Breakfast with Santa, held Saturday, Dec. 3 in and around the main commons, embodied the holiday cheer and spirit as children, mostly in elementary school, spent the morning in a classic Christmas world.
Seniors served the children, who enjoyed a continental-style breakfast, face painting and other crafts. This annual event was a means to raise money for many of the seniors’ end-of-the-year activities such as prom, banquet and senior picnic. Seniors involved were members of National Honor Society and Tri-Theta, among other clubs.
Besides a fundraiser, however, Breakfast with Santa was an opportunity for service and volunteer work, as well as just a time for children and their families to get together.
“The seniors serve the kids and adults their breakfast,” senior Shelby Smith said, “and [they] help with the crafts and making sure everything runs smoothly for the kids.”
In addition to serving breakfast, the seniors and their parents were in charge of almost every aspect of the event contributing to the festive atmosphere.
True to its name, one of the main highlights of Breakfast with Santa was Santa Claus. This year, RBHS parents dressed up as Santa, and the children and parents who attended looked forward to hanging out with him.
Smith liked “seeing the little kids’ faces light up when it’s their turn to meet Santa and they run straight into his arms,” Smith said. “The look on the kids’ faces, thinking that they’re really meeting Santa – it’s just priceless,” Smith said.
Many of the students who volunteered at Breakfast with Santa agreed their favorite part was hanging out with smaller children.
“Talking with kids makes you feel so innocent; I felt like I was enjoying it with them,” senior Ben Inslee said. “They just kind of brought me back to my childhood.”
This year, the elves were worthy of being on Santa’s good lists; they made sure the kids genuinely loved their experience, activities director David Bones.
“I’ve never seen better elves,” Bones said. “I watched as they interacted with our guests. They were amazing. The kids just loved it.”
Although the event took time and effort – seniors arrived as early as 7:30 a.m. Saturday to set up —those who took the time to volunteer at Breakfast with Santa said they were mostly there to help out and enjoy.
“It’s more fun for the kids, more fun for the families,” Inslee said. “It’s a family oriented deal whereas anyone can make cookies. It’s just something makes you want to help more. Once you do it, you want to do it again.”
By Isaac Paseley
[nggallery id=23] Photos by Muhammad Al-Rawi