By McKay Lucas, ’21

The CA Holiday Shoppe is an annual tradition that attracts people from all over the Triangle each year. The event, which ran from Thursday, November 29 to Saturday, December 1 of 2018, showcased the work of over 100 vendors and attracted over 5,000 customers. The Holiday Shoppe was organized by many dedicated parent volunteers, with the help of students and teachers to keep it running smoothly.

Middle school students were given the opportunity to shop during their Friday advisory periods, and Upper School students shopped during free periods, lunch, and after school. The one-stop shop gave shoppers the opportunity to skip the inevitably long lines at the mall. Though the frenzy of the Upper-School students can be almost as intimidating as a mall, many parents were willing to wait during the “lunch time rush” to purchase items such as food, clothing, and decorations from locally-based vendors.

One of the most popular yearly vendors is the North Carolina Fudge company, and this year proved to be no different. Students could be seen all over campus snacking on their new and featured flavor, “butterbeer.” Another favorite vendor this year was the Carolina Kettle Chips company. Parents running checkout at the Holiday Shoppe said they saw more of the company’s salt and balsamic vinegar chips than any other product.

The Holiday Shoppe has also attracted the attention of many respected sources. For instance, WRAL News included it on their list of “22 Family Friendly Activities for the Holidays”. The News and Observer also recognized it as a “must” for holiday weekend activities. It’s clear that this seasonal tradition is a popular destination in the Triangle, while also providing an opportunity for students to practice helping customers and learn how businesses operate. Over fifty students volunteered to help with the checkout process, provide refreshments to hard-working vendors, hand out shopping bags to the eager customers, and much more. The Cary Academy Holiday Shoppe is looking forward to continuing to support local vendors and is already hard at work preparing for next year’s shopping; we hope you are preparing for it!