CASSADAGA - Christmas came to Cassadaga Elementary School early with Santa showing up before the students' holiday break.

The pre-kindergartners were provided with two special treats.

They were joined by a roomful of grandparents who helped the children spread icing and sprinkles over Christmas cookies.

"Each of the students had at least one grandmother, some had two and several had grandfathers come to the class to have a good time with their grandchildren," teacher Jennifer Smith said.

The following day, Santa paid a visit to their classroom and each child was given the opportunity to sit on his knee and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Their requests weren't all that elaborate.

Some of the girls asked for dolls and one wanted an oven she could cook in.

One boy asked for a motorcycle.

"Not a real one, just a toy," he said with a 4-year-old's common sense.

Santa made no promises, instead, he told the youngsters, "I'll see what I can do."

He then reached into his bag and gave each one of the students a story book.

After thanking Santa for the gifts, the pre-k students had some important questions to ask.

"Are you real? Where are your reindeer? Did you land on the roof and come down the chimney?"

Santa's responses to these questions were more than satisfactory, from the youngsters' point of view.

"Yes, I'm real and the reindeer are waiting for me in the parking lot where I landed, not on the roof.

"They and the sleigh disappear as soon as I get out and reappear when I get back in," he said as the youngsters looked out the windows to check.

Before leaving for his important mission Christmas night, Santa joined the school's older students in the gymnasium where they sang holiday songs under the direction of their teachers.

Glancing over the animated faces of the kindergarten though fifth graders, Cassadaga Principal Roberta Traks said she has always looked forward to the students' celebration of this holiday season.

Noting she will be retiring in June she said, "I'll really miss this; I guess I'll just have to come back each year for Christmas."