By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – First-grader John Wyatt Mooney proudly presented his Christmas shopping list to Meadow View Elementary School resource officer Jamison Lee as the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization volunteers packed bags full of Mooney’s haul for the day.

“This is my list. Yes, it’s 10 people,” Mooney excitedly told Lee. “I’ve got daddy, mommy, Lilly, grandpa, everyone.”

After the PTO volunteers packed Mooney’s shopping bags, the first-grader had to recruit Lee’s help in attaching the bags to his arms so he could join his classmates on the other side of the room.

“He is full of Christmas cheer every day,” Mooney’s teacher, Michelle Brakefield, said with a laugh as Mooney showcased his purchases to his classmates.

From Dec. 7-11, the PTO held the school’s annual Santa Shop, which allows students to purchase a range of Christmas presents for their family members. All profits raised through the shop are used by the PTO to support the school and its teachers.

On Dec. 8, while a television continuously played Christmas cartoons, the shop was a sea of Auburn and Alabama items, tools, office supplies, scarves, toys and more. The children excitedly perused the wares as they sought out the perfect gift for everyone on their lists.

Throughout the week, each MVES class took turns visiting the shop, which featured a range of low-cost items.

For PTO volunteer Deidre Jenson and her fellow PTO members, working at the Santa Shop was a rewarding experience.

“I love having a chance to help out. Seeing the kids’ faces when they walk in and see everything is very rewarding,” Jenson said after the final class of the day went through on Dec. 8. “They always have their lists ready to go.”

Two days into the shop, the most popular item, by far, were plush pillows designed to look like stuffed animals, the PTO volunteers said.

While the kids said they enjoyed shopping for their loved ones, they said much of the holiday’s magic is still reserved for Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

“When you get presents!” Mooney and his classmate, Simone Jones, shouted in unison when asked to share their favorite part about Christmas.

“This is my favorite holiday,” Mooney added.