Tomorrow is what is traditionally my favorite day of the school year -- the last day of school before winter break. Winter break is glorious, just because it's this time of year when a break is so appreciated. We get a measly 12 days off this year, but even that is cause for celebration.
But I like the day more for just the onset of vacation. Winter break begins with the class holiday party, the kids wearing their Santa hats and reindeer antler headbands, the office and the teachers' lounge being filled up with all kinds of treats, music playing all day long, and what is generally a happy, festive atmosphere. People exchange gifts and good wishes, and generally the day is full of positivity and people showing each other the kind of affection and appreciation that wouldn't be such a bad thing to see more frequently. I like spending a happy day with my students, having reached a point in the school year where we've been together long enough to have bonded, knowing that even though I'll be separated from them for those 12 days, I'll get them back again in January.
But there is another good thing about the last day before break: Gift Card Day.
If kids ever ask me what I'd like for Christmas, I don't even hesitate anymore, or offer up any kind of pretense: "Either get me a gift card or a Christmas tree ornament." My tree is thick with a garbage-pizza variety of ornaments collected over the years, and I always enjoy revisiting them when the season comes around. But gift cards are also pretty awesome.
You see, teachers view the collection of holiday gift cards as a litmus test of which students love them the most, and of course, of which teachers are the most universally loved in the school. If you can't crack $100 on a Christmas in a strong economy, you might as well look for another line of work 'cause you just ain't reachin' anyone.
Some tips out there for parents: $20 is the optimal amount; $10 is still respectable, though doesn't get you as far, and $25 is just a sign of someone trying too hard. $5? Please. Don't waste my time. And for the love of food, please do a little research before you buy. Don't assume we (and by "we" I mean all teachers) drink coffee. I don't. So don't screw me with a Caribou card that I'll probably just pass on to my sister, because it's not like you were buying her a gift now, was it? And it's not always great to get one from somewhere really specific, like "here's a gift card to a nice chain restaurant, but the nearest location is in Owatonna and it's only open on Thursday nights." Target always works. And Borders, for me, is the grail of the gift card. I'm in pretty good shape so far, since Gift Card Day is still tomorrow and my total for the year is already sitting at a respectable $55. (Once I break that $100 mark I'll be able to breathe a little easier.) And one of the coolest things I've gotten so far this year other than gift cards? A little metal gift-card sized box.... meant for storing gift cards. Hooray!!!!!
Disclaimer: Anyone who read the two previous paragraphs and took a single word of it seriously just does not get my sense of humor. If that's the case, you really need to find another blog to follow.
In all seriousness, it is the warmth and affection and companionship and appreciation everyone at school shows each other on that final day before break that I love the most. It makes me wish there were more days like that to soak up.
All right, moving on. The "Infinity" nod up in my post title refers to my 2009 Nanowrimo book. Remember how I won? Woo-hoo!! Anyway, the book is finally getting some circulation and feedback. My favorite bit of this so far came from today, when one of my students -- the first person from the intended age group, and actually someone who fell right into the target demographic I wrote for -- finished reading it. She did talk to me afterward with some enthusiasm for it and had some comments about it when she passed it along to another teacher -- my Life Coach -- that I wish I'd been there to hear.
Incidentally, anyone who would still like to read it and wouldn't mind reading it off a computer screen or printing it themselves should just let me know, and I'll send you a copy of the PDF. And for those people who've had copies of that PDF for a few weeks now, hey, FEEL FREE to let me know what you think / thought. The day will come soon when I start revising it for real, and the more opinions I can collect the more I'll have to think about.
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