After watching the children in our elementary school light up with excitement as their names were randomly pulled out to recieve thier bicycles...I had to write this article to express that our school Manchester Elementary found the true meaning of Christmas...giving. This is a picture of a little boy in my classroom who after choosing his new bike stated, "This is the first bicycle that I've ever had...thank you."

The True Meaning of Christmas
Written By Joyce Bowling
December 16th 2006
All Rights Reserved

On December 14th I witnessed what I considered a Christmas miracle, before my very eyes. In the world in which we live today many people have forgotten or maybe some have never known the true meaning of Christmas. When Jesus was born we recieved the ultimate Christmas gift....our Savior who in turn gave us the opportunity for life eternal. Christmas is should be celebrated with the gift of giving with a free compassionate heart in representation of the gifts that were given to baby Jesus. I must say that the elementary school where I teach first grade displayed a true meaning of Christmas this week.

On December 14th over six hundred people gathered in the gymnasium to watch their children, students, and others perform their class Christmas program, while the children performed skits such as Frosty, Rudolph, and others faculty and several of the older students were preparing a grand surprize for 50 lucky children.

Teachers had been asked to send several lists of names to our reading coordinator who also is responsible for many of our programs. These lists were to consist of student's names who had perfect attendance, straight A's, good behavior, timely homework, a general roster with all students names, and a list of needy students. These lists allowed every child an opportunity to win a prize, and those names that were on more than one list an even greater opportunity to win, some children's names were listed six times.

After the plays, songs, and skits were complete...the grand announcement was made, and fifty brand new bicycles were brought into the gym. A hush fell over the student body who had been sitting for over an hour watching the program. One by one Ms. Word pulled students names from the baskets, one by one students came forward to claim their bicycles. But the greatest gift wasn't just the bicycles, it was watching those students whose names were pulled out that were...shall I say more fortunate than others, or those who already had a bicycle ask if they could donate their bicycle back so another student would have the opportunity to win it. Twelve of the fifty students names that were randomly drawn volunteered to give their bicycle to a child who didn't have a bike or a friend whom they thought needed one, or couldn't buy one, and some who just wanted to give. Fifty children left that day with a brand new bike while the entire school faculty, and student body as well as parents and friends in community left with a warm feeling of being a part of such a wonderful and warm display of the true meaning of Christmas.

The bicycles were donated by businesses in the community of Manchester, parents, faculty, and residents of our small town. This has become a tradition that has grown at our school during the past five years, it began with two bicycles and has grown each year, who knows what next year will hold for our school? I am anxious to see and be a part of this truly warm display of giving.