Photo courtesy of St. Elizabeth Preschool With reindeer flying overhead, students at St. Elizabeth Preschool in Granite City celebrate helping others by holding a birthday party for Jesus. The 60 students listened to the story of the Nativity, sang a song for Jesus and feasted on cupcakes and ice cream. They also brought in baby items that were donated to a local charity.

GRANITE CITY - Students at St. Elizabeth Preschool in Granite City celebrated Christmas a little bit early this year by hosting a birthday party for Jesus.

The 60 preschool students brought enough gifts to fill several tables with presents for babies born into families who have financial needs, said Dora Moenster, director of the preschool.

"It's just like a birthday party. We have ice cream and cupcakes and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I also read or tell them the story of the Nativity," said Moenster. "Then we get out all the presents and look at them. The parents are very generous."

Moenster said students come not only from Granite City, which has a population of about 35,000, but also from Staunton, Belleville, Edwardsville and Glen Carbon. The presents were donated to a local agency that welcomed the much-needed items. The preschool also held a Thanksgiving food drive in November, with older students from St. Elizabeth School helping out as well.

As in many areas of the country, some people in Granite City are struggling with financial difficulties, said Moenster. "Our town has been hit kind of hard lately," she said, noting that Granite City Works - part of U.S. Steel - temporarily suspended operations and over 2,000 people were laid off earlier this month.

Although preschoolers are naturally fans of any party, the celebration is an event that the students look forward to every year, Moenster said. "It's the one day that the children get most enthused about. They are more excited about this day than they are about their own classroom party. It's really kind of touching."