Holiday Trees
Holiday Trees decorated with a theme make great raffle items. However, because raffles are a type of lottery, there are laws that govern this type of fundraising. We recommend you first review our Raffles section for more complete information on conducting a raffle.
Each classroom can put together a decorated holiday tree to be raffled off. Rather than typical ornaments, trees are decorated with gifts. Smaller gifts are hung from the tree and larger ones are placed around the base. There would be a raffle winner for each tree and the winner would win the tree and all gifts on and under that tree. The PTO supplies an identical 3-4 foot tree to each classroom. Negotiate with a local craft store, nursery, or discount department store to purchase several, identical, imitation trees at a discounted rate. The store may even be willing to donate some or all of the trees in support of your fundraiser.
Ask for donations to decorate the trees:
- Classroom parents can contribute items for the tree. These are generally low dollar items ($5-10); or
- Classroom parents can contribute a monetary amount (i.e. $5, $10, $15). Designate a classroom parent(s) to collect and assemble the contributions.
- Ask for donations from local merchants - products or gift certificates for products and services. With gift certificates, rather than hang the actual gift certificate from the tree, we recommend making an ornament card indicating the value of the certificate. Actual certificates can be given out later to the prize winner.
Plan to display your trees on tables. We recommend pairing your actual raffle day with another school event (sports event, pancake breakfast, craft/vendor sale) or a town-wide holiday event if they have one in your town.
The theme ideas for holiday trees are endless. Here are some of our favorites...
HOLIDAY TREE THEMES
Golf: Golf balls, tees, clubs, gloves, golf club covers, golf ball display case, towels, golf bag, gift certificate to golf course or local sports shop.
Party Time: Everything you need to throw a themed party for 15 children. Purchase one of our Theme Party Ideas and include this booklet in your basket. Then include themed decorations, paper plates, cups, napkins, plastic silverware, balloons, helium tank, candles, invitations, thank you notes, linens or paper tablecloths, wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift tags, ribbon, cameras, serving trays & bowls, aluminum foil. Make gift bags and fill them with candy and small toys related to the party theme. Actually make up a few of the decorations yourself (i.e for an Old West Party include a teepee or tent and make the campfire according to the instructions; for a Medieval Castle Party make the coat of arms banners and torches to decorate the "castle"). Include or make a a few items for the games & activities (i.e. for the Amazon Expedition party include a box of expedition supplies - water, binoculars, hats, survival packs; for the Medieval party make knights costumes). You may also want to include a certificate for two volunteers to help setup or clean-up the party. You will get hundreds of ideas for this basket from our party booklets!
Movie Night: Portable DVD player, home DVD player, DVD movies, popcorn, candy, gift certificate to the movie theatre, video rental store, and dinner at a restaurant.
Family Game Night: Board games, deck of cards, video games (i.e. plug & play games, V-Smile, GameBoy, GameCube, Playstation, etc.), tickets to sporting events (professional, college, high school), gift certificate to local establishments (bowling, ice skating, roller skating), gift certificates to local take-out pizza.
Road to Reading: Books for all ages and interests (infants, beginning readers, chapter books, classics, mystery, romance), cook book, atlas, wall maps, globe (approx. $10 at your local discount department store), magazine & newspaper subscriptions, computer games & reference materials (i.e. online encyclopedia), gift certificate to local bookstore, LeapPad Learning System (approx. $40), phonics products & games, chalkboard, Let's Play School kit (TTGO.com, $39.95), flashcards, journal, clock, cash register.
Hats Off to You: Hats of all types - baseball, pirate, construction, warm winter hat & gloves, summer bucket hat, Santa hat, elf hat, baker's hat, cowboy hat, Independence Day hat, witches hat, top hat, magic hat, clown/jester hat. Gift certificate to a local costume shop.
Pampered Mom: Nail polish, nail file, manicure tools, lotions, soaps, shampoo & conditioner, candles, plush bathrobe and bath towels, books or a gift certificate to a book store, gift certificate to a local spa (massage, facial, nails, hair), gift certificate for an overnight stay, gift certificate for an evening out to dinner or a prepared dinner delivered to your home, CD player and soothing/relaxation CDs, gift certificate to the mall for a day of shopping.
Music: CD's of every kind - rock, pop, country, holiday, children's, classical. CD case, kareoke machine, wireless microphone, harmonica, guitar, or other instruments. Gift certificate to a music store.
Matchbox Mania: Matchbox cars of all types, car carrying case, car track.
Everything Pink: Barbie dolls and accessories.
Picture This: Around the holidays, many stores offer 3"x3" frame ornaments. Decorate an entire tree with these. Digital camera, photo albums, larger frames, photo printer, photo paper, photo storage boxes, gift certificate to a framing store, gift certificate for film developing, scrapbook, and scrapbook accessories.
Trains: Train engines, boxcars, and caboose. Train tracks and accessories. Polar Express movie (visit Target.com or BarnesandNoble.com).
Home Improvement: Tool box, tools, paint brushes, rollers, paint scrapers, paint buckets, garden tools, garden gloves, work gloves, extension cord, light bulbs, batteries (AA or 9V for smoke detectors), gift certificate to local nursery or home improvement store, gift certificate for an afternoon of landscaping.
Automotive: Gift certificate for oil change, gas card, car wash, or to the local auto parts store, car mats, car cleaners, wash bucket, car sponge, shammie, jumper cables, blanket, sunglasses, map book, washer fluid, CD's, portable DVD player.
Gardening: Wheel barrel, gardening tools (rake, shovel, hoe), gloves, hose, sprinkler, flower bulbs, window boxes, planters (glass, metal, plastic), lawn ornaments, solar lawn lights, gift certificate to local garden shop/nursery.
Baker's Dozen: Measuring cups, measuring spoons, spatula, wisk, cutting board, apron, dish towel, recipes, recipe cards, recipe box, mixer, rolling pin, cookie cutters, cookie sheet, muffin pan, children's baking pan set, children's apron & baker's hat.
Kitchen Essentials: Serving spoons, spatula, pie cutter, wisk, measuring cups, measuring spoons, can opener, under-the-counter radio, dish towels, apron, sponges, toaster, blender.
Toy Treasures: Pick a single type of toy and decorate with many sets of it - Legos, Lincoln Logs, Disney Fairies, MegaBlocks, Barbie dolls. Gift certificate to a toy store.
Dinner Out: Gift certificates to restaurants.
Lucky Lottery: Decorate the entire tree with lottery tickets of all types.
Lego Heaven: Legos toy sets of all types - ranging in price from $8-$70+ sets.
Gift Giving:Everthing you need to give a gift. Wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons, bows, cards, tissue paper, boxes, a storage box/container for all of these items.
Grandma's Recipes: Recipe books of all types (dinner, lunch, breakfast meals, desserts, drinks), recipe cards & box, pen, actual recipes from grandma, mixing bowl, baking pan, soup caldron. Contents to create a family heirloom recipe book including a 3-ring binder with 8 1/2 x 11" recipe card pages, page dividers, and a 3-hole punch) or a high-quality heirloom scrapbook.
Trees From Around the World: This tree consists of items from one particular country or several different countries. The tree can be featured around the countries the students discussed in class during the year. For example, offer an Italian Dinner that features boxes of pasta, sauce, large pot to boil pasta, baking pan to bake lasagna, serving spoons, Italian breadsticks, gift certificate to an Italian restaurant or for pizza, apron, pot holder, red wine, recipes. Or, a Mexican theme that features chips & salsa, taco kit, Mexican cookbook, serving tray, bright colored table linens and dishes to have a fiesta, hanging lanterns, sombrero, magharita mix & glasses, and a gift certificate to a Mexican restaurant.
Man's Best Friend: Dog care items such as collar, leash, food & water bowls, poopper scooper, crate, gift certificate to a pet store, chew toys, dog biscuits.
Stationary Note cards, stationary sheets, envelopes, holiday cards, stamps, pens, journals.
Everything Chocolate Boxes of chocolate, chocolate sundae sauce, ice cream scoop, ice cream bowls, cherries, chocolate sprinkles, hot chocolate, white hot chocolate (see Simple Craft Ideas for homemade recipe), mugs, marshmallow, spoons, chocolate & white chocolate pudding, gift certificate to a chocolate shop or for a sundae at an ice cream shop.
Starry, Starry Night: Telescope, glo-in-the-dark ceiling stars, spaceship, space shuttle, planatarium light, flashlight, moonwalk (or a gift certificate for a 1-day rental of a moonwalk for a birthday), gift certificate to the plantarium.
Halloweentown: Halloween costumes & accessories, witches hat, masks, imitation spider webs, loot bag, black & orange lights, door & window decorations, cauldron, capes, candy, halloween music, black & orange placemat, table runner, table cloth, halloween cups, napkins, plates.
School Supplies: School supplies including chalkboard with eraser & chalk, desk, bookcase, summer reading books, workbooks, pencils, pens, paper, construction paper, erasers, protractor, calculator, ruler, crayons, markers, notebooks, binders.
Lottery Tickets: Lottery tickets of all types.
Picnic in the Park: Picnic basket, cooler, plates, cups, utensils, plastic food containers, cloth napkins, blanket, bottle of wine, frisbee, sunscreen, his and hers books and sunglasses, gift certificate to a local grocery store.
Coffee: Ground coffee of all types (regular, flavored, decaf), coffee pot, sugar or sugar cubes, nondairy creamer, coffee mugs, spoons, dry coffee cake mix, dry scone mix, gift certificates to local coffee shops.
Tea for Two: Tea of all types, tea bags, tea leaves, teapot, cups, spoons, cloth napkins, dry mix for tea cakes or cookies, nondairy creamer, lemon, sugar, honey, gift certificate to a local cafe.
Travel: Luggage of all sizes, bathroom essentials travel case, shampoo, conditioner, soap, disposable razors, Q-tips, toothpaste, travel clock, book, magazines, gift certificate for a weekend stay at a resort, gift certificate for a car rental or toward an airline ticket.
Ice Cream Sundae Delight: Chocolate, caramel, and strawberry sauces, marshmallow, chopped nuts, cherries, chocolate and colored sprinkles, M&Ms, ice cream bowls, spoons, napkins, gift certificate to a local ice cream shop.
See our Great Deals page for special offers (discounts, free shipping, etc.) from all of our sponsors.
Note: All prices shown are estimates and are subject to change.
You are welcome to distribute this list to school parents to give them ideas. We only ask that you reference the PTO Ideas name and page link (http://ptoideas.com/category/16/Holiday_Tree_Raffle)on the re-printed copy as specified in our Terms of Use.
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