DeMello Elementary School was brimming with families and festive sweaters on Sunday morning as more than 300 people came out for the annual Parent-Teacher Organization’s holiday breakfast.

Every year the school joins forces with Cushman to serve families from both elementaries for a fun-filled holiday celebration.

This year’s breakfast included special guests Santa Claus and the Snow Sisters from Ever After Storybook Entertainment as well as pancakes, bacon, donuts, cocoa and snacks.

There were also plenty of activities, like gingerbread cookie decorating and tree ornament and bookmark crafts.

“It’s our third year of doing this,” said DeMello PTO president Rachel Hutson. “It’s just a way to bring families out of DeMello and Cushman and have them have a nice family breakfast...It grows a little bit every year.”

“We’re better prepared this year,” noted PTO parent Jeremy Cohen. “It’s great. We do it for the families.”

“It’s just a great way to bring all of our families out in the community,” Hutson agreed. 

Hutson, Cohen and other parents and volunteers came in at 7:30 a.m. to help set up for the big day.

And it seemed the kids were enjoying it.

“I like running around,” said nine-year-old Preston Pereira, a third grader at DeMello.

“It’s nice to get everybody together,” noted DeMello parent Chris Cordeiro. “[The kids are] having a good time.”

“That’s so many gummies, your teeth are gonna fall out,” warned one parent as her daughter added gummy bears to the gingerbread cookie she was decorating.

The Snow Sisters took photos and sang songs with the children.

“We’ve met so many great kids who have come here, and I just love watching them do all the different activities, with the cookie decorating and the donuts and the food,” said Sophia Kahn, playing the Snow Queen’s younger sister. “It’s so much fun.” 

“We’re very excited to sing and tell our story in a few minutes, and we hope we’ll have all the kids singing along with us,” added Snow Queen Brenna Griswold.

Santa Claus (Rick Jalbert of Dartmouth) has been playing the role for years. 

“I’m having a great day,” he said, adding that most of the kids asked for L.O.L. dolls, hoverboards, and video games.

When asked if any of the children he met were on the naughty list, Jalbert laughed. “There was one.”

Meanwhile seven-year-old Abigail Welch said that her favorite part of the breakfast was the hot chocolate.

“He’s fake,” Welch added, looking at Santa on the stage before pointing towards the North Pole. “The real Santa’s up there!”