PTA Winter Fair 2008

Henna Hand Painting

I organised the International Buffet for this year's PTA Winter Fair. They took up my suggestion to charge beforehand for the buffet - which made it easier for us logistically when we didn't have to play cashier and serve food as well. But it also made me very nervous. When people pay beforehand for their food, they naturally expect to be fed. So we could/must not run out of it too quickly.

We were lucky that many families were really keen to share. A few did ask why they had to bring food and pay to eat it (haha) and I had to explain (the way I see it, of course) that the Fair served first of all to provide a Family Fun Day to the school community, but is also a fundraising tool for the PTA. We could all be asked outright to make monetary donations, but it wouldn't be as interesting or as meaningful as raising funds through a Fair and having fun at the same time. And like your own coffers, it's always good to have some money in it. Plastic cups, plates, decorations etc cost money, welcome receptions cost money. Our kids cost money and the school fees exorbitant as they may be cannot and do not cover everything. And fundraising is also an excuse for families to come together and carry out social activities.

Veg and Non-Veg Sections

I divided the buffet into 4 sections : Non-Vegetarian, Vegetarian, Children's and Desserts. There were also waffles and Santa Lucia sweets provided by the Swedish families (who impressed us by having wives and husbands taking turns to man the stands!).

Lovely Swedish Mom and Santa Lucia Sweets

I had a dedicated team of helpers and this year we had a good variety of dishes, myself I contributed a Chicken Tikka Masala, Fried Udon with Shrimps, 2-way Tofu in Soy Sauce, Mini-Quiches and Konnyaku Jelly with Lychees. There was quite a bit of food leftover probably due to the fact that the Ferrari men were all absent - there was a lunch in the company on the same day.

Silken and Fried Tofu in Soy Sauce

As usual there were gift stalls, activities (e.g. Henna handpainting offered by the Indian ladies, face painting, art and crafts...), an Usbourne book sale, Santa Lucia presentation, an auction, raffle etc. But I was stuck at the other end of the school so I've missed out on almost everything. The Babies were left to their own devices and I was lucky they were independent and well-behaved. They went to do the different activities on their own, ate lunch with G and her family, and basically just enjoyed the Fair without their parents. Eldest Son left with all the money in my coin purse and I never saw him again till the Fair's over.

The Desserts (including P's yummy Ladoos)

I didn't win anything at the raffle (never had much luck), but contributed one to the auction. The School Principal won my cooking lesson. Shucks, am I now supposed to conduct the class incorporating IB principles? Where the hell did I keep my notes from the parent workshops?