The first year will always be a little tougher than the following years. You may have to pony up some of the finances initially, but if you make more than you spend, eventually you'll be able to use the money you make toward the next fundraiser.
We purchase Christmas trees and wreaths from
Oregon Evergreen & Willamette Evergreen
; at least 100 at a time, and then price them a few dollars more so that we turn a profit. The trees are a little difficult for first-timers, so I'd start with the craft evergreens. We usually make around $600 profit off 100 wreaths.
Sounds like you had a really well-run system! And can see that it would take a lot of time. Please stay in touch to let us know how your event goes this year.
We have in the past always done own own holiday shop. It is a TON of work. First we decided we would set a price point. We fix the price of EVERY ITEM for $1.00 We then limit 5 gifts per child. We go to the local Dollar store and buy the equivalent of 5 gifts per child. Then we buy gift bags and wrapping paper hold a wrap night at school and hope people turn out to help us wrap every item. We then set up the table with 1 display item and the wrapped items behind it. We send home 5 gift tags per child and a letter telling the parents each item is $1.00 and they are limited to 5 items. The parents are responsible to fill out the name on each label and send the child to school with money and the labels. Then the kids come down by class 1 room at a time, hand over the money we count it and tell them how many items they each get to pick. and they get the gift tags to go with it. We have parents come down and help especially for the younger classes (we are a K-2 School)
This year we are thinking of using a company and still keeping a price point of say $2.00 per item as last year we ended up wrapping a TON of gifts at our homes and still had a bunch left to wrap at wrap night.
With such a small group, you can really shape this any way you want to. As you pointed out, it's not so much about making money. If you wanted to do a nice holiday community event, you could have families and kids donate crafts for sale or you could turn it into a holiday craft night and have folks make crafts to bring home. Another idea: Invite local merchants and crafters to sell their work (at a discount!) at your event.
Hi Heather,
We've heard of groups doing holiday shops by having families donate crafts, or by turning the event into a holiday craft night, where families come and make holiday decorations and small gifts. Another possibility: Invite local crafters and mall businesses to sell their products at your event. If you want to do something more as a community event, you can shape it any way you really want to.
We're not doing anything like a holiday shop this year but I'm researching for next year. Our school is TINY compared to others. We have less than 30 kids K-12 but I've asked a few of them and they said they'd like a kind of Holiday Shop setup. I just don't know where to start. I've found a few companies that look good but they require a min number of students that's is way above our enrollment numbers! I've thought about getting the goods together and just hosting it myself/with the PTA. I guess it's one of those things I should run by everyone at the next PTA meeting. Is there anyone our there having a successful holiday shop with a small school like ours? We don't really even need to do it as a fundraiser....more as a service to the kids.
