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It's Christmas time at the Free School! |
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Our Christmas film, 'Christmas...Free (School) Style' is finally here! The film is password protected, so you will need the password which has been sent to your registered email address. Could we please ask that you do not share this password on social media to respect the privacy of all children involved. Many thanks.
The film features all classes from Reception to Year 6 singing and performing fabulous Christmas music with our wonderful Music teacher Mrs Masterson. She worked extremely hard with the children to produce brilliant music across the school. A huge thanks also needs to go out to Ian Anderson who has produced this amazing film. I'm sure you'll all agree that it looks fabulous. He's worked incredibly hard to make this Christmas special.
Thank you also to everyone who has donated. You've still got time to go online and contribute - just follow the links below...
DONATIONS
As putting together a film has meant additional costs this year, I would like to ask if you would be able to offer a donation towards the film. The film will be free to all to watch, but if you are able to support us with this it would be greatly appreciated. The Friends of the Free School have kindly put together an Eventbrite page where you can donate. Once on the page, click on 'register'. Don't worry about how many 'tickets' you need as the film will be available for all on the school website (you can just click on '1 ticket'). To donate, write in an amount in the 'donations' box where it says 'raffle'. There is a suggested donation price of £3, but feel free to write in an amount (more or less!) that you are happy with.
Here is the link to the Eventbrite page:
Thank you so much for your support, and as always, please direct any questions regarding this to my inbox: l.stiles@haaf.org.uk
See below the marvellous Christmas wreaths that Ruth George-Jones featuring little snippets of artwork from across the school.
The Friends of the Free School are running a whole host of events this Christmas, including live musical events on Sunday (you may even see Mr Conway as part of the ensemble!). To see what's going on, click here to visit their website.
FEDERATION CAROL CONCERT
If you haven't caught it already, you can see some of our pupils from Years 4, 5 & 6 performing in our Federation wide Carol Concert. Watch it below or visit our Federation website here.
Haberdashers' Aske's Federation Christmas Carol Service 2020 from Haberdashers' Aske's Federation on Vimeo.
Each year we are visited by St. Nikolaus. For those of you who are new to the school, Nikolaus is a German tradition, where on the night of the 5th December, children leave a shoe out ready for Sankt Nikolaus to fill it with sweets and goodies.
Saint Nikolaus was born in around AD280 and died on 6th December, AD343. He was a 4th Century Christian saint, from Lycia, which is now known as Turkey. Nikolaus used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. It is said that Saint Nikolaus performed many miracles. Nicholas is most famous for his kindness towards three daughters of a poor man. Saint Nikolaus heard of the man’s sadness, so one night, under cover of darkness, he went to the man’s house. He didn't want to embarrass the man by giving him the money, so instead Nikolaus threw three purses filled with gold coins, through an open window. He wanted no reward or recognition for his kindness.
Today, Saint Nikolaus is still celebrated as a great gift-giver in several Western European and Central European countries.
In the Netherlands and Germany, children put their shoes out on the night before Saint Nikolaus Day. The next morning, children wake up to find their shoes are filled with small presents from Saint Nikolaus.
Children across the school have also been learning about Christingle. A Christingle is a symbolic object used in the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany services of many Christian denominations. Christingle, from a word of German origin, Christkindl, meaning 'Little Christ Child', is used to celebrate Jesus Christ as the "Light of the World".
Our very exciting Christmas film will be posted here next week. In the meantime, enjoy the artwork that children have made to celebrate the '12 days of Christmas', which traditionally forms the finale of our Christmas concert...
On the first day of Christmas...
