ATKINSON COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Students in a Pearson classroom are learning that Christmas isn’t about what you receive — it’s about what you give.

The annual Cheerful Giver Christmas Shoppe at Pearson Elementary (PES) allows students to “shop” for gifts at no cost, carefully choosing and wrapping presents for their family members to open on Christmas morning.

The Christmas Shoppe didn’t start with decorations or donations. It started with a memory.

Jenna Gaskins, a PES teacher, said her inspiration comes from her own childhood experiences — moments that helped cultivate a love of giving. It’s a lesson she now works to pass on to every student who walks through her classroom door.

“I get a little emotional thinking about it because teaching can be very challenging, especially in today’s society,” Gaskins said. “Even since I started teaching eight years ago, it’s changed a lot. But my ‘why’ is the students. I think about my own personal children. I have five children. And I try to treat every child that I come in contact with as if they were my own. How can I pour into them? How can I help them fall in love with learning?”

With just under 95 students at the school, the purpose of the Christmas Shoppe goes far beyond presents. Gaskins said it’s about instilling empathy, thoughtfulness and the joy that comes from giving to others — especially for students who may come from different backgrounds or have limited resources at home.

Students Jenna and Kinsley said the experience has changed how they view the holidays.

“Even though I don’t realize it, they do a lot of stuff — a lot of stuff for me,” one student shared. “Some families can’t even buy gifts. So it’s really special to give gifts to my family. It’s better than receiving gifts to me.”

The shop runs entirely on donations from teachers and community members. Shelves are filled with items ranging from jewelry and picture frames to toys — all free for students to pick out gifts for their loved ones.

As Christmas approaches and gifts begin to fill the tree, there’s a simple reminder echoed throughout the classroom: giving, especially when it comes from the heart, is the greatest gift of all.

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