to want to change the Xmas fair??

[Mousesmummy]

Our Christmas fair is probably similar to many around the country but I've got to admit it is pretty staid/boring/dull. Just seems to be the same old crap stalls and grotto? The organiser's are pretty set in their ways to say the least!!!! (although totally dedicated to the school)
I think this could be a much more fun/intersting event in the school calender.

I need ideas to put forward please for new stalls/games/things to make/sell etc etc.
What makes your Christmas fair a really GREAT event (and profitable too!)

I'm expecting a fair bit of resistance so need some solid ideas to try to convince them that people do not want to buy a tin of beans at the Christmas. . . nor a bar of perfumed soap they found lurking in the back of the closet

[HoopyFroodDude]

Blimy is it christmas already ?

[LetThereBeRock]

You could make snowman soup.

If you can get it looking like this,scroll down to the second post,then I think it'd sell well.

I've made a white chocolate version too.

[Mousesmummy]

I know , I know . . I'm early but you have no idea how long this is going to take to affect any degree of change !

[HappyMummyOfOne]

The ring toss around bottles is very popular at our fair, has both soft and alcohol (children bring a bottle in exchange for dress down day).

The children also make a decoration or cake etc and then its labelled for the parents to buy if they wish.

[Northernlurker]

Ours has a brilliant name - a name change might you getting more vibrant stuff - ours is called the Christmas Cracker (arf, arf)

[Mousesmummy]

GREAT ideas!!!! Chocolate tombola.. . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Keep them coming please ladies

[Northernlurker]

Ours has craft stalls as well - you can buy some v nice presents. Also a phoenix trading stall for paper and cards.

[CarGirl]

Bottle tombola, always ran by the headteacher - anykind of bottle. Chocolate one popular at ours too.

I once sat and worked out we could all just donate £10 per family anyway and raise just as much.

At dc1 junior school the children ran most of the stalls on a Friday afternoon and evening and that worked well too as they learnt something from it, needed fewer helpers.

[curlymama]

We have the secret room too, the children go in and teachers help them choose, wrap and pay for their presents for the parents, GP's etc. It's strictly no parents allowed in the secret room, and the present my dc's choose and proudly wrap for me is always one of my favourite things to unwrap on Christmas morning.

We also have the shoebox stand, where each child brings in a shoebox of nearly new toys and wraps it up in Christmas paper, then the children all go and choose one as soon as the fair opens, as it's one of our most popular stands. The boxes have to be labelled boy/girl and age range.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

Forgot about the secret present room - thats definately popular. No adults allowed and children can buy gifts for friends or parents and have them nicely wrapped with ribbon etc. Again gifts are donated via dress down day (we have three in late november/december)

May suggest the chocolate one at ours, we dont do one of those and it will make a nice change.

[Mousesmummy]

Loving the secret present room idea - can I ask how much the gifts are usually sold for? Do you set a limit on what to bring in?

[domesticsluttery]

YANBU, but good luck. As the outgoing secretary of our PTA I have discovered that people are very, very resistant to change :(

[Mousesmummy]

I HEAR YOU!

[UniS]

Balloon models went down well last year. One parent wondering the hall with a bag full of balloons and another bag for donations.
Chocolate tombola V popular.
Santa arriving, walking up the village street and into the hall drew a good crowd at the start.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

The presents range from £1 to about £3 in the present room so plenty of choice, parents just usually wait in the next class room/outside.

We dont set a limit re donations, some bring the bare minimum others save unwanted gifts and donate a few. No minimum or maximum is set. I tend to stock up in the sales for the xmas/summer fairs as they run the same way each year and always have plenty to donate.

We do three dress down days over various fridays in nov/early dec - one for tomobolla items, one for bottles and one for the gift room. Boxes are set up in the hall and the children just pop their things in no pressure and no checking they have donated. Its a small school hence the need for three day split.

[Mousesmummy]

Thanks Happy - I am going to push for this!! It sounds great - have ran it past my daughters tonight and they feel it would totally go down well with the children.

[StayingDavidTennantsGirl]

The dses primary school used to to Jolly Jam Jars - they asked the children to bring in smallish jars filled with sweets or other cheapie stuff (off the top of my head, those bath bubble spheres that dissolve in the bath, little biscuits, wax crayons). Each class had a different colour for the top of their jar, and the class that brought in the most won an award.

Then the jars were sold for a pound each at the fair.

Will quiz the dc for more details tomorrow, if you are interested.

[twinklytoes]

a white elephant stall went down well for us - got loads of donations and then sold everything on the table for 50p per item. we covered four tables and were left with very little by the end.

mystery jar stall - tasked the yr 6's with filling a jar with anything they liked as long as it was new and not illegal for under 16's. they were then asked to wrap the jar in xmas paper. we sold the jars for a £1 a go.

again the chocolate tombola. I held a chocolate for chocoholics party and used the commission to buy the chocolate and then asked four classes to provide chocolate in exchange for non-uniform day. the most profitable stall of all.

we also had a fairground ride in the car park and a traditional sweet stall. we received 20% of their sales. raked in just over £100. also having the fairground ride outside advertised there was something going on and brought more people in.

also bought punchballs from baker ross and sold for a £1 each. the boys loved them.

[Mousesmummy]

Oh yes please - sounds like a great idea! Easy to do and a good money spinner too - thanks x

[tulpe]

I feel your pain, OP. When I suggested changes to our school's christmas fair 2 years ago you would have thought I had suggested we all ran around the school naked.

After much banging of head against wall, I finally got my silent auction idea approved and raised a fantastic amount of money. We had items like a chef from the local swish restaurant cooking in your own home for you and your guests, an aromatherapist offering a treatment in your own home, tickets for an event at Silverstone, a night in a hotel. I couldn't believe how generous people were once you started asking for "items" for the auction. Bidding forms were posted in a box and 2 of the teachers verified the winning bids. We also didn't announce the amount of each winning bid as we didn't want people to feel awkward if they had put in a significantly lower bid.

[Mousesmummy]

Just had a look - those punchballs look great too! SO many good ideas - thanks everyone x

[Mousesmummy]

tulpe - good for you! I know they don't mean to be stubborn, it's just 'how we do things' We have a very 'strong' head of TA, and in fairness she does a fab job, but ust needs to listen to other ideas a bit I feel. However, how could she seriously not love some of these ideas??

[skooobie]

plz dnt mention christmas in september ever again,