CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES
Children at Acorns Day Nursery in Gomersal, West Yorkshire (top), put on a Christmas concert for families and friends, while children from London Early Years Foundation Nursery at Furze Children’s Centre in Chadwell Heath, Essex (bottom), performed Christmas songs to residents at Chadwell House Care Home.
Elmscot Day Nursery in Cheshire (top) and Wise Owl Private Day Nursery in Scunthorpe (bottom) invited parents to watch their children perform in the settings’ Christmas plays.
FESTIVE FUNDRAISING
Snapdragons Nursery in Weston, Bath, turned the setting into a winter wonderland in aid of the Forever Friends Appeal, a campaign to raise money for a pioneering cancer centre at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. The nursery’s winter wonderland, which featured Father Christmas, stalls and festive treats, raised £2,000 for the appeal.
Polwhele House, a prep school in Truro, Cornwall, raised over £12,000 for four local charities in the run up to Christmas. Over two hundred pounds of the total donation was raised through the pre-prep’s nativity play.
Chartered insurance brokers Pound Gates (above) have been getting into the Christmas giving spirit, cycling 25 miles and dressing up as Santa Claus to raise more than £6,000 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.
Children who attend Virgin Active Health Clubs’ Nursery club (below) last month also contributed to charity by making up shoe boxes with a range of gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child appeal.
A SURPRISE FROM SANTA
Elvetham Heath Day Nursery in Elvetham Heath, Hampshire (top) received an impromptu visit from Santa after a member of staff invited Morrisons’ Father Christmas to the setting to help him warm up.
Children at Busy Bees Nursery at Milton Keynes Hospital (bottom) were also treated to a surprise visit from Santa Claus when he popped in to join them for breakfast.
CHRISTMAS MODELLING
Children at Happy Child Montessori Day Nursery in Eltham, London (top) organised a Christmas party for children and their parents. Children created their own tree and Santa’s grotto using junk modelling materials to decorate the setting.
Children from Treetops Nursery in Dudley (bottom) also made an eco-friendly Christmas tree out of cardboard tubes, plastic bottles and old newspapers.
A GERMAN CHRISTMAS
The Old Station Nursery at the Marina in Lincoln welcomed a German parent to the setting to teach the children about festive traditions in her country.
Along with making a gingerbread house, the children left their shoes outside the setting to see if St Nicholas would leave them a treat, as is custom in Germany on 5 December. When the children went to collect their shoes they saw they had all been left a gift in their shoes.
CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION
Four-year-old Elissa Demetriou from Beckenham in the London borough of Bromley was delighted to be crowned the winner of a national Christmas card competition run by Computershare Voucher Services (CVS).
Elissa bowled judges over with her Christmas card design, which featured two angels made from colourful handprints. Her winning image will be used on CVS’ official company e-card.
The CVS Design A Christmas Card competition was open to children up to 16 years old. Elissa’s design was chosen as the winner in the 0-5 year old category, winning her £150 worth of arts and crafts supplies.
REINDEER FLY INTO NURSERY
The boys and girls in Mulberry House Nursery at Wakefield Girls' High School in West Yorkshire received a surprise visit from two of Santa’s reindeer, after their Christmas Nativity play.
They stayed to say hello before going back to Lapland to help Rudolph and the rest of the crew get ready for their important journey on 24 December. The children learnt all about what reindeer like to eat and about their antlers.
NATIVITY SCENE
Children at Luton Street Community Nursery re-enacted the Nativity scene to celebrate the festive season. Mervelee Myers, the nursery's EYFS co-ordinator, said, 'As a multicultural community of practice catering for children of diverse muticultural heritage and ethnicity we take great pride in celebrating festivals throughout the calendar year. Taking the majority of children's interests of playing with dolls and animals we decided to reinact the Nativity scene to help children celebrate this festive season. This was a massive success.' 
AWARDS CEREMONY
Staff at Little Rascals Day Nursery in Aldridge, the West Midlands, took part in an awards afternoon to celebrate their achievements. Categories included: having the biggest impact on the learning environment; being the most supportive to others; and having the biggest impact on a child. 
CHRISTMAS BABY BOOM
As we are approaching the night Christ was born more than 2,000 years ago, nursery chain Busy Nought to Fives has announced a baby boom. Six members of staff in seven different settings in the North West are pregnant.
CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING
Cornwall preparatory school Polwhele House in Truro has raised more than £1,200 for four local charities, including Children’s Hospice South West and the Air Ambulance, in the run up to Christmas.
A collection at the pre-prep's Nativity raised £250, while a Christmas bazaar and a cocktail party organised by parents raised £1,030. Pictured from left to right are Benji, Mathew and Ethan.