ELYRIA, OH, September 06, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — Santa Marty Plas is preparing to publish All Aboard Santa’s Futuristic Express, a Christmas-themed activity book intended for parents and children to complete together each holiday season from first grade through twelfth grade. The book frames the school years as a twelve-car train and uses a yearly fill-in format to encourage conversation about a child’s values, interests, and skills.
About the Book
All Aboard Santa’s Futuristic Express is organized around the imagery of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with each train car representing a grade level. During Christmas break, the child completes a single page that records what they love, what they like to do, and what they are good at, along with a personal strength and weakness. Once the holiday ends, that year’s entry is left as written, and the book is stored with the family’s Christmas decorations until the following December. Over twelve years, the completed pages form a running record of the child’s growth, intended for sharing at the graduation celebration.
The Three Domains
The activity is built around three recurring prompts — values, interests, and skills — that the child revisits each Christmas. Values cover family traditions, important people and experiences, and meaningful activities. Interests include clubs, sports, hobbies, and voluntary involvement. Skills include academic performance, individual accomplishments, and hands-on projects.
A Tradition That Adjusts With Each Stage
The book outlines three stages that match the child’s development. In grades one through five, the focus is on enjoyment and helping the child feel positive about themselves while learning what each prompt means. In grades six through eight, parents step back as the child takes greater ownership of the activity in preparation for high school. In grades nine through twelve, the prompts are tied more directly to plans for life after graduation, with the final “caboose” page completed by graduating seniors.
The Role of Parents and Family
Parents are described as the engine that pulls the train, with the author noting that they are the one constant in a child’s education from kindergarten through graduation. The book encourages parents to involve teachers, family members, and trusted adults in the conversation, so the child’s entries reflect input from people who know them well. Younger children are expected to need more help, while older children gradually complete the activity on their own.
Origins of the Activity
The activity grew out of a presentation the author developed for eighth graders while working as a career education coordinator for the State of Ohio, delivered in thirteen school districts. That presentation, titled “Who Are You?” after the song by The Who, introduced students to the idea of weighing values, interests, and skills before making decisions about work or further education. The current book extends that single classroom session into a yearly tradition that begins in elementary school.
About the Author
Santa Marty Plas is a retired special education intervention specialist with thirty years of teaching experience, including eighteen years in the Vermilion Local School District in Ohio. He holds a Master’s degree in the Art of Education from Marygrove College and a Bachelor of Science in Educable Mental Retardation K–12 and Elementary Education K–8 from Kent State University. His career also included service as a Career Education Coordinator for the State of Ohio, work as a vocational guidance liaison, and twenty years of coaching. He is a graduate of Charles W. Howard Santa School (Class of 2014) and has appeared as Santa at malls, school events, and charity functions for more than a decade. In 2011, he received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from Lions Clubs International. He has been married for forty years and is a parent of three.
Forthcoming Availability
All Aboard Santa’s Futuristic Express is currently being prepared for publication. Information about its availability on Amazon and ordering details will be announced when the book is published.
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