christmas bazaar - already!!!!

[helenmc]

Sorry folks bringing up christmas sooooo early, but I've got my first committee meeting next thursday. Our small school used to ages 4-18 years, and this term opened a nursey (babies upwards). Every year we have a fund raising bazaar at the end of November with the standard cakes, books, toys, bottle tombola, cards & gift wrap. So what would YOU like to see/be able to buy at such an event. And what did you like spending your money on as a child?? Going to a few bazaars I seem to end up spending a tenner and coming home with not a lot. So I'm thinking of an arts/craft stall with santa sacks, advent calendars, christmas decs... I know there are a lot of you creative mums out there any ideas for other easy (get the kids to make??) not too time consuming things to do?? Have already got the Bakerross catalogue for inspiration.

I am deeply, deeply impressed that the sweets get counted, you know, and lol @ lindy maybe there should be a 'guess the sweet', and 'guess the sweets in the sweet-counter' competition running side-by-side?

I'm fascinated by this thread - it's affording me a glimpse into the secret world of the pta/committee member. I'm sure my time will come as dd gets older

Ionesmum, The issue has been debated by our PCC many times, the last was about 18 months ago when I was a member, it actually reduces soem people to tears as they are so against and beleive that all the blessings that our chuch has(and we have a lot even if most of them aren't material ones)will stop if we accept money that has been raised this way. I wouldn't want to upset anyone and we manage, so I go along with the banning, but on a personal note, I have been known to go to the races and back a horse if it winked at me!

lilbet I have no problem with it either way, although I must admit I have a great deal of admiration for churches who do away with fundraising altogether (except for external charities) and rely soley on prayer. Perhaps I should suggest that at our next P.C.C., I'd love to see everyone's faces!

Had our first meeting today , and the silent auction went down a storm !! so thanks Mabs for that, and we're going to have a bottle tomobola so thanks Ghosty for that. I'm going to do an arts & crafts - so ideas for easy things for kids to do..like painting decorations

dear mumsnetter - just a quick update and thank you for suggestions .Bazaar last week and we raised - £51 on the silent auction and the games(hoopla, table football, ping pong balls into jar, beat the buzzer) and all the tree decs raised a whopping £141. Big question ...what do do next year.

Well done helenmc, hope you also had fun! We ran a children's disco in the summer & are doing another one next week, for playgroup funds, it's a great fund raiser (have to admit it raised a lot more than the adult disco we tried!!).