REIDSVILLE, N.C. — Students have missed out on a lot of social interaction during this pandemic. The parties and celebration they are used to having during school have been canceled because of COVID-19.

One school in Rockingham County decided to take the celebration outside.  Teachers and administrators turned South End Elementary School into a Winter Wonderland for a night.

It was an idea presented to the teachers by the principal — and they loved it. According to teacher Melissa Landreth “We were all excited. This staff here at South End school, they are the best for their children. I mean, we, we will go over and beyond for our students and we love them and we just want them to know that.”

They put in hours of extra work, before and after school, all because they miss their students.

“We miss our babies so bad,” said Landreth. “We want to tell them how much we love them. And we miss doing all these Christmas crafts and just, just the excitement of Christmas.”

According to principal Hunter Smothers, “This is a very family-oriented school. We are a fairly small elementary school here in Rockingham County and the teachers and the students we’re all just a big happy family. We support each other. They’re always here for each other and that just makes this place very special.”

The students were given fun crafts and books to take home to keep them busy during the holiday break.