The UFT decked the halls with joy and toys when it invited 100 students from 10 city shelters to UFT headquarters on Dec. 16 for its annual holiday party in partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless. Students enjoyed games, crafts, a magic show, a hot meal and a surprise visit from Santa. Thanks to members’ donations to the UFT Elementary School Division’s toy drive of some 1,200 toys and more than $7,000, the children left with brand-new toys and smiling faces. “Our students had a fantastic time,” said Karen Alford, the vice president for elementary schools. “We brighten their day, and, in turn, they brighten ours.” Jeremiah Bornemann, a paraprofessional at PS 276 in Manhattan and a volunteer at the event, enjoyed playing games like Connect 4 and Guess Who? with the students. “There is a societal misconception that all kids have a similar experience of the holidays,” Bornemann said. “To be given just a little bit of joy and a little bit of the holiday gift-giving experience is something that these kids look forward to.”