Christmas Party with the 2nd Graders

	I had a chance to hang out with the kids a bit before the party started and take some pictures. That girl in the back always seems to have that expression.
	...Then the rest of the kids got wind of the fact that I was taking pictures and this is as far away as I could get the camera.
	The first game was Christmas puzzles - basically the teacher made a bunch of Christmas pictures (or had the students make them... I wasn't sure), cut them apart, and had the kids use tape to reassemble them. Winners are from left to right. My group was the Christmas tree...
	Then I was treated to a pianica/piano/hand bell concert. They played the song (When You Wish Upon a Star) over and over again, rotating who got the bell in rows until everyone had a chance.
	Next was What Time is it, Santa Claus? - a game originally entitled What Time is it Mr. Wolf where the kids ask what time it is, Mr. Wolf - who is at the other end of the classroom responds with a time (say, 3 o'clock), and the kids take that many steps (3) towards him. They then ask again. When Mr. Wolf says "Dinnertime!" He turns to face them and chases them back towards the starting point. The first one he catches is the next Mr. Wolf. Of course, most of the kids took steps way too large, such that they crossed the whole room in 5 steps or less. The other kids thought the point was to not get caught and so took baby steps, never getting anywhere near the other side of the room.
	As a case in point, here's everyone clustered around Santa Claus (Mr. Wolf) after he said 8 o'clock.
	Next we have the ever-popular Fruit Basket Christmas Version!
	During which more than one kid took a dive. It's all in good fun though.
	Then there was a dance to some distinctly non-Christmas music.
	They got a lot of moving in though. I had a bunch of games in here, but I was too busy to take pictures.
	The sign at the front of the classroom reads "minna kirakira kagayako" or roughly translated with my poor Japanese ability, "Every child sparkles brilliantly". That may be wrong, but it's a guess. Word-by-word it translates as "Everyone sparkling brilliant/bright child."
	Here are the day's lunch servers in their usual getup. Everyone brings an apron and scarf to school for when it's their turn.
	This is from Akari-chan's room (she's the special-ed child). I liked these pictures illustrating how not to behave.

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