The holiday season is full of twinkling lights, classroom parties, winter concerts, and the excitement of winter break. For PTOs and PTAs, it is also the perfect time to bring families together, celebrate school spirit, and raise money for the programs and activities students love! 🎄
But with December calendars filling up fast, which holiday school fundraiser ideas are actually worth the effort? From a festive Santa Shop and Christmas spirit shop to cookie box presales, winter fun runs, and custom school blankets families can gift and treasure, there are plenty of ways to make fundraising feel like part of the holiday fun.
Whether your PTO or PTA needs a simple fundraiser for an upcoming school event or a bigger Christmas fundraiser to support next year's classroom supplies, field trips, sports teams, or student programs, the right idea can make all the difference. The key is finding something your school community will enjoy, your volunteers can manage, and families will be excited to support.
Here are 10 holiday school fundraiser ideas to help your PTO or PTA spread school spirit, make the season more memorable, and give your fundraising goals a little extra holiday magic!
1. Christmas Spirit Shop
Turn the school store into a short holiday shopping event featuring gifts in school colors: spirit wear, mascot ornaments, team accessories, stationery, and other items families can give to alumni, teachers, or grandparents. This is a Christmas spirit shop centered on your school's identity, rather than a general gift shop.
Keep the selection focused. Display the selling price on every item, offer a few gift-ready price points, and take preorders for personalized products so volunteers do not have to guess how much stock to buy. A table at the winter concert or a school game can bring the shop to families who are already on campus.
2. Santa Shop or School Holiday Shop
A Santa Shop, sometimes called a school holiday shop or Secret Santa shop, lets younger students choose small gifts for people in their lives. Set up shopping times by class, label items by price, and give children a simple budget envelope or shopping list to bring from home.
Decide at the start whether the shop is a fundraiser, a service offered at cost, or a mix of both. If it raises money, make the pricing clear to families. Include gifts for different family structures and offer a discreet way for students to participate if their families cannot send money. Schools with broader winter celebrations can call it a holiday shop and stock gifts that work beyond Christmas.
3. Custom School Blanket Fundraiser
Custom blankets make a winter fundraiser that families can buy as a holiday gift and keep using at games, concerts, and home. Create one design with your school mascot, colors, and name, then show the mockup in emails and at fall events. A school spirit blanket can also appeal to alumni and relatives who live away from campus.
With Fundraiser Blankets®, groups can choose a Classic Comfort or Premium Plush blanket, request a free custom design, and run a bulk order or presale. The company lists free shipping and no setup fees for its custom blankets. Confirm the current order minimum, price, production schedule, and delivery date for the option you choose before announcing a holiday gift deadline.
Planning tip: Open presales early, set a firm order cutoff, and tell buyers when and how blankets will be distributed. If gifts must remain a surprise, offer a private pickup window.
4. Personalized Christmas Ornament Fundraiser
An ornament fundraiser gives families a small, easy-to-gift keepsake. Sell a school mascot ornament, a graduation-year design, or an ornament made from each student's artwork. Another approach is to host an ornament-making table at a winter family night and charge a participation fee that covers supplies and supports the fundraiser.
For personalized orders, collect names exactly as they should appear and ask families to approve spellings before production. Display one finished sample so buyers know the size and material. If your community celebrates several holidays, offer winter or school-themed designs alongside Christmas ornaments.
5. Holiday Bake Sale or Cookie Box Presale
A Christmas bake sale is a familiar choice for schools with a winter concert, basketball game, or craft fair. Instead of hoping that donated treats match demand, ask volunteers to sign up for specific quantities and package items with clear prices. Cookie boxes can be reserved ahead of time for teacher gifts or family gatherings.
Check your school's food sale rules, ingredient labeling requirements, and allergy procedures first. If homemade food is restricted, work with an approved bakery or sell sealed products permitted by the school.
6. Holiday Gift Wrapping Fundraiser
Set up a gift wrapping station at a school event or partner with a nearby store that welcomes a volunteer table. Families bring gifts; student clubs or PTO volunteers wrap them in exchange for a posted price or suggested donation. Offer a few paper choices and a clearly marked pickup area to prevent mix-ups.
Calculate the cost of paper, tape, tags, and boxes before setting prices. This idea suits older students who want a hands-on way to help raise money, but plan adult supervision and a secure place for gifts waiting to be collected.
7. School Holiday Craft Fair
A holiday craft fair brings local makers, student artists, and families together in the gym or cafeteria. Charge a vendor table fee, sell refreshments if permitted, or reserve one booth for school-made items. Pairing the fair with an existing concert can increase foot traffic without asking families to make a separate trip.
Give vendors the same setup details in advance: table size, arrival time, payment rules, and what the school provides. Include a mix of price points and consider a student art table so the event feels connected to the school.
8. Breakfast With Santa or Winter Character Breakfast
For elementary schools, Breakfast With Santa can turn a Saturday morning into a family fundraiser. Sell timed tickets, seek a local sponsor for food, and offer optional photos or a small craft table. Timed entry helps keep the line manageable and gives volunteers a more predictable serving count.
If Santa is not the right fit for your school, host a winter character breakfast with a mascot, storybook character, or pajama theme. Whatever the theme, set ticket prices only after estimating food, supplies, accessibility needs, and any venue costs.
9. Gingerbread House Decorating Contest
A gingerbread house fundraiser works as a take-home kit sale or an in-person decorating night. Sell kits or family entry tickets, then invite a panel of teachers or community members to choose lighthearted categories such as most colorful or most creative.
Keep the rules simple and avoid making expensive decorations the key to winning. Offer a nonfood craft option for students with dietary restrictions, and confirm food handling rules if houses will be assembled or eaten at school.
10. Jingle Bell Jog or Winter Fun Run
A holiday fun run gives students a movement-based fundraiser before winter break. Families can sponsor a student's laps, make a flat donation, or buy an event shirt if the school permits it. A short indoor route can help if December weather is unpredictable.
Explain exactly what donations support, arrange a safe course and adult supervision, and make participation possible without a donation. If your school already has a field day format, adapt it with winter music, team colors, and a finish-line photo area.
How to Pick the Right Holiday Fundraiser
Start with your school's calendar and volunteer capacity. A Santa Shop needs inventory, student shopping schedules, and checkout helpers. A craft fair needs vendor coordination. A custom blanket presale needs strong promotion and an order deadline, while a bake sale can fit into a single existing event.
Ask three questions before committing:
- Who will buy or participate? A student gift shop serves a different audience than a school spirit gift sale.
- What must happen before winter break? Work backward from the event date or promised pickup date, allowing time for school approval, promotion, ordering, and distribution.
- What will it actually earn? Estimate revenue after product costs, supplies, payment fees, and other expenses. Do not judge a fundraiser by sales alone.
You can also pair two ideas that serve different purposes: a Santa Shop for children during the school day and a custom school blanket presale for parents, alumni, and game-day supporters. Give each one a clear message and deadline so families know what they are buying.
Holiday School Fundraiser FAQs
What is the difference between a Santa Shop and a Christmas spirit shop?
A Santa Shop usually offers small gifts that children choose for family or friends. A Christmas spirit shop focuses on school-branded merchandise that supporters buy for themselves or give as gifts. Schools often call the first one a holiday shop to welcome a wider range of families.
When should a school start a holiday fundraiser?
Start with the date families need their purchases, then confirm vendor production and shipping schedules, school approval, and volunteer availability. Promote presale gifts well before the last week of school; an on-campus bake sale or wrapping station can run closer to the event.
What is a holiday fundraiser that can reach alumni and extended family?
School-branded gifts, especially custom blankets and ornaments, can be shared beyond the current student body through a fundraiser page, email, and alumni channels. Make the ordering deadline and delivery or pickup arrangements clear to out-of-town buyers.
Ready to plan a winter school spirit sale? Explore custom blanket options from Fundraiser Blankets® and request a design for your school.
