Happy Christmas J11. Nadolig hapus dosbarth J11. Thank you all for working so hard throughout your first term in Year 6. Mae pawb wedi gweithio yn galed iawn drwy'r tymor. Everyone has given their best and should be proud of what they have achieved. You only have to look back through our class blog to see all the different activities you have enjoyed. I have been so impressed with the quality of the work you have produced and with the way in which you have behaved. You all deserve a happy and enjoyable Christmas holiday. I hope Father Christmas brings you everything you want! If you have time, you can let me know what presents you have for Christmas by posting a comment below. Thanks to all your parents and families for their support throughout the term. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Nadolig llawen a Flwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd.   

December 18th - Day 18
Christmas wreaths are hung on people's doors at Christmas time as a symbol of welcome and a long, happy life ahead.

Day 17 - December 17th
The largest Christmas pudding on record weighed 7,231 pounds, and was made in Aughton, Lancashire on July 11,1992 by Les Heyhoe.

This morning the school choir sang a selection of Christmas songs and carols at the Adare Street branch of Natwest. Y bore ma, canodd côr yr ysgol caneuon nadolig yn y banc Natwest. As they went about their banking, customers enjoyed listening to the choir singing festive songs such as 'Turn Down the Lights', 'Walking in the Air', and 'Christmas Bells'. Smiling people put money in our fundraising buckets as they passed and many commented on how beautifully the choir sang. The manager of Natwest said that "our customers thoroughly enjoyed listening to the children singing. Their singing brought Christmas cheer to our customers." Following their singing, the choir were rewarded with squash and biscuits as well as a selection box of sweets and chocolates! Diolch yn fawr Natwest! Well done to Jack, Carys D, Carys P, Gwena and Jessie who sang with the choir. Canu hyfryd iawn!

Day 15 - December 15th
According to the 'Guinness Book of Records', the largest Christmas stocking measured 51 m 35 cm in length and 21 m 63 cm in width (heel to toe) and was produced by a volunteer emergency services organisation in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy, on 5th January 2011.

The event was organised in order to raise money for a charity helping the elderly. Fulfilling the guideline that the stocking had to be filled with presents, the volunteers filled the stocking with balloons containing sweets.

The school choir were busy again tonight singing a selection of carols and Christmas songs at our school's traditional carol service at St. Illtyd's Church, Bridgend. The service of readings and congregational carols heralds the start of Christmas for many of us. Many of the congregation left the church feeling that Christmas had truly arrived. As always the choir sang beautifully a selection of carols and Christmas songs including 'Halleluiah', 'Turn Down the Lights' and 'Christmas Bells'. Their melodic voices soared up to the vaulted roof of the historic church as candles flickered on the altar.

The choir's programme of songs was punctuated with lessons telling the Christmas story read by teachers, governors and pupils of the school.  Everyone who took part in the service received warm applause from the congregation. Well done to Carys D, Gwena, Jack and Libby  who read, sung and represented our class so well at the service.

Today we enjoyed a special Christmas dinner thanks to Mrs. Frederick and her team of cooks. The delicious smell of turkey, roast potatoes, fresh vegetables and gravy drifted through the school. We enjoyed tucking into a traditional roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings before diving into a dessert of Christmas pudding, chocolate swiss roll or ice cream. Thanks to Mrs. Frederick, the canteen staff and the dinner ladies for preparing and supervising our Christmas dinner. It was delicious! 

December 14th - Day 14
Can you solve these 'Christmas Carol' anagrams? Unscramble the letters to find the titles of these five well-known Christmas carols.
TESLIN GNTHI
RKAH HET DLHREA GLSNEA GSNI
CENO NI YLAOR VIDDSA YTCI
O MCEO LLA EY LUAHTIFF
O ETTILL WONT FO TMHLEEBEH
The first to bring the solved anagrams to Mr. Evans  will win a prize.          

Today the school choir sang a selection of Christmas songs and carols at the Brewery Lane branch of Tesco. Y bore ma, canodd côr yr ysgol caneuon nadolig yn yr archfarchnad Tesco. As they went about their shopping, customers enjoyed listening to the choir singing festive songs such as 'Turn Down the Lights', 'Walking in the Air', and 'Christmas Bells'. Smiling people put money in our fundraising buckets as they passed and many commented on how beautifully the choir sang. The manager of Tesco said that "our customers had a real treat listening to the children singing. Their singing brought a smile to many peoples' faces as they rushed around at this busy time." Following their singing, the choir were rewarded with biscuits! Diolch yn fawr Tesco! Well done to Jack, Carys D, Carys P, Gwena and Jessie who sang with the choir. Canu hyfryd iawn!

Today our classroom was filled with colour and fun as the school's Christmas Fancy Dress event took place. So many of J11 had made the effort to dress up and join in the festive fun. You couldn't move around the classroom without meeting Father Christmas, geeks, Harry Potter, Willie Wonka, a penguin and a host of other colourful characters! As excitement mounted, we all gathered in the hall to see each class' fancy dress costumes. Mr. Clode acted as Master of Ceremonies and, together with Miss Beale, introduced the children from each class who had dressed up. Everyone had an opportunity to do a twirl on the stage so that the rest of the school could take a good look at their wonderful costumes. 

As this year's esteemed judges, Miss Griffiths, Miss Myhill and Mrs. St Amand cast their beady eyes over each fancy dress outfit and had the difficult task of awarding the prize for 'Best Fancy Dress Costume' in each class. They said, "We were so impressed with how much effort the children had put in to dressing up today." They added, "It was so difficult to decide who was the winner from each class as all the children are winners." The judges were looking for originality, creativity, home-made costumes as well as stage presence and overall Christmas sparkle! Felicity and Darren were the winners in J11, winning a selection box. Everyone who took part received a chocolate. Below are some photographs of J11 all dressed up.

Day 13 - December 13th
Ouch! Christmas shopping can be dangerous. If you are a Christmas shopper, statistics show that you are likely to be elbowed at least three times in the Christmas rush to buy presents for your family and friends. 

December 11th - Rhagfyr 11 - Day 11
The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957. 

December 10th - Rhagfyr 10fed -Day 10
Royal Mail deliver around 150 million cards and packages during the Christmas period. If all the Christmas cards were laid end to end, they would stretch from London to Sydney and back again five times. 

December 9th - Day 9
The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.

December 7th - Day 7
Santa Claus has many different names around the world: Father Christmas in the UK, Sion Corn in Wales, Pere Noel in France, Kriss Kringle in Germany, La Befana in Italy, Julinesse in Denmark, and Dedushka Moroz (Grandfather Frost) in Russia.

Day 8 - 8th December
According to the poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' , Father Christmas' reindeer are called Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. The other reindeer name, Rudolph, comes from the Christmas song 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'.  

December 6th - Day 6
7.6 million Christmas trees are sold in the UK each year!

December 5th - Day 5
There have only been seven white Christmases in the UK since the beginning of the twentieth century. The last time we had a white Christmas with snow falling across the UK was in 2004.

J11's Welsh speakers of the week, earning most Tocyn Iaith for talking in Welsh are Callum and Taya! Llongyfarchiadau! Congratulations! Callum and Taya have earned so many Tocyn Iaith for asking and answering questions in Welsh. They have spoken Welsh enthusiastically both in the classroom and around and about the school, enjoying conversations in Welsh with teachers and pupils. Bendigedig! Do you think you can be next week's 'Welsh Speaker of the Week' award and earn most Tocyn Iaith?

December 3rd
Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith. He had bought some French goods to sell as Christmas gifts, but these were not popular until he wrapped them up and added a snapper! 

Our Christmas Fayre - Ein Ffair Nadolig.
This afternoon, we all enjoyed ourselves at the school's Christmas Fayre. The event was a great success with everybody working together to raise funds for the school. The school choir got the fun-filled afternoon off to a great start with a rousing rendition of 'Walking in the Air.' Mrs. Davies then announced the results of 'The Great Llangewydd Bake-Off' in categories such as 'Showstopper', 'Best Fruit Cake' and 'Best Cupcake'. Everybody had great fun and enjoyed stalls and attractions such as 'Snowy Cones', Santa's Grotto with his elf helper, cake stalls, craft stalls, a tombola, a Stocking Treasure Hunt, a nail bar and a raffle with some fantastic prizes. Thanks to parents, friends, local shops, businesses and some of our stall holders for generously donating the raffle prizes. Your support is much appreciated. 

Some classes had made things to sell at the Christmas Fayre such as christmas cards, christmas tree decorations and festive doorhangers. Refreshments were available at the event such as teas, coffees, hot pork and turkey rolls, sweets and cakes. It was lovely to see so many parents, relatives and friends enjoying themselves at the Christmas Fayre. Thanks to their generosity the school raised an amazing amount of money - to be confirmed.          

Well done to all who helped organise today's Christmas Fayre and to members of J11 who helped out on stalls. Thanks to parents who generously donated cakes, prizes and items to be sold at the Christmas Fayre. Diolch yn fawr iawn. We hope you enjoy looking at our gallery of photographs below.