The Complete Guide to Running a Holiday Shop Fundraiser at Your Elementary School
The Complete Guide to Running a Holiday Shop Fundraiser at Your Elementary School
If your PTA or PTO board has been searching for a fresh fundraising idea, you've probably already landed on the concept of an in-school holiday shop. But the most common question we hear from Colorado Springs school coordinators isn't what a holiday shop is — it's how do we actually pull this off?
This is your complete guide. From the moment you book to the moment the last gift bag goes home, here's exactly what running a holiday shop fundraiser at your elementary school looks like.
Step 1: Book Early and Get Your Date Locked In
Everything starts with signing your contract and locking in your selling week. This is the most important step — and the one most PTOs wait too long to take. November and December dates fill up first, every single year.
Book by September 11, 2026 to receive a 25% fundraising payout. Booking closes October 1st.
Once your contract is signed, your PTO needs to handle three things on the school side:
- Get administration approval to host the holiday shop
- Reserve a location — the gym or library works best
- Start thinking about your volunteer pool
Step 2: Six Weeks Out — Marketing Materials Arrive
Six weeks before your selling week, Game On! Holiday Shoppe ships your complete marketing materials packet. This includes:
- Wall posters and a yard sign to build excitement in the building
- Money envelopes for students to bring their budget from home
- A parent letter template ready to customize and send home
- Social media graphics and templates to spread the word online
- A volunteer guide to help you train and organize your team
Parent communication should go out before Thanksgiving so families have time to prepare a budget and kids know what's coming. The money envelopes make it easy — parents tuck cash or a check inside and send it with their child on shopping day.
Step 3: Two Weeks Out — Confirm Your Delivery
Two weeks before your selling week, Game On! will confirm your Monday delivery date, time, and location. This is also a good time to finalize your class schedule and confirm your volunteer commitments.
Volunteer recommendation: Plan for at least 3 volunteers per shift:
- One to help students browse and find gifts in their budget
- One to run the checkout tablet and scanner
- One to help kids at the gift wrapping table
Younger grades — kindergarten and first grade especially — may need additional helpers. Your volunteer guide covers everything your team needs to know before the shop opens.
Step 4: Monday Delivery — You're Open for Business
On Monday of your selling week, Game On! delivers everything to your school:
- Labeled boxes of merchandise organized for easy volunteer setup
- Gift bags, gift tags, tissue paper, and markers
- A pre-programmed checkout tablet, cash drawer, and handheld scanner
Your volunteers set up the shop, organize gifts by price point, and you're ready to go.
Pro tip on scheduling: Most schools can get through the majority of their classes in the first two days. We recommend giving students a first look on Monday afternoon, then scheduling a free shopping day later in the week where kids can come back during breaks or recess. That second visit is where a lot of the magic happens.
Step 5: Running the Shop
Once the doors open, your volunteers run the show. The checkout process is fast and straightforward:
- A volunteer scans each gift with the handheld scanner
- The tablet displays and verifies the purchase automatically
- The volunteer collects cash or check and completes the transaction
- The child takes their gifts to the wrapping table
The PTO collects and controls all sales revenue throughout the week. Game On! is available during school hours to answer any questions that come up, and if you sell through inventory faster than expected, we can deliver more if stock is available.
The biggest challenge? The pace. A well-run holiday shop moves fast — which is a good problem to have. Make sure your volunteers are briefed, your checkout station is organized, and you have a system for keeping the line moving.
Step 6: Friday Pickup and Cash Out
When school lets out on Friday, Game On! arrives to collect the register, all unsold merchandise, and any remaining sales materials. You don't count inventory — we handle that at our facility.
Sales and fundraising totals are finalized on site at pickup. Here's how the payout works:
- All cash collected during the week belongs to the PTO
- Fundraising payout is calculated on net sales (gross sales minus taxes)
- Game On! provides a complete sales summary report at pickup
- The PTO works with the school to issue Game On! a check for merchandise costs within 30 days
- Everything above that — your full fundraising payout — stays with your school
Sign up by September 11th and that payout is 25%. After September 11th it drops to 20%.
Is Your School Ready to Book?
A holiday shop fundraiser is one of the most rewarding events a PTO can run — for the kids, for the families, and for your bottom line. With the right partner handling the merchandise, the system, and the logistics, your volunteers get to focus on what matters most: making it a great experience for every child who walks through the door.
Game On! Holiday Shoppe is now booking Colorado Springs elementary schools for the 2026 holiday season.
👉 See how it works or contact us today to check your dates.