Looking for ideas for a raffle basket

November 28, 2018 10:31 AM

Please help me come up with some ideas for baskets for a fundraiser. More details within.

My son's high school marching band booster club will be holding a bingo fundraiser in mid-February. As part of the fundraising effort, there are some raffles to go along with the bingo, one of which is a raffle to win various baskets of items that parents have assembled. Baskets are encouraged to have certain themes, and only one basket per theme is permitted. As you might expect, common themes like "chocolate lover," "coffee lover," "spa day at home," and "local sports team merchandise" tend to be well-covered. Do you have any fun and creative ideas for a basket? Criteria: must be family-friendly (so, no alcohol or foul language); the cost of the items in the basket should range between $40-$75 USD; all contents should fit in a picnic-sized basket. The usual bidders are adults (the parents, grandparents, neighbors, etc. of the students), but some of the students bid on these baskets, too. Thanks in advance for any ideas!

posted by cheapskatebay to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (16 answers total)

Best answer: I've been to a couple of fundraisers where the raffle baskets were sorted by decade. For example, the 1980s: A DVD of Pretty in Pink or Bill and Ted or (insert family-appropriate movie here), a retro-style T-shirt, a CD of hits of the decade, a classic toy of the era. The 1950s one had a big-finned toy car, the DVD of Grease, and a CD of doo-wop and soul songs.

Another idea I've seen is the French/Italian/other specific local cuisine food basket. It's really easy to make an Italian one with pasta, a pizza cutter and maybe a stone, posh olives, and fancy jarred sauce. If you have any local restaurants who might want to donate a gift certificate to go with the baskets, that would be fun too.
posted by vickyverky at 10:39 AM on November 28, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Came here to suggest the specific cuisine food basket. I asked a question recently around that topic which may give you some ideas!
posted by brook horse at 10:55 AM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: Check out the types of subscription boxes there are for theme ideas. Cat owners. Dog owners. Rainy day activities. Art supplies.
posted by Stewriffic at 10:57 AM on November 28, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: When I worked at fabric/craft stores in the 90s we had customers putting together such baskets for the trendy craft of the time (candlemaking, scrapbooking) though I don't know what exactly that would be these days.

Also media themed is good, pick a movie or TV franchise and put in a DVD or two with themed foods and either official or unofficial merch.
posted by buildmyworld at 10:57 AM on November 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: How about a craft basket and/or maker basket?

Building toys that work for older kids and adults, electronic building kit, gift certificate to local craft/hobby/electronics store, membership to local maker organization/craft organization or upcoming maker fair?

Or knitting-lovers basket? Books, yarn, gift certificate?
posted by latkes at 10:58 AM on November 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Oh yeah pet-themed would definitly go over well! Small dog themed with dog clothes, toys & treats, big dog themed with hard-to-destroy toys?
posted by latkes at 10:59 AM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: I just contributed to a “Night on the Town” themed one for my child’s class. It had things like movie theater and local restaurant gift cards and things involving other local attractions.
posted by stefnet at 11:08 AM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: Box Lunch - fancy items you'd add to your lunchbox like marcona almonds

Baker's Dozen - filled with spices and gadgets

Games and Puzzles - dice, cards, chips, a spinner, small games and a Rubik's Cube
posted by soelo at 11:25 AM on November 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: These have been basket themes at our elementary school auctions in the past few years. You can adapt for high school students. :)

Art Themed (fiber arts with yarn, crochet hooks or knitting needles; hand lettering - can include water brushes, books, and paper; oil pastels and canvas; acrylics with a Bob Ross DVD;)

Art With Kids - includes books like this one by Usbourne and all the materials to accomplish the projects

Scrapbook Basket

Netflix and Chill - ours included Snuggies, which was hilarious

Garden Delights - this one was done in a kid wheelbarrow, it was super cute! it was full of adult and kid gardening supplies

Cooking with Kids

Tourist In Your Own Town - included coupons for things like the zoo, museums, and big attractions in our city

Eat Around The World - included snacks from different countries around the world

Make Your Own Ice Cream

Board Games

Car - this include wax, polish, car detailing stuff, headlight polish, special microfiber clothes

Brewfest - all the stuff to brew your own beer.

Good luck!
posted by alathia at 11:42 AM on November 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Family Game night - snacks, fancy sodas, and various board and card games. Our TJ Maxx had a table of tons of fun games from $5-20 each, not your typical board games either.

Lottery - lots of scratch offs, maybe local lottery would donate some freebies like t-shirt or hats

Beach / summer - outside toys, flip flops, beach towels, pool floats, sand toys

Fast food frenzy - gift cards and coupons for McDonald's, Chic-fil-a, BK, Dairy Queen, etc (the kids loved this one, maybe parents not so much but when families live on the go, it can be handy) fill in with health snacks for on the go and maybe use a small soft side cooler to pack it in
posted by maxg94 at 11:45 AM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: In the middle of February, a spring basket might be nice. Seeds, small watering can, garden trowel, sunscreen, frisbee.
posted by FencingGal at 11:46 AM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: Tapas--nonperishable-type items, of course. Idea ripped off from here, which includes a list of suitable items.
posted by praemunire at 12:12 PM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: Tea lover - loose leaf tea, tea ball, mug
Book worm - Books (or a gift card to a local book store?), book mark, and a tote to carry it all. Or maybe an audible subscription (or book on CD) and a pair of headphones!
Pen Pal - Nice stationary, envelopes, pens, stickers, cardstock, stamps, etc
Off to College - twin bed sheets, single plate/mug/bowl/cutlery set, mini first aid kit, roll of quarters for laundry, laundry bag, stain remover, shower cady, extension cord
Mani/Pedi Basket - nail file, nail polish, nail polish remover, cotton balls, cuticle oil, nail trimmers, etc
posted by lucy.jakobs at 12:30 PM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: How about a basket of movies about or featuring marching bands?
posted by DrAstroZoom at 1:42 PM on November 28, 2018

Response by poster: You’re all wonderful. So many excellent ideas! Many thanks!
posted by cheapskatebay at 6:13 PM on November 28, 2018

Best answer: I spent an absurd amount of money on a basket of fancy olive oil and vinegar at a school fundraiser last year, more than it would have cost to just go to the “tasting room” in the ritzy shopping district it came from, because it was something I’d enjoy using and it was a good cause.

And I’ll do it again this year!
posted by padraigin at 8:54 PM on November 28, 2018