IT’S COMING!!!
The Children’s Center Christmas Shop. Yes, it is time to start thinking
about this fun event.
*WHAT IS THE CHRISTMAS SHOP?
It is a school fund-raiser and more. It gives the children a place to do their very own Christmas shopping. A parent volunteer comes to each classroom and escorts the children one by one to the “Christmas Shop” set up in the Fellowship Hall. They accompany each child as the child picks out a gift for each person on their list. The gifts are individually packaged, put in one large bag, and marked with the list. When mom or dad comes to pick them up, the children go to claim their own package from the hallway outside their classroom door. If you would like to help children with shopping fill out the attached volunteer form (green).
*HOW DOES IT WORK?
This is the part that is a little confusing if your family is new to our fund-raiser because you order gifts and purchase and donate gifts. First the ordering part… If you want your child to shop, you will fill out the order form attached (red sheet) and pay for up to 4 gifts, costing $5.00 each. Now the donating part… We then ask parents to purchase and donate the same number of gifts that were ordered with a cost ranging from $5.00 - $7.00 each. For example, if you order a gift for a mom, a dad, and a six year old sister, please donate gifts appropriate for any mom, dad, and six year old sister to receive. (You will not be receiving the same gifts you donate.) Gifts are separated into categories and placed on individual tables for the children to choose from when they shop.
All order forms and gift donations need to be brought to the school by November 11th. We ask that you please donate new items, not “yard sale” type items please.
The Christmas Shop is an MMCC tradition. The children truly have a great time and the school benefits too! If you have any questions stop by the office. We also have a list of gift ideas and shopping tips on the next page.
Helpful Hints When Buying
Gifts for the Christmas Shop
- Remember who is “buying” the gifts at the Christmas Shop – 2, 3 and 4 year olds. They do not necessarily pick out the things we would pick out!
- Preschoolers tend to pick out large, brightly colored gifts, and in particular things like sparkly jewelry for their mom and grandma, candy or cookie jars, and pretty dishtowels sets. The seasonal gift aisles they put up at WalMart and Target are good places to look for these types of items.
- They also like to choose tools, tool sets, flashlights, ice scrapers, bird feeders, and car washitems for dads and grandpas. (Home Depot has a great display of $5.00 range items, as do Target, WalMart and area hardware stores).
- Children do not choose items like picture frames (because frames usually come in a box and do not have a picture of anyone they know in it!) or books. The only way they will pick a gift card is if it is tied to a candy bar with a bright bow. They also do not pick out clothes, even cute t-shirts or infant items.
- Teenagers are some of the hardest people to buy for but jewelry, wallets and small purses for the girls and tools for the boys seem to go over well.
- Children’s gifts are the easiest to buy – if your child likes it they would probably pick it out for a sibling as well!
- Remember, value-wise all gifts need to be in the $5.00-$7.00 price range. If you find a gift that was originally $20.00 but was 75% off and you only paid $5.00, value-wise it is still a $20.00 gift and will make a “true” $5.00 gift look bad.
- Although it is temping to purchase all children’s gifts to donate, (because these are the easiest) please purchase gifts in the same categories you order. Buying for the same category you order insures that we have enough gifts to go around. There have been year’s past we were flooded with children’s gifts and hardly had any gifts for teenagers, dads or granddads.
Would you like to get in the Christmas spirit early? Does it warm your heart to see children so proud of what they’ve done?
If so, then you’re the Christmas Shop Volunteer that we’re looking for!!!
Yes, I would love to help the______morning of Dec.6th
children shop______morning of Dec. 7th
______afternoon of Dec. 7th
Name ______
Phone Number ______
Email ______
This Fund-raiser Couldn’t Happen
Without Your Help
THANK YOU
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS SHOP
Child’s Name______Class______
Teacher ______
Gifts to be purchasedPlease write in name, for gift tag.
There is a limit of 4 gifts per child, please.
____Mom______
____Dad______
____Grandmother______
____Grandfather______
____Brother age______
____Brother age______
____Sisterage ______
____Sisterage______
Gifts are $5.00 eachTotal number of gifts ordered______
(no pet gifts available)(NO MORE THAN 4)
Amount enclosed______
Please make check payable to MMCC
Please return this form, and the appropriate gift items, to the office no later than November 11th. Children will be shopping on Tuesday, December 6th and Wednesday, December 7th.
CHECK HERE IF YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE SHOPPING: ______
*Please remember that the gift items brought in should match the categories ordered.
*Extra donations are welcome in order to provide a larger selection for the “shoppers.” Left over gifts are donated to area charities.