‘Tis the season to be...planning a lip-sync battle?
After an unusual year - to say the least - it’s fair to say this Christmas will be like no other.
But, with a show of dedication that really shouldn’t surprise us, given the sheer scale of ingenuity that schools have demonstrated this year, primaries up and down the country are refusing to let the pandemic stop the fun.
Christmas: Why I’ve got an 8ft inflatable snowman in my office
Secret Santa: The gifts no-one should buy or receive
Viewpoint: Why I wrote a rhyming staff panto (oh yes, I did!)
Asked by Twitter forum Primary Rocks how they are planning to celebrate the festive season with Covid restrictions in place, teachers shared their visions for everything from virtual pantos to bubble dinners to class lip-sync battles.
So prepare the twinkly lights, Santa hats and turkey trimmings, everyone - Christmas 2020 is going nowhere.
But how exactly are primaries planning to celebrate a Covid Christmas?
1. Virtual pantos and Christmas concerts
Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without a good singalong. But fear not: many primaries are planning online alternatives to the traditional school concert, including one primary where children will be performing carols in sign language. Virtual pantos are also proving popular.
Virtual concert. Children are signing the lyrics to Christmas Carols. Got a sneak park the other day and got so emotional- just beautiful!
Christmas bubble parties and Christmas school lunch in bubbles #PrimaryRocks
- SLamprecht (@MrsLamprecht) November 30, 2020
Virtual Christmas concert using green screen & a who’s host of other stuff (I’ll be dressing as an elf next week & Carol singing on doorsteps...??) pic.twitter.com/37z8fQwBi0
- Sue O’Malley (@Suey2chaussures) November 30, 2020
2. Reindeer visits
Rudolph and co. will be making an appearance at many schools this season - including Jamie Nairn’s primary in Northampton.
We’re doing virtual panto, festive films, visit from reindeers, Christmas lunch, virtual church service & Christmas dress up day. #PrimaryRocks
- Jamie Nairn (@covrules) November 30, 2020
3. Bubble Christmas lunches
Turkey, spuds and sprouts. What more do you need? There’s no appetite for busy school lunches this year, for obvious reasons, but lots of primaries are planning dinners for individual bubbles.
nativity and songs - classes recorded separately then edited together - shared on zoom so we can all watch together, egg box tree which everyone’s added to, Christmas dinner (in bubbles in the hall) with decs made by children, Christmas clothes day.
- SallyH (@sallyhhk) November 30, 2020
4. Santa’s grottos
We can’t leave Santa out. One school has organised three Santas and three grottos for the different phases, so Father Christmas himself can join the party.
A1: parties within phases (that’s how we have bubbled), Christmas decoration day, Christmas dinner and Christmas jumper day, Santa’s Grotto - 3 different santas and 3 grottos for the different phases, talent show performed via Teams ?
- Little Miss Deputy (@missdoelteach) November 30, 2020
5. Festive socks...all month
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Festive from your head to your toes!
Raffle instead of a fare, festive socks all month, xmas dinner with jumpers in bubbles and recording the performance for school website. Small adoptions to the usual stuff really and just got the okay on singing! (Outside in the cold but don’t care! ?)
- Vic Allaway (@Ms_Eowyn_Rohan) November 30, 2020
6. Nativity plays
The traditional Nativity is a hallmark of so many primaries across the country at Christmas time - so it’s great to know some schools have found a way to tell the story despite restrictions being in force.
Christmas Nativity is being filmed in separate parts so class bubbles don’t mix, singing done outside. Class parties. All feels a bit odd but the children seem happy and I’m hoping my classroom is all decorated after my afternoon off ? #PrimaryRocks
- Sarah Wilson (@SarahWilsonBFC) November 30, 2020
Carol service - each class recording as part of a project with @CanaryWharfGrp. Nativity retelling during Zoom collective worship and Panto on my birthday (16th) with @NorfolkMusicHub - remains to be seen whether we can encourage everyone to dress up for the panto! #PrimaryRocks
- ?? ????????? (@GriffithsMr) November 30, 2020
7. Christmas jumper days
No excuses - dig out your ugliest jumper and get in the Christmas spirit.
Christmas Dinners and Parties in classes and of course Christmas Jumper day... pic.twitter.com/AoAtQmMRO8
- Ash K (@KirwanAshley) November 30, 2020
8. Christmas postbox with quarantined post
If you’d suggested quarantining Christmas cards this time last year, you may have been accused of enjoying a little too much mulled wine. However, after the strangest year anyone can remember, it seems a perfectly reasonable way to wrap up 2020.
#PrimaryRocks As much as we can with adjustments - class parties, using PE hall time and carefully planned games, Christmas Postbox with quarantined post, Christmas lunch with crackers and carols and a longer lunch sitting, video compilation for parents etc
- TeacherCath (@teacher_cath) November 30, 2020
9. A whole week of Christmas
You can’t accuse this school of lacking festive spirit!
we’re doing a Christmas week in bubbles. Monday is craft day, Tuesday is our carol concert, Wednesday is Christmas dinner and party day and Thursday is Boxing Day, movies and pjyamas
- Stacey Smith (@Staceyface_88) November 30, 2020
10. Christmas-themed lip-sync battles
Sounds chaotic. We love it.
Christmas lunch in bubbles, performing reception #Nativity on #GoogleLive for parents & having a #lipsync battle in classes filmed with a Christmas theme for each bubble w. everyone dressed up on performance day. Children also able to wear Xmas Jumpers thru December?#PrimaryRocks
- Tash (@NorthDevonTeach) November 30, 2020
