Dear Elementary School had quite the excitement this past week with Principal Marlaine Boyd reading “The Night Before Christmas” and then a visit from the jolly, old man himself, Santa Claus. Boyd even had a fun fact: the original storybook was from a newspaper poem anonymously written under the title “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” in 1823, which was later written into a book along with illustrations and later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who claimed authorship in 1837. As all the kindergarten children were in pajamas, stuffed animals in their laps, they all listened carefully to the storybook. Boyd told the story with compassion as Mr. Claus entered the room. He asked the children to tell him what they wanted for Christmas all at once and to make sure milk and cookies were left for him on Christmas Eve. Toward the end of Claus’ visit, as he departed to make his way back to the North Pole, each student was able to say, “Hi” and give Santa a hug.