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Santa Shop marks another year of holiday tradition at WACO Elementary
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CRAWFORDSVILLE — By the time the first students arrived at WACO Elementary the morning of Monday, Dec. 15, volunteers had already transformed the WACO Elementary gym into a carefully wrapped lesson in generosity, complete with a gingerbread house entrance and tables of gifts priced just right.
The annual Santa Shop, organized and run by the WACO Parent-Teacher Organization, filled the gym and gave students the chance to shop for family members during the school day. The event continues a holiday tradition at the Crawfordsville elementary school that began 25 years ago and remains a highlight of the season.
The event’s history stretches back to December 2000, when a small group of volunteers first launched the idea. Deanna Ross Dugger, one of the original organizers, said the early days required year-round planning and a lot of storage space.
“I’m glad that Santa Shop is still an event at WACO elementary,” Dugger said. “A group of about eight of us started it in December 2000. We bought stuff all year and stored it in my upstairs. It is hard to believe that was 25 years ago.”
That sense of longevity was visible as students left the gym carrying bags of wrapped gifts, many already labeled and ready to be placed under Christmas trees. Volunteers wrapped purchases on site, adding to the excitement while keeping surprises intact.
Throughout the day, students rotated through the space with lists and envelopes sent from home, selecting gifts that ranged from ornaments and winter gear to games, baking supplies and small tools. All items were priced at $5 or less, allowing students to practice simple math skills while making thoughtful choices for the people they care about.
“Students are able to practice simple math skills and learn the valuable life lesson of giving,” the WACO PTO said. “The Shop is a safe, supervised environment.”
The gym buzzed with activity as volunteers from the PTO and students from the WACO High School National Honor Society helped guide younger shoppers. High school students also worked together to create the gingerbread house entrance that marked the beginning of the shopping experience. Inside Santa’s Shop, holiday characters made appearances, including gingerbread men, the Lorax and even Santa himself.
Principal Emily Settles said the collaboration between students, staff and volunteers helped make the day run smoothly.
“We have NHS, National Honor Society members from the high school, helping us out. Our amazing PTO came in and set up this weekend,” Settles said during the event Monday. “So, we currently have PTO volunteers and NHS members helping us out here. Kids are excited to come in and shop. It is going very well. Lots of good stuff here.”
The Santa Shop depends heavily on community support for all that “good stuff.” In the weeks leading up to the event, the PTO shared that approximately 1,000 gifts were needed to fully stock the shop and encouraged donations of both items and funds.
For many families, Santa Shop is a tradition children eagerly anticipate.
“Thank you for doing this!” WACO parent Taryn Collins said. “My kids have been talking about it all weekend!”
By the end of the day, the gym was quiet again, but the impact lingered.
“Well Ladies and Gentlemen, that is a wrap on the 2025 WACO Santa’s Workshop,” WACO PTO shared following another successful year of the Santa Shop. “Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the amazing volunteers who make this event a possibility. We could not do it without you! Also a huge thank you to all teachers and staff for allowing us to interrupt your school day. Your patience with us is greatly appreciated. Finally thank you to all students who shopped. Every student who walked through our Gingerbread door was well behaved, respectful and followed directions amazingly This year was a great success and we can wait to see what 2026 brings us!”
As organizers look ahead to future years, the purpose of Santa Shop remains unchanged — giving students the chance to experience the joy of giving, one carefully chosen gift at a time.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
