For the last five years, Bill and Barb Hughes always looked forward to working at the Holiday Shoppe at Montgomery City Elementary School.

Every year after Christmas, the couple would purchase items to help out with the supplies for the store.

“It takes work,” Bill said. “We shopped all year. We go out, run around and find out what they have.”

Bill and Barb spent their final year as coordinators of the Holiday Shoppe, which allowed students to buy Christmas items for their family members. Taylor Cowden will take over coordinating duties next year.

“I told (my students) that my mom and dad are not doing it next year,” said Leslie King, MCE fifth-grade teacher and the Hugheses’ daughter. “So next year will be a little different.”

The Holiday Shoppe wrapped up its seventh year at MCE. The store opened during school hours from Dec. 6-9. All items were $5 or less. Third through fifth graders shopped on Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 and students from kindergarten through second grade shopped on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9.

“I like how we did it this year,” King said. “We split it up with big and little kids on two different days. It’s not as overwhelming. Some kids get to go shopping. Dad usually has a little cash in his pocket. If they’re a dollar short, he hands it over. That’s how dad is.”

The Holiday Shoppe wasn’t held only one time and that was in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had the stuff, but they had to be carried over the next year,” Bill said. “We did it mainly because the other stuff that they were buying was a lot of the Oriental stuff and they weren’t the best quality stuff. They weren’t expensive. For everything here, nothing is over $5.”

King said before shopping at the Holiday Shoppe, students would receive a letter with an envelope and a list attached and they have to write down the people they will be buying gifts for.

“They bring whatever money they can bring,” King said. “Some kids bring two or three dollars and some kids bring $50-$75 dollars. You just never know.”

Bill said he and his wife were successful in their first year running the Holiday Shoppe in 2017.

“When we did it the first year, we made $3,700,” Bill said.
Bill said students enjoy getting the opportunity to shop for Christmas items.

“I think they like it because they know that nothing is over $5,” he said. “When the others shopped before, some of the stuff were $19-20. They were ridiculously high. We just said there’s no way they can have things over $5. They don’t have that kind of money.”

Items at the Holiday Shoppe include pillows, coffee mugs, posters, fleece throws and toys. Bill made birdhouses and bird feeders and put them up for sale.

Kennedy Reagan, one of the MCE students, came to the Holiday Shoppe during the afternoon of Dec. 6 to buy Christmas items for her family. She said she enjoys going to the store.

“I come here every year,” Reagan said.

King came up with the idea of having the Holiday Shoppe at the school seven years ago. All of the money raised from the store goes to the Student Council group.

“This is a big money maker for the Student Council,” King said. “They use this money to do things for students at MCE. We donated money towards the new playground equipment that was purchased last year. Overall, I love that we can make shopping fun and affordable for kids and that they get to choose on their own for family members.”

King thanked her parents for their five years of service.

“That’s a tremendous amount of help,” the teacher said. “They’re excited to have all 30 totes in their garage.”