All of Northwest Elementary School's students gathered together Friday morning to sing Christmas songs as a group.

BUTLER TWP — The phrase “Christmas caroling” doesn’t quite cover it.

Friday was the Butler Area School District’s last day of class before winter break. At Northwest Elementary school, the whole building crowded into the gym to belt out a series of Christmas songs in celebration.

The building houses 340 students, according to principal Matt Martinez. With that many students included, this Christmas choir delivered its carols as a joyous, raucous cheer echoing through the halls.

Cortney Christoforetti, a music teacher for multiple elementary schools in the school district, said all the holiday rowdiness was their goal.

“Music is important,” Christoforetti said. “Music brightens everyones’ lives, and that’s what we should be doing at Christmas time.”

Northwest’s event came after several similar events at other elementaries. Christoforetti conducted sing-alongs at Summit Township Elementary and Connoquenessing Elementary. Emily Brittain Elementary also held one on Friday.

The school-wide sing-alongs are an annual tradition in the district in the years since the district consolidated in 2015. There used to be a concert that featured band performances as well as singing, but the band programs moved up to Butler Middle School during consolidation.

The Northwest students sang about a dozen songs Friday, though they’ve practice 23.

“I started with 10 songs, and every year a student would say ‘But this song isn’t on it,’” Christoforetti said.

The crowd favorites are always the classics.

“All kids love Rudolph, and all kids love ‘Jingle Bells,’” Christoforetti said.