“It’s beginning to look a lot like…” well, you know how the rest of that festive tune goes! We have been slowly but surely unleashing the Christmas spirit here, and it was terrific to have the HPPPA on site this week to help us along with their wonderfully well-organised Secret Santa events.
I was delighted to hear from the co-chairs afterwards who told us (and I quote) “We cannot stress enough how polite and well-mannered the children were and, in particular, how carefully they chose gifts for their loved ones. We hope they enjoyed it as much as we did!” They also reported a record year for gift orders, and said how lovely it was to use the Pre-Prep Hall for the event for the first time.
Our magnificent tree is now standing proud at the Prep, and festive decorations have begun to emerge in the Pre-Prep too, all adding to the growing excitement as we head towards the Christmas holidays.
In my assembly next week, I shall be taking the pupils back to an imagined time when Father Christmas was himself a young boy. I have often wondered what he must have been like… Generous of spirit, of course, creative, adventurous and quite possibly the sort of young chap who left a trail of glitter, good cheer and half-finished inventions wherever he went. (Remind parents of anyone…??)
I suspect he would have fitted in rather well at Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep: thoughtful, enthusiastic, eager to help others, and brimming with energy and ideas. In fact, I would not be at all surprised if today’s Hampton Prep boys reminded him rather warmly of his own childhood, just with fewer reindeer hoofprints on the playground. Here’s to a joyful, sparkly, tinsel-tinged week ahead for us all!
