A walking, talking, lighted Christmas tree was judged the top costume among faculty participants Friday morning at Malabar Intermediate School.
More than two dozen teachers dressed as Santas, elves and other holiday characters delighted students seated in the gym for morning assembly.
Fourth-grade teacher Sandy Overholt was a clear favorite. Only her face showed in a head-to-toe Christmas tree made of cardboard and green crepe paper trimmed in battery-powered colored lights. A huge star adorned her head.
“It took only a couple of hours to make,” Overholt said. “Don Snyder (Malabar art teacher) helped me.”
Elves Brad Strong and Amy Bartlett placed second, while the “Deck the Halls” theme of Jennifer Plaisted and Beth Steiner took third.
“It’s been a hoot this morning,” Principal Andrea Moyer said. “From the time the kids walked in their jaws were dropping. It was a fun way to start the day.”
Moyer had promised that the winner of the costume contest would win a week free of duties outside the classroom – no cafeteria or assembly monitoring, no student pick-up or drop-off duty. But, apparently in the spirit of the season, she announced that all costumed participants would receive a week free of extra duty.
The Santas and elves cheered and applauded.
Moments later, as students filed down the main hallway to their classrooms, Moyer reflected on the scheduling challenge ahead to provide the duty-free weeks.
"I’m not sure what I opened the door to,” she said, laughing.