How To Do a School Holiday Shop

By Coryn Diehl on August 30, 2023 / Holiday Fundraising Tips

How To Do a School Holiday Shop

A popular winter tradition in most elementary schools is the School Holiday Shop, where students can purchase small gifts for their loved ones. Children and adults alike look forward to this festivity every year, where kids get to shop, gifts can be purchased, and everyone gets to share in the merriment of the holiday season.

If you’re interested in doing a school holiday shop this year for your child’s school, our easy step-by-step guide will walk you through how to get started with a school holiday shop. We will explore creative ideas and tips for hosting your own school holiday shop, filled with delightful surprises and meaningful gifts everyone is sure to enjoy.

Planning and Preparation

To ensure a successful school holiday shop, careful planning and preparation are essential. Here’s a detailed guide on how to get started planning and outlining your season holiday gift shop.

Set a Fundraising Budget

The first step in organizing a school holiday shop is to determine how much money you can allocate for the event. Consider the costs of purchasing gifts, setting up the shop, and any additional decorations or activities. A well-planned budget will help you make informed decisions and ensure that the event remains financially viable. Consider seeking sponsorship or fundraising options to supplement the budget if needed.

If you are working with a holiday shop company, like Kids Kastle, staff can help you select from pre-made packages or customize your selection for your school’s needs.

Gather Holiday Shoppe Volunteers

After setting your budget, you will want to ensure you have the volunteers needed to help staff and run the holiday shop so it goes smoothly. Reach out to parents, teachers, and community members who would be willing to volunteer their time and expertise to help with various tasks. Having a team of volunteers is crucial for the smooth execution of the holiday shop.

Assign responsibilities such as setting up the shop, arranging gifts, assisting students during shopping, managing finances, and organizing additional activities. Create a volunteer schedule to ensure adequate coverage throughout the event.

Choose a Suitable Fundraising Venue

Find a space within the school that can accommodate the holiday shop. Consider using the library, multipurpose room, or an empty classroom, depending on the available space and resources. Ensure the venue provides a comfortable and accessible shopping experience for students. Arrange the layout of the shop in a way that allows easy movement and browsing for all students.

Determine the Duration

Decide on the duration of the holiday shop. Typically, it runs for a few days or a week leading up to the winter break. Consider the school calendar and other events taking place during that time. Choose a period that maximizes student participation and minimizes conflicts with other activities.

Remember to communicate the dates and time clearly to students, parents, and the school community well in advance to generate excitement and ensure attendance.

Bonus Fundraising Tips

Additionally, consider setting up a planning committee comprising teachers, parents, and volunteers. Regular meetings and open communication channels will help in coordinating tasks, sharing ideas, and addressing any challenges that may arise during the planning process.

Remember, attention to detail and thorough planning will contribute to a successful school holiday shop. By following these steps, you will lay a solid foundation for an enjoyable and memorable event.

Selecting Gifts

The heart of the school holiday shop lies in the carefully chosen gifts that children can purchase for their loved ones. Consider these ideas when determining which gifts will be sold at the holiday shop.

Craft Station: Set up a craft station where students can create personalized gifts. Provide materials like paints, beads, ribbons, and markers for making handmade ornaments, keychains, or picture frames. Some select holiday shop companies also allow for customization of trinkets, ornaments, and more.

Book Nook: Encourage a love for reading by offering a selection of age-appropriate books. Choose a variety of genres, from picture books to chapter books, to cater to different interests.

Small Toys and Trinkets: Stock up on small, affordable toys and trinkets that children can gift. Items such as puzzles, stuffed animals, pens, and mini-games are always popular choices. Kids’ Kastle Holiday Shop has many small items that are perfect purchases for Mom, Dad, and siblings.

Holiday-themed Items: Embrace the festive spirit by including holiday-themed items like Santa hats, reindeer antlers, or elf ears. These can add a touch of fun and excitement to the shopping experience.

Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere

Be sure to transform the space into a warm and inviting holiday shop. The more fun the venue is, the more excited kids will be to shop and get into the holiday spirit. Remember, you want everyone to feel excitement and be ready for the holiday.

Festive Decorations: Deck the halls with holiday decorations such as twinkling lights, garlands, and colorful banners. Create a cozy ambiance by playing cheerful music in the background. Have the kids help with decorating and banners to get them more excited in the upcoming weeks.

Gift Wrapping Station: Set up a dedicated area for students to have their purchased gifts wrapped. Provide wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, and tape so children can add their personal touch. Be sure to stock the station with volunteers and provide a variety of wrapping paper to fit everyone’s interests and celebrations.

Pricing and Display: Clearly label the prices of items and arrange them neatly on tables or shelves. Use baskets, jars, or holiday-themed boxes to display the gifts attractively. This will make it easier and more accessible for all children.

Promoting Financial Responsibility

Part of the fun of the Santa Gift Shop for Schools is that it teaches kids the value of money and how to budget while shopping. Many schools opt for a holiday shop because it easily ties into lessons kids are already learning and they can put into practice in real time.

Price Ranges: Offer a variety of items at different price points to cater to students with various budgets. Ensure there are options for those who have limited funds to participate. Remember to not price items too high or many kids will feel left out.

Shopping Lists: Provide students with shopping lists, including spaces for them to write down the names of the recipients and the gifts they plan to purchase. This will help them plan their budget and stay organized.

Budgeting Lesson: Organize a brief lesson on budgeting and the importance of managing money wisely. Teach students about saving, budget allocation, and the value of thoughtful gift-giving. Pair groups of students up with a teacher who can assist them day of to stick to their budgets and planning.

Conclusion

By hosting your own school holiday shop, you can create a memorable experience for students while fostering creativity, financial responsibility, and the spirit of giving. Through careful planning, selecting thoughtful gifts, and creating a festive atmosphere, you can provide a delightful shopping experience that will leave a lasting impression.

Embrace the joy of the holiday season and embark on this exciting venture to spread the holiday cheer in your school community. If you need assistance, contact Kids’ Kastle, where we handle everything for you and make your school holiday shop an easy experience.

Why Host an In-School Holiday Gift Fair

By Coryn Diehl on September 22, 2022 / Holiday Fundraising Tips

Why Host an In-School Holiday Gift Fair

Hosting an in-school holiday gift fair around the winter season can be just the exercise children need to get into the holiday spirit. Holiday gift fairs help with budgeting lessons and financial responsibility, allows children to purchase gifts for their families and friends in an accessible venue, and provides holiday cheer and merriment all around.

So why should your school invest in a holiday gift fair this season? We delve into what it takes to host a holiday gift far and how to set up a successful Santa Gift Shop that’s friendly for all families and children.

What Is An In-School Holiday Gift Fair?

An in-school holiday gift fair, also known as a School Santa Shop, is a seasonal gift shop hosted by the school. It is run by teachers, parents, and volunteers, offering low-cost gifts for students to purchase for their family and friends.

Children visit the store, set-up on school premise, under a teacher’s guidance during school hours with a list of people they plan to buy holiday gifts for. Volunteers at the in-school holiday gift fair assist kids with the purchase of items, which kids then take home for their loved ones. There can be gift wrapping stations, a variety of products to purchase, and everything is low-cost and affordable.

Why Host An In-School Holiday Gift Fair?

While it lasts only for a few weeks, an in-school holiday gift fair is remembered by children for a long time. School Santa Shops instill confidence and independence for kids by letting them shop with their own money for gifts for their loved ones. They feel excited to tour so many items and pick out their favorites all by themselves.

If you’re wondering why host an in-school holiday gift fair, these are just a few of the many benefits:

Safe and practical space to buy gifts for the holidays
Hone children’s organizational skills.
Learn about budgeting, making a purchase, and finances
Practice mathematical skills such as addition, subtraction, and getting change
Sharpen emotional skills by learning the virtues of sharing, kindness, and spreading joy

How To Get the Most From Your School Christmas Shop

The Selection of School Santa shop gifts

The gifts for your school holiday shop should be affordable, low-cost, and speak to kids. Remember, while they are buying the items for their families, they want to buy things that get them excited. A great way to think about Christmas gifts for your holiday shop is to categorize them relationship-wise.

Mom, Aunt, Grandma: Feature lockets, roses, bracelets, and books
Dad, Uncle, Granddad: Sports goodies such as balls, whistles, and trophies
Friends, Teachers, and Neighbors: Photo frames, mugs, and stationery items with messages of love and joy printed on them
Siblings: Fancy lip-glosses and purses, racecars and fidget toys, as well as art and craft items
Themed Sections: Christmas Greetings, Sports Booth, and Letters and Postcards
Pets: Small toys, treats, and tennis balls or frisbees

Appealing displays for gifts

All school Christmas shops have one thing in common – their displays are attractive and made especially for the eyes of children. Using L-shape and U-shape tables can leave enough room for kids to navigate their way around. For decoration, consider using confetti, balloons, Christmas posters, and stickers to grab the kids’ attention.

To get the most out of your school holiday shop, have the kids help with set-up, decoration, and more so they see the value of what goes into setting up a shop each season. You can make this grade specific so every year the kids get involved in a new part of the marketplace.

Don't forget gift wrapping service

Wrapping holiday shop gifts is as much of a tradition as the gifting itself. Working with a volunteer, have the kids assist with wrapping paper, taping, and placing into bags. They will better learn how to protect their new gifts by being a part of the wrapping process, allowing them to feel pride at their contributions.

Volunteers help make the experience Christmasy

As they say, the more, the merrier. Having volunteers handy is always a good idea for organizing a successful in-school holiday gift fair. You’ll need volunteers who can:

Attend to each table of gifts.
Help the children with budgeting from their lists.
Manage and monitor the room in general.
Help at the cash desk with transactions and queries.
Wrap up the gifts at the wrapping station.

Organizing An In-School Holiday Gift Fair?

With our expertise in school Santa shop gifts, we are the right fit for all your school holiday fair needs. We bring a diverse range of gifts to pick from for the students that help everyone feel included. Consult with our team on the best school holiday fair package for your school and let us help you outline planning, promoting, and executing your fair.

12 Easy & Creative High School Fundraising Ideas

By Coryn Diehl on March 11, 2022 / Holiday Fundraising Tips

12 Easy & Creative High School Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising is critical for all grade levels to raise funds for school activities, trips, resources, and more. As students move from grade school to high school, finding interesting and creative fundraising ideas that don’t conflict with busy high school schedules can be challenging.

If you’re looking for high school fundraiser ideas for after-school clubs, sports organizations, field trips, and more, we’ve got you covered. Check out our 12 creative high school fundraising ideas that are easy and simple.

Quiz Competition

A quiz competition can be a great way to raise funds in high school. Not only is it fun, but it’s also educational and aligns well with practice for AP courses and SATs.

To host a quiz competition, you must first decide on a theme and it’s best if students are involved in the process — do you want to focus on SAT prep or something fun like Pop Culture? Then, all that’s needed are the invites.

You can fundraise by having an entry fee per team and then a small entry fee per audience member. Be sure to get a great MC host to make the night fun and have prizes for the winning team. Partner with a local restaurant or cafe if you want to boost promotion and participation, too.

Sports Day

Nothing gets students and families more excited than sports. For a high school fundraiser, arrange a sports day where you set up various games and activities. This can include classics like field day activities or you can create tag-teams for basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, and more. Use indoor school space for E-sports as well and get even more participants involve.

As a fundraiser, charge spectators a small entry fee and sell merch like snacks, drinks, and custom shirts and more.

Yard Sale

Yard sales are a classic fundraiser you don’t want to miss out out on! Don’t keep those yard sales limited to your house.

Ask students, teachers, and parents to donate items that aren’t extensively used. Along with that make sure you double down on marketing — post on social media, send home postcards, and promote across your community that the local school is having a yard sale for their newest fundraiser.

Art and Science Exhibitions

Organize multiple exhibitions, such as art exhibitions or science exhibitions, for a creative high school fundraiser. Make it competitive, declare a winner, or the best presentation to encourage participation.

Charge visitors with a ticket & give a discount for people who come in groups. By doing this you not only have an amazing fundraising event but also make it creatively enriching for the students, it’s a win-win. Plus, high school students can add the exhibit to their high school resume when searching for creative jobs after graduation.

Food Stalls

What better way to have fun and raise money than with good food. Allow students to set up food stalls -by themselves or with parents- for a fun fundraising event.

Don’t fail to expect a big crowd, because no one is saying no to food. After subtracting the costs incurred, all the profits raised can go towards fundraising. To make even more sales students can sell packaged items like healthy chips and cookies. Encourage bake-offs, creative recipes, and more. Plus, food stalls can be active at all other high school events.

Talent Show

A talent show is probably the biggest event that can be performed at scale. We all know, no school is deprived of talent, if anything, it’s overflowing. Your students know how to beatbox, teachers are somewhat of a magician themselves and who knew a parent is a melodic singer.

Sell tickets in advance and possibly charge the participants as well for a small entry fee if you rent out a large venue or theater. Also, to make it even better try to find a local sponsorship for the event to partner with and help promote.

Costume party

Every day can be Halloween if you let it. When the season is right, host a costume party with music, gifts, and costume prizes. There can be a small entry to enter the costume contest and a small fee to enter the dance.

Encourage everyone to participate, including teachers, for this fun seasonal high school fundraiser.

Car Wash

Set up a small car washing station at your school during the warmer months. Advertise it outside the school gate and on the street to help boost awareness in your local community. Have teachers, parents, and other students bring their cars and charge a small fee. This is fast, fun, and a great way to raise money.

Yoga day

Over the last decade, yoga as a form of exercise has received a lot of attention. Not only are parents doing it but so are many college-going students. But there are also many who want to do it but haven’t yet.

Dedicate a day to yoga: where an instructor will run everyone through the basics of the discipline and perform the required introductory exercises. Everyone can be charged a small fee and a voluntary donation box can also be set up. Include tips on wellness, sell healthy snacks, and more to help boost even more sales. If you can, partner with a local group for puppy yoga or goat yoga.

Virtual Concert

In the past year, a lot of big artists arranged virtual concerts and the craze for them was no less than the stadium ones. To organize a virtual concert, contact a local band and ask them to donate a performance.

Students, from the comfort of their home, can attend it by giving a small fee. Also, the supporters of the band wouldn’t mind paying extra to have a Q&A with the performers, and that’ll make for some extra bucks. This is a great way to reach students and parents all across your community.

Auction

This could be a great opportunity for people who’ve been procrastinating on getting that art piece to a pawn shop. Every family has an item they wish to exchange in return for money.

Organizing an auction can be done offline and online. Collectively everyone lists a certain item and a decided percentage of the sale goes towards the fundraising. If done right, this can be a great success and gets everyone involved with the bidding. Also donate parking spots, gift baskets from local stores, and more.

School Calendar

One of the best ways to raise funds and at the same time promote your brand is by creating a school calendar. A school calendar can be targeted towards students and parents involving students’ artwork, class photos, and pictures of school events. All the profits can be dedicated towards the fundraiser. Make sure to include notable school days and easy reminders so the school calendar is functional and fun.

Holiday Fundraising Tips