Grade 4 student Chessa Miller, Shayla Miller, in Grade 4, and Grade 4 student Lauren Bradford say they are looking forward to Santa’s Workshop at their school in mid-December. Sarah Bess Miller (in the rear) is Santa’s head elf at for the annual shop which relies on donations.

The students of Nicomekl Elementary will be going shopping on Dec. 17.
While not unusual, they will be shopping for others and the lesson to be learned is about the joy of giving.

The school has its Santa’s Workshop store, this year decorated in a gingerbread theme.
Students, no matter their economic circumstances, select one gift for each member of their household and even get it gift wrapped.

Santa, who was able to fit a visit to the school into his busy schedule in 2013, will again make an appearance on that day to tour the classes to talk to students about the joy of giving.

“When I went to school, we did a store like this,” head elf Sarah Bess Miller said.
This helps the kids go from “me, me, me” to thinking about others and the joy they receive from giving.

Then Santa’s helpers (a.k.a. Miller and other volunteers) ready the store which will be open Dec. 17, which just happens to fall right before the annual Christmas pancake breakfast cooked up by teachers.

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Photograph By Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance