Picture little Jimmy saving his allowance to buy holiday gifts for his parents, then finding that the $5 put away nickel by nickel did not come close to buying the scarf or golf book found in the stores. Or think of the frustration young Jill faces because she wants to surprise her parents and brother with gifts, but they will be accompanying her on her shopping trip.
Some towns and schools in Lake County have anticipated just such holiday crises among the younger set. Their answer is to organize a roomful of goodies that has something for everyone in the family, including the dog, that ranges in price from $1 to about $7. And best of all, family members are generally not allowed in the room. Local volunteers acting as Santa’s helpers assist the youngsters in matching pennies to presents.
In Lake Forest, the Gorton Community Center is trying out the concept this year in conjunction with the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce. Called “For Children Only Holiday Shop” and held from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Center’s Community Room for children aged 10 and under, the setup features a selection of items that are $10 or less from more than a dozen local stores.
Gorton Associate Director Susan Banks and Director Gail Hodges see it as the beginning of a new tradition.
“We heard about these things going on in other areas. We thought it would be a fun thing to do here because children will get to shop independently of their parents and siblings. And they can use a little imagination in choosing their gifts from a selection of things they can afford to buy,” Banks said.
She can hardly wait to see the youngsters having fun choosing their gifts, without their parents’ help.
“I think the fun will be seeing the kids’ excitement as they shop. The parents cannot come in. They have to drop the kids off at the entrance to the community room and then wait in the parents lounge downstairs, where they can have a cup of coffee,” she said. Members of the Senior Center will be on hand to help the young shoppers.
“I think it will be a special day that is fun for everyone,” Hodges said. “We thought it would be something kids really like. Children have limited funds, and this way everything is already sorted out for them by price.”
Gorton officials ask that people call the office at 847-234-6060 so they have an idea of how many children to expect in the shop and how many parents in the lounge. The Gorton Community Center is at 400 E. Illinois Rd. in Lake Forest.
– – –
Farther west in the county, a holiday store that admits youngsters only has been a tradition in Libertyville since the early ’90s. Peggy Becker, executive director of MainStreet Libertyville, the village’s not-for-profit downtown historic redevelopment association, said volunteers operate Santa’s Secret Shoppe as part of the association’s longstanding “Dickens of a Holiday” activities in downtown Libertyville. The Secret Shoppe is open for business from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the four Saturdays before Christmas.
“It has really grown over the years. In the past four years alone, it probably has gone from about 400 kids to about 700 kids,” Becker said.
The reason? “It gives the kids a place to shop for their parents, siblings, grandparents and friends where mom or dad don’t have to stand over them. The moms and dads are not even allowed in the shop. Everything is wrapped and tagged by MainStreet volunteers so that when the children come out, everything is done and the moms and dads can’t see it. The whole intent is that the present really is a surprise and only the kids know what’s in it,” she said.
According to Becker “what’s in it” can vary from cute pencils, toys and key chains to mugs, picture frames and small sports items, all costing about 50 cents to $5. “It’s geared to what we think these children like to buy,” Becker said.
Santa’s Secret Shoppe is in the Civic Center at 135 W. Church St. Call 847-680-0336 for more information.
– – –
Parents like the idea of a children-only holiday bazaar so much that parent organizations at several of the county’s elementary schools operate them and tie them to other holiday events.
The Family Association of Butterfield School in Libertyville calls its annual children’s holiday shopping experience “Elves Shelves” and ties it to a brunch with Santa. But even though the event, held at the school from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 6, primarily attracts Butterfield families, Family Association President Linda Hamilton of Libertyville said it is open to the public.
“Anyone outside the school can come too. It is a lot of fun,” Hamilton said.
She pointed out that people could have doughnuts and juice with Santa in the commons and that families could shop together at a craft bazaar in another part of the school. But she liked the idea that children could shop alone at Elves Shelves, where gifts run the gamut from inexpensive jewelry and toys for pets to miniature toolboxes and sports pennants. The association uses Fun Services, an Oak Creek, Wis., company that supplies envelopes for the children with spaces that show how much the child intends to allocate for each present. The company also provides a wide assortment of gift items costing less than $7.50.
“It gives children control over their gifts. They decide what to get on their own, and it teaches them to work within a budget,” she said. Indeed, her own youngsters, 11-year-old Blake and 9-year-old Katie, have been doing their holiday shopping at the school since kindergarten.
“They truly get enjoyment from being able to shop on their own and then giving these gifts that they have chosen. Katie would not miss this,” Hamilton said.
Two other Libertyville schools are holding youngsters-only shopping fun, called “The Holiday Shoppe,” on Dec. 6: the Adler Park School, which is tying it to a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m., and the Copeland Manor School, which is holding a concurrent craft fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, call the Adler Park School, 1740 N. Milwaukee Ave., at 847-362-7275, and the Copeland Manor School, 801 S. 7th Ave., at 847-362-0240.
And Oakland Grade School in Antioch has a “Santa’s Secret Shop” in conjunction with a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Dec. 6 (open to the public).
None of the children’s shops are fundraisers. The reason these schools and towns bother to hold such an event may best be summed up by Lindenhurst mom Sue Bassinger, chairwoman of Oakland’s Secret Shop: “You should see the faces of the youngsters when they walk out of the shop with their secret presents. They are so proud of themselves. And where else could they get presents at such nominal prices?”
———-
For more information, call Oakland Grade School, 22018 W. Grass Lake Rd., Antioch, at 847-395-1730.
