Is the school week before the Holiday Break a big waste of time? Holiday parties, watching Christmas movies, not doing a lot of academic work—well, from the outside looking in, it might look like that, but I don't think it is. Celebrations, relaxing, having fun—these are some of the best parts of being human. I know I need fun in my work life, and so do kids. This is culture-building. When we take the time to play, laugh, and eat, we create cohesion within our classrooms. This cohesion leads to easier classroom management, better student behavior, more engagement, higher attendance—students who want to be in school more. It’s about having fun with intention. Plus, you get to eat candy.