Planning your PTA/PTO Christmas fair for winter 2025? Here are the latest trends and proven strategies to help you create an engaging, profitable, and stress-free event that brings your school community together.
Move beyond traditional tombola to a fully digital raffle experience. With Classlist Raffles, parents can purchase tickets from their phones anytime, anywhere – no more printing ticket books or handling cash. Schools using this approach have seen remarkable results, with average ticket sales of 400 per raffle and top performers selling over 3,000 tickets.
The platform allows you to add prizes as donations come in, create a public webpage for extended family and community participation, and manage everything collaboratively with your PTA team. Christmas raffles are proven fundraising champions, averaging £800 with some raising over £1,000.
Popular prize trends for 2025: 'Experience' prizes like fitness sessions, family photoshoots, and spa treatments are 2.5 times more popular than traditional hampers. Consider local restaurant vouchers, beauty treatments, and themed hampers like "pamper packages" or "family movie night" bundles.
Pro tip: Enable public guest checkout to reach grandparents, godparents, and the wider community – this accounts for 40% of raffle ticket sales on average. Prize budgets under £500 still qualify as small-scale lotteries in the UK. Learn more about optimising your online raffle.
Boost early commitment and predict attendance better by offering online ticket sales with incentives. Consider pricing like £2 early bird (online), £3 at the door, or family passes at £8-10. This approach helps with planning refreshments and activities while rewarding organised families.
For accessibility, always offer some free entry times or complimentary tickets for families who need support.
Reflect 2025 values by incorporating eco-friendly activities. Set up a station where children can create decorations from recycled materials, host a preloved toy swap instead of buying new prizes, or organise a "green gift wrap" station using newspaper and natural decorations.
This resonates with environmentally conscious families and teaches children valuable lessons while keeping costs down.
Move beyond static games to create memorable interactive experiences. Popular 2025 trends include escape room challenges in classrooms, augmented reality Christmas hunts using tablets, photo opportunities with professional lighting setups, and "elf training" obstacle courses.
These Instagram-worthy activities generate social media buzz and make your event stand out.
Recognise that not all families thrive in busy, loud environments. Create a quiet sensory-friendly space with softer lighting, calming activities, and scheduled "low stimulation" hours. Offer comfort food like hot chocolate stations, warming soups, and dietary-inclusive treats.
This inclusive approach welcomes more families and demonstrates community care.
Extend your fair beyond physical attendance. Live stream performances, offer online shopping from fair stalls through your PTA platform, and create digital activities for families who cannot attend due to illness or other commitments.
This hybrid model has become expected in 2025 and can significantly increase your fundraising reach.
Address the cost-of-living concerns many families face by organising popular swap stations. Families donate gently used school uniforms and books in the weeks before the fair, then "shop" for free or for small donations during the event.
This practical support builds goodwill and community spirit while raising awareness of your PTA's role.
Offer scheduled time slots with Santa, including specific sensory-friendly sessions with softer music, no flash photography, and longer interaction times. Use online booking to manage queues and reduce waiting times for all families.
Consider offering video calls with Santa for children who cannot attend, making the experience accessible to everyone.
Rather than one exhausting all-day fair, consider a "Christmas week" approach with different activities spread across several shorter sessions. This reduces volunteer burnout, allows more parents to participate around work schedules, and can actually increase total attendance and revenue.
Example schedule: Monday crafts evening, Wednesday games after school, Friday food and entertainment night, Saturday morning Santa sessions.
This is probably the most important part of your school Christmas fair. Without them there is no event. But how do you get people to participate? Use Classlist to communicate with parents – let them know about your event, ask for suggestions, send out invites and call for volunteers.
Modern parent communication platforms have evolved significantly. Make the most of Classlist features to support your Christmas fair:
The right tools can reduce your organising time by 60% while improving communication and participation.
The most successful Christmas fairs in 2025 balance tradition with innovation, prioritise inclusivity, and make strategic use of technology to reduce organiser stress. Remember that your goal is not just fundraising, but building community connections that benefit your school year-round.
Start planning early, communicate clearly, celebrate your volunteers, and don't be afraid to try something new. Your PTA/PTO community will appreciate the effort, and you might just start some wonderful new traditions.
Ready to get started? Begin by surveying your parent community about their preferences, securing your date and venue, and building your volunteer team. With good planning and the right tools, your 2025 Christmas fair can be your most successful yet.