using System;

using System.Xml;

using System.Xml.Serialization;

​

public class Program

{

    public static void Main(string[] args)

    {

        const string arbitraryXmlElement = @"<Foo>1</Foo>";

​

        var doc = new XmlDocument();

        doc.LoadXml(arbitraryXmlElement);

        var node = doc.DocumentElement;

​

        var toy = new Toy

        {

            Node = node,

            Bar = "2"

        };

​

        var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Toy));

        serializer.Serialize(Console.Out, toy);

    }

}

public class Toy

{

    public XmlElement Node { get; set; }

​

    public string Bar { get; set; }

}