Holy Name students make good for Christmas

When it comes to the true meaning of Christmas, Holy Name of Mary School students know what they’re talking about.

Each student has contributed to the Advent Tree, which adorns the front lobby of the Catholic elementary school in Valley Stream. On a cardboard angel, each child wrote one promise to God they plan to keep this Christmas season.

Before Thanksgiving, girls from the fifth-grade class cut out these angels and distributed them to each class during the first week of Advent. Students used colored pencils, crayons, markers and glitter to decorate their angel, then wrote a promise on the back.

Some of the promises this year include remembering to love Jesus, respecting their parents and their teachers, sharing with others, being kind and telling the truth. Each child then put their angel on the tree with the older students taking the higher spots to cover it with promises from top to bottom.

Fifth-grader Andre Cisco said the tree will serve as a reminder for each student of what their promise is for Advent. Alex Bellotte said anyone can stop to read the promises, and get ideas for other good deeds they can do this season. And Jaclyn Manicado said it is good to prepare for Jesus’s arrival later this month.

This is the third year the school has done the Advent angel tree. For Gabriella Patino, it bring the students together, but also brings them closer to God. And Joseph Papillo said everyone should not take lightly what they wrote on the back of their angel. “When you make a promise to God,” he said, “you should follow through.”