The cafeteria at Lakehill Preparatory School came alive Dec. 11 with a multigenerational celebration.

The annual holiday luncheon, a tradition for many elderly residents of East Dallas and the Lakehill family, enabled members of the senior class, along with their parents and class sponsors, to join forces with members of the junior and sophomore classes and provide a memorable holiday experience for our senior citizen neighbors.

Santa’s helper’s Michaela Rollins, Arden Stringer, and Eleni Wilsmann visit with Lakehill’s Chairman of the Board Brent Rosenthal, Headmaster Roger Perry, and philanthropist Charles Wyly.

This year's event was the largest with 150 guests, including regulars, in attendance.

Food, music, and conversations with the students filled the cafeteria with the holiday spirit.

Guests received a variety of gifts, including framed photos with the junior class Santa, Mrs. Claus, reindeer, and elves; poinsettias; and gift-filled stockings.

For many guests, this annual event is the highlight of their holiday season.

"I am not sure who looks forward to this day more — the senior citizens in the community or all of us here at Lakehill,” Headmaster Roger Perry said. “It is a wonderful tradition that truly reinforces the meaning of the holidays."

The event allowed all grade levels to participate in the festivities. The senior class decorated the cafeteria and served as hosts, hostesses, and food servers, while their parents prepared the meal and staffed the kitchen.

Juniors — dressed as elves, reindeer, Santa, and Mrs. Claus — visited with guests and posed for pictures. Sophomores served as photographers, preparing the framed photos to present to guests as they left the luncheon.

Student groups sang holiday songs during the luncheon. Students in all grade levels helped by donating the items that were used to fill the stockings.

"The holiday luncheon requires a tremendous amount of teamwork, and we are grateful not only for all the help that the students, faculty, and staff give us but also for the what-can-I-do-to-help attitude that everyone seems to have every year," said senior sponsor Evan Matthews.

Given that they were dressed as reindeer and other spirits of the season, the Lakehill junior class carried on a long-standing tradition the same day with the school's annual Holiday Parade and Reindeer Games.

Complete with dancing reindeer, joyful elves, and even Santa and Mrs. Claus riding in a red convertible, the holiday parade is staged each year for the benefit of Lakehill's Lower School students.

Immediately following the holiday luncheon, lower school students line the parade route. After the parade, juniors lead the younger students onto the field for Reindeer

Games, including Red Light, Green Light and Santa Says and an afternoon of holiday fun.

Sunjae Jung and Kate Fosha help set up for the holiday luncheon.

Kaitlyn Wilson offers guest Maria a holiday poinsettia.

Jamie Schwartz, bottom, and Eshe Rasheed welcome guests.

Neighborhood residents Lila Brooks, Laura Watson, and Sandra Burns get a visit from Lakehill juniors Nia Rasheed and Charles Burch.

Alison Hanson welcomes Louise Kelly, 93.

Juniors Kathleen Evans and Eleni Wilsmann entertain second-grader Loveth Heard.

Santa and Mrs. Claus front the holiday parade at Lakehill Preparatory School.

Junior girls follow the Clausmobile in the Reindeer Games Parade for lower school students.

Eight tiny reindeer? And they're all Prancer?

John Godbey leads lower school students in the Reindeer Games.

Katherine Crocker prepares for the Reindeer Games.

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