The Season of Joy: Celebrating Light, Creativity, and Gratitude at St. Victor School
- Jessica Paige Glenn
- Dec 17
- 4 min read
At St. Victor School, December is more than a countdown to Christmas, it’s a season rooted in joy, reflection, and faith. As we journey through Advent together, our campus and community are alive with traditions that invite students to pause, celebrate, and share their gifts with others.
From downtown San Jose to our own school stage, this season reminds us that joy is better together.
Joy in the Community: Our Christmas in the Park Trees
This year, St. Victor School is proudly represented at Christmas in the Park with two trees, both thoughtfully decorated by our Student Council as a field trip, an opportunity for these student leaders to represent our school beyond campus.
While both trees were decorated by the same group of student leaders, each tells a distinct story:
One tree represents St. Victor School as a whole, highlighting our Student Learning Expectations (forming Children of Faith, Lifelong Learners, and Caring & Responsible Citizens) the values that guide our students both in and beyond the classroom.
The second tree celebrates our Preschool community, honoring the joy, curiosity, and sense of wonder that mark the very beginning of a child’s educational journey at St. Victor.
The shared theme across both trees is Joy and Gratitude, a reflection intentionally rooted in the season of Advent. In the spirit
of Advent, our students are learning that preparing room for Christ also means offering their gifts—creativity, kindness, and joy—to others with open hearts. During Advent, our students are also invited to pause and reflect on what they already have, practicing gratitude in a season when the world so often asks them what they want, rather than what they are thankful for.
Many of the ornaments were handmade by our students, each one a small act of creativity and self-expression, while our dedicated Parent–Teacher Group, led by Mrs. Rosas, lovingly created the remaining details, including the beautiful branded glass ornaments and the oversized bows that bring the trees together.
Together, these contributions celebrate the gifts within our community and the joy that comes from sharing creativity beyond our campus, offering something made with care to brighten the season for others throughout San Jose.
Joy on Stage: Our Christmas Program
Few traditions capture the spirit of St. Victor quite like our annual Christmas Program, which took place last Friday evening. Under the direction of Mrs. Leslie Legacion Campos (“Mrs. L”), students across grade levels shared a joyful selection of Christmas carols, filling the evening with music familiar and beloved by generations.
For many families, the Christmas Program is a cherished evening of community; a chance to come together and share in the joy of watching our students sing. As children stand confidently on stage and lift their voices, families experience the pride of seeing their own child—and every child—shine. That sense of connection carries into the reception afterward, as warm Christmas wishes are exchanged, conversations linger in the Parish Hall, and children run and play while adults smile and say things like, “He did so good,” or “She sang so well.” about each other's children. In those moments, the meaning of the proverbial village comes to life and serves as a reminder that raising children is a shared joy, and that at St. Victor, we celebrate not only our own children, but one another’s.
Joy in Tradition: Las Posadas and the Journey of Advent
As Advent continues, our classrooms are filled with opportunities for prayer, reflection, and preparation. One of our most meaningful upcoming traditions is Las Posadas, a celebration rooted in Hispanic Catholic culture that invites students to reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter.
Through this experience, students come to appreciate Mary and Joseph’s journey of rejection. As doors are shut in their faces, students are called to respond with kindness and compassion. Las Posadas offers a tangible and relatable way for students to live out their faith, reinforcing what it means to be a Caring and Responsible Citizen—one who notices others, opens doors, and makes space for those in need. After all, who hasn’t experienced rejection? When we live out our faith and strive to be the face of Jesus, we are reminded that even small acts of kindness—offering shelter, patience, or care on someone’s hard day—can make all the difference, just as a humble innkeeper once did for Mary and Joseph.
Joy That Lasts Beyond the Season
As we celebrate this Season of Joy, we are grateful for the many ways our students, families, and staff support one another and share in the growth of every child. Advent invites us to slow down, notice what we already have, and give thanks for a community where children are known, encouraged, and celebrated together. It’s in these everyday moments on campus and beyond that many families begin to see what it means to be part of a school that nurtures children with care, purpose, and joy.
What It Means to Be a Charger
Throughout the Season of Joy, our students are learning that being a Charger is about more than participating in traditions or writing to Santa, it’s about how we show up for one another. It means using creativity to bring joy to others, practicing gratitude in a season of abundance, and recognizing that faith is lived through everyday actions of kindness, encouragement, and service.
Whether our students are decorating trees for the wider community, singing together on stage, or walking alongside the Holy Family during Las Posadas, they are learning that joy grows when it is shared—and that each of them has something meaningful to offer.
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