Oct 12, 2023 2023 Secret Snowflake Shop
Don’t miss the Friends of the Library’s eighth annual Secret Snowflake Shop, where children can – all on their own – purchase holiday gifts for the significant people in their lives: parents, grandparents, teachers, daycare providers, siblings of all ages, friends and pets.
The Secret Snowflake Shop will be open 9 AM to 4 PM Sat., Dec. 2, and 1 to 4 PM Sun., Dec. 3, for children ages 4 through 13 to shop. Gifts are $5 each, including wrapping, and will be ready to give when the children leave the Library.
Registration for the event is required and opens at 9 AM Wed., Nov. 1, on the Library Event Calendar. Use the following links based on your time preference:
- Sat., Dec. 2 Morning Shopping Appointment Registration: bit.ly/SSS12-2-23AM
- Sat., Dec. 2 Afternoon Shopping Appointment Registration: bit.ly/SSS12-2-23PM
- Sun., Dec. 3 Afternoon Shopping Appointment Registration: bit.ly/SSS12-3-23PM
Parents should have the following information available when they register:
- First Name: Child’s First Name
- Last Name: Child’s Last Name
- Phone: (Contact #)
- Email:
- Preferred FIRST Name of Child Shopping (We need the child’s first name again to generate the shopping list.)
- Age of child
- A shopping list of people to buy for, including their age group/details (Examples: Aunt Laura/Adult, Sarah/Teen, Rover/Dog)
- A summary of the number of gifts for each category (Babies/Toddlers under 3 years old; Girls 3-17 years; Boys 3-17 years; Female Adults; Male Adults; Dogs; Cats; Other Pets – please specify (e.g., hamster, etc.))
- Availability to select a time slot on Dec. 2 or 3
Parents registering for multiple children should register each child separately for one 20-minute time slot. Please note that this time slot is your child’s check-in time for the event. During check-in, your child will receive a ticket with a group number. That group number is their shopping group. Shopping groups will be called as volunteer shopping assistants become available. A member of the Friends will prepare each child’s shopping list in advance based on the information provided. If there are changes after registration, no worries; just let us know when your child arrives to shop.
Once a child enters the market, volunteers will be available to help them make their selections. Younger children may also be accompanied by an older sibling or adult for whom they are not purchasing a gift. The Friends restock the shopping area throughout the weekend so that all shoppers have a large selection of gifts to match their shopping lists.
Children will have the opportunity to make simple crafts and enjoy fun activities, including a new Train Table Holiday Scavenger Hunt, while they wait for their shopping group to be called. Doughnuts and beverages will also be available for cash-only purchase from the Friends of the Library throughout the weekend.
The Friends also are holding a Silent Auction with more than 40 themed baskets to choose from. Bidding will begin Sat., Nov. 18, and will close at 5 PM Sun., Dec. 3. Baskets will be on display during that time in the Youth Department on the first floor and in the Nonfiction area on the second floor.
Volunteer to Help with the Secret Snowflake Shop
Interested in helping out the Friends at this year’s Secret Snowflake Shop? Volunteers are needed for the following:
- Set-up the Secret Snowflake Shop: Thurs, Nov. 30.
- Help as Shopping and Wrapping Assistants: Sat., Dec. 2 and Sun., Dec. 3.
- Clean-up the Secret Snowflake Shop: Mon., Dec. 4.
To learn more about the volunteer opportunities available, or to sign up to help, visit the Friends’ Secret Snowflake Shop Sign-up Genius page: bit.ly/HelpTheFriends-SSS23
