Santa Marty Plas to Release Activity Book for Holiday Season

ELYRIA, OH, September 06, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Santa Marty Plas, a retired special education intervention specialist, has announced the upcoming release of "All Aboard Santa's Futuristic Express," an activity book designed for families to enjoy together during the holiday season. The book, intended for children from first grade through twelfth grade, uses the metaphor of a train journey to engage children and their parents in conversations about their values, interests, and skills.

Each year, as Christmas break arrives, the child completes one page of the book, reflecting on what they love, their interests, and their strengths and weaknesses. This page, filled with personal insights, becomes part of a cumulative record that spans the child's school years, ending with a graduation celebration. The book is organized into twelve train carriages, each representing a grade level, and is structured around the theme of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

Three key prompts, values, interests, and skills, are revisited annually, providing a consistent framework for self-reflection. Values cover family traditions, significant people and experiences, and meaningful activities. Interests include extracurricular pursuits such as clubs, sports, hobbies, and volunteer work. Skills focus on academic performance, individual achievements, and hands-on projects. The book outlines three developmental stages for the child, with the first five years emphasizing enjoyment and self-esteem, the middle years fostering greater independence, and the final years tying activities more directly to post-graduation plans.

Parents are described as the guiding force behind the activity, with the book encouraging them to involve teachers, family members, and trusted adults in the process. This ensures that the child’s entries reflect a well-rounded view of their development. As children grow older, they take on more responsibility for completing the activity, transitioning from needing substantial help to handling it independently.

The idea for the book originated from a presentation Santa Marty Plas developed for eighth graders while working as a career education coordinator for the State of Ohio. The presentation, titled "Who Are You?" after the famous song by The Who, introduced students to the concept of self-assessment through values, interests, and skills. The book expands this classroom exercise into a yearly family tradition that begins in elementary school.

Santa Marty Plas, who has a Master's degree in the Art of Education from Marygrove College and a Bachelor’s degree in Educable Mental Retardation K-12 and Elementary Education K-8 from Kent State University, brings a wealth of experience to the project. His career also included roles as a career education coordinator, vocational guidance liaison, and high school coach. He is a Santa Claus impersonator and has been active in this role for over a decade, having appeared at malls, school events, and charity functions.

"All Aboard Santa's Futuristic Express" is currently in the final stages of preparation for publication. Details about its availability on Amazon and how to order the book will be announced at the time of its release.