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.
Contact us for more school Christmas shop ideas today.
