Exploring the event’s growth and impact on AHS and the local community
Staff Writer
On December 7th, the PTSA hosted their annual Holiday Boutique in American’s rotunda. This was the event’s nineteenth year, and its main purpose has always been to raise funds for Senior Grad Nite, which is typically a trip to Disneyland.
Teri Morales is the vendor coordinator for the Holiday Boutique. She said, “The Holiday Boutique is a craft fair for most of our vendors. We sell spaces to the vendors, and then they keep all the proceeds from what they sell during the day. That’s mainly where our earnings come from. We also have a prize drawing so people can buy tickets for prizes. And we have a big sale where a lot of families will donate baked goods that we then sell, and the proceeds go to Grad Night.”
Laura Dauzat, who started the Holiday Boutique and has been a vendor for its entire existence, recounted the event’s growth since its formation. “We only had about 25 or 30 vendors and we made a lot of money for Grad Nite. All we had to do was provide the space. And now it’s been twenty years, minus COVID, so this is their nineteenth year and they’re up to 80 vendors.”
Dauzat has also seen increases in the amount of money raised. “I think when I did it we might have brought in $1700. But now it could be multiple thousands.”
Morales, who has helped coordinate the event in more recent years, confirmed the significant growth. “I’d say we usually raise about $8000,” she said.
This year’s boutique is also the first time students from Tri-M, a music honor society, played music at the upper-700-wing entrance to greet patrons entering the rotunda.
Stuti Jajoo (12), one student who performed at the entrance, has been to the Holiday Boutique multiple times and has noticed the growth over time. “This is our first year playing, but I come back each year because I just love looking around. I think it’s really cool how we have more people visiting this time around and how we have more booths. Last year, there were a couple of blank spots here and there,” said Jajoo.
Another student, Jane Park (11) stated similar reasons for coming to the Holiday Boutique. “I think it’s cute that a lot of small businesses get to come and actually sell their products and publicize their business,” she said. “I bought scarves. I also got my brother some woodwork.”
As longtime shoppers and vendors have attended the event year after year, bonds have been formed over time. Dauzat said, “My absolute favorite part of the Holiday Boutique is the reunion time because I’ve been doing this so long. I know so many moms, so many staff members, so many kids that have grown up that are now moms. So every time someone goes by, it’s a big reunion.”
Booths line the edges of the rotunda for the Holiday Boutique. Teri Morales, the event’s vendor coordinator, said, “We’ve sold out of all available spaces. We’ve even had to love a waitlist going. So we’re trying to think of where we could put vendors. We’re constantly looking at expanding as long as it’s safe to do so” (Photo Credit: Aruna Harpalani (11)).
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