As the holiday season rolls around, families start to put up their trees and get out the lights. But as much fun as it is to decorate at this time of year, families are also under the pressure of purchasing the perfect gifts for their loved ones. For the younger kids, it can be hard to find the time (or a ride!) to shop and buy these presents that go under the tree. Kids’ Corner at TBS gives students that opportunity.

On November 28, lower and middle school students visited the gym throughout the day with their teachers to get their chance at shopping at Kids’ Corner. With 46 different vendors, the event gave the students a wide variety of options to pick out the best possible gift for each person on their list.

This event is the ideal time for students to roam around the gym and choose from an assortment of items for recipients ranging from pets to siblings to grandparents. “It was fun to see and taste the different food and candy at the booths,” said sixth-grader Ella McDermott. “It would be nice if we had a little more time to look around, [but] I like how each grade had different times to shop so that it wasn’t so crowded,” she said.

Seventh-grader Keane Adam agreed.

“The items were good quality [and] there was a nice assortment of different things to choose from,” he said, “but I felt a little rushed with the amount of time we had, so if faculty lengthened the time frame, then it would [have been] more enjoyable and reassuring to know that we had a good amount of time to find the perfect present.”
Despite the time constraint, many students made several purchases. However, they were not the only ones doing their holiday shopping. The parents also had time to peruse and purchase the day before on Tuesday, November 27 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. This event, called the Holiday Bazaar, was for adults only as it not only featured those 46 vendors, but also complimentary wine and hors-d’oeuvres, and was open to the public.

All that traffic over two days doesn’t just provide students and the community the opportunity to shop at a variety of booths, but it also benefits the School.

“Vendors must pay a $100 table fee, and 15% of all their sales go back to the School,” said TBS parent Mrs. Cari York, who helped organize the event. “The money donated to the school is not given to a specific program. It is used anywhere the school sees fit,” she said.

Kids Corner has been a TBS tradition for years, but outside vendors have only been invited to sell their wares for the past six. Every year new booths appear at Kids’ Corner as new additions to the students’ shopping experience. This year featured a number of items, from jewelry and clothing to candy, toys, and even treats for pets.

The best part, though, is the joy Kids’ Corner brings to students during the holiday season. “The excitement on the [students’] faces is electric!” said York. “Their enjoyment is really the main reason we have the event. It’s something special that students and parents look forward to every year.”

That joy, combined with the money it brings in for the School and the shopping stress relief it provides, make Kids’ Corner a triple threat against the holiday blues.