For Head O’ Meadow’s Holiday Shop this year, PTA members set up something different.

Every item offered in the Holiday Shop, which was set up on the cafetorium’s stage behind closed curtains December 12 and 13, was $4. The items ranged from candies to candles. For each item the student purchased, $1 was given to a charity.

Students used beads to decide which charity they wanted each of the $1 donations to go to by placing beads in bins. Three bins were set up to represent the Toys For Tots Foundation, the Danbury Animal Welfare Society, and FAITH Food Pantry.

PTA President Vicky Ricks said this year’s Holiday Shop was an opportunity for students to both shop for loved ones and to give back to the community.

By the end of the Holiday Shop on Friday, Ms Ricks said the beads would be counted and the money would be distributed to the charities according to the number of beads each received. Ms Ricks also said she noted students spending more time thinking about which charity they wanted to support rather than what gifts to give, which she said marked how the students feel about the importance of being kind.