Run Inn pizza forms are due on December 6th for the December 13th pizza day.  Extras are not ordered, so please order in advance.

JANUARY HOT LUNCH:  Believe it or not, it is time to order January’s hot lunch.  Menus are included in today’s tidbit and order forms have been sent home with each child.  Forms are due by December 15th.  We are seeing more forgotten lunches lately and even though something will be provided for each student, it does cause some confusion in the lunch room.  Therefore, please remember to keep track of which days you have ordered lunch for your child.  Thank you.  If you have any questions, please call Nancy Brown at 387-7334.

BOX TOPS & TYSON LABELS RAFFLE UPDATE…There’s only 3 weeks left to earn entries into the Box Tops & Tyson Labels raffle for either a $25 Best Buy or Toys R Us gift certificate.  There is another collection sheet in today’s tidbit called “Falling into the Holidays with Box Tops.”  This collection sheet and/or the previous one, “Happy Thanksgiving”, can be used towards the raffle.  Just fill up all 10 spaces and earn 2 entries for the raffle, or fill up 5 spaces and earn 1 entry for the raffle.  Make sure to put your name, grade and teacher’s name on the collection sheet.  The Box Tops can be taped or glued to the collection sheet.  Also, Tyson labels are included in this raffle.  Each label earns 1 entry into the raffle.  Just write your name and grade on the back of it.  The winner will be picked on Tuesday, December 20th.  There are extra collection sheets in each classroom collection bottle or in the office.  Don’t forget to send in those Whole Grain symbols where each symbol gives our school another chance at winning 10,000 bonus box tops.  Thanks for all your help.

CHRISTMAS HISTORY:  Can you imagine not being able to say “Merry Christmas” freely?  From 1558 to 1829, the Catholics in England were not permitted to do so.  Therefore, they created this carol to express their faith and to remind the children of it at this time of year.

Twelve Days of Christmas
Partridge in a Pear Tree – is Jesus Christ
Two Turtle Doves – The Old and New Testaments
Three French Hens – Faith, Hope and Charity
Four Calling Birds – The Four Gospels
Five Golden Rings – The first five Books of the Old Testament, which outline humanities fall from grace.
Six Geese a-laying – The six days of Creation
Seven Swans a-swimming – Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight Maids a-milking – The Eight Beatitudes
Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten Lords a-leaping – The Ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers Piping – The eleven faithful Disciples
Twelve Drummers Drumming – The twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

When we hear this Christmas Carol, we can give thanks that we have the freedom to profess our Faith!