Candy grams are a fun way to send sweet treats and messages to friends at school for holidays and special occasions. With some planning and effort, you can set up a successful candy gram fundraiser or event for your school or student organization.
What are candy grams?
Candy grams are small gifts of candy or other treats that come with a note or short message. Students can purchase candy grams during the week leading up to a holiday like Valentine’s Day, Halloween, or Christmas and send them to friends, crushes, teachers, coaches, etc. The candy grams are then delivered on the holiday itself, either during a certain class period or at the end of the school day.
Candy grams usually include:
- A small bag or box of candy like chocolates, lollipops, Starbursts, Skittles, etc.
- A note or card with a short personalized message
- Sometimes a small trinket, sticker, pencil, eraser, etc. as well
The candy and trinket gifts are fun on their own, but the personalized message makes a candy gram more meaningful. Students enjoy receiving the candy treats and reading the nice notes from friends.
Why do candy grams?
Candy grams are popular for several reasons:
- Raise funds: Selling candy grams can be a successful fundraiser for student clubs, classes, sports teams, school newspapers, yearbook staff, and other groups. The money raised can support special activities, supplies, trips, etc.
- Bring joy: Candy grams brighten students’ day and spread cheer on holidays and other special days at school.
- Build connections: Sending candy grams helps students make friends and connect with peers, teachers, coaches, crushes, etc.
- Learn sales skills: Running a candy gram sale teaches students business, marketing, customer service, and other real-world skills.
Overall, candy grams offer a tasty way for students to fundraise, connect with each other, and spread holiday spirit at school.
How to organize a candy gram fundraiser
Hosting a successful candy gram sale takes planning and effort. Here are tips for organizing a candy gram fundraiser at school:
Pick a holiday or date
Choose a holiday or special event that candy grams would complement well, like:
- Valentine’s Day
- Halloween
- Christmas
- End of the school year
- Homecoming week
- School dance
- Teacher Appreciation Week
- School spirit week
Valentine’s Day and Halloween tend to be the most popular times for candy grams.
Get approved
Meet with your teacher advisor and/or school administrators to get approval for your fundraiser date and plan. Make sure it doesn’t conflict with other activities.
Order candy and supplies
Decide what type of candy or treats you want to include in your candy grams. Popular options are:
- Chocolates
- Lollipops
- Gum
- Suckers
- Skittles
- Starbursts
Buy enough candy, along with materials like bags or boxes, ribbons, notes, stickers, pencils, etc. You can find affordable bulk candy online or at big box stores.
Set prices
Determine how much to charge per candy gram to cover your expenses and make a profit. Price examples:
- $1-2 for a basic candy gram with candy and note
- $3-5 for a deluxe gram with more candy, trinkets, delivery, etc.
- Bundle or package deals (e.g. 5 for $5)
Advertise
Get the word out! Promote candy gram sales 1-2 weeks in advance through:
- Posters
- Morning announcements
- Social media
- School newsletter
Include ordering deadlines, prices, delivery dates, etc. Create buzz and excitement!
Take orders
Set up a booth before or after school and/or during lunch periods to take candy gram orders 1 week+ before your event. You can also take orders online through Google forms, social media, etc.
Collect students’ names, recipient names, delivery class period, and customized messages. Get prepayment for orders if possible.
Assemble candy grams
Host assembly parties where your team puts together all the purchased candy, notes, and trinkets into individual candy grams. Organize them into delivery periods.
Make deliveries
On the big day, go around to classes during appropriate periods and hand deliver candy grams to recipients. For extra fun, dress up or surprise them in a creative way!
Candy Gram Fundraiser Tips
Some additional tips to maximize success:
- Offer premium add-ons like stuffed animals, mylar balloons, etc. for $2-3 more to boost profits.
- Have order forms ready with space for sender name, recipient name, delivery period, message, and payment.
- Use fun packaging like colored cellophane, boxes, treat bags, etc. Attach notes securely.
- Make some extra generic candy grams that people can purchase the day of.
- Partner with school clubs, teams, etc. and split profits.
- Get parent volunteers to help with ordering, assembling, and delivering candy grams.
- Offer delivery to homes for a few days after in case students are absent.
- Have a few extra candy grams on delivery day for last minute purchases.
- Use brightly colored paper, markers, stickers, etc. to make customized notes.
How to organize a candy gram event or party
Instead of pre-ordering and delivering candy grams, you can also host a candy gram-themed event where students purchase and make candy grams onsite to give to their classmates and friends.
Some ideas include:
- Candy Gram Workshop: Provide craft supplies so students can decorate cards and bags, make candy jewelry, etc. Charge admission or per activity.
- Candy Gram Class Parties: Work with teachers to hand out candy grams during the last 10-15 minutes of class on Valentine’s Day, Halloween, etc.
- Candy Gram Tables: Set up a booth during lunches or before/after school where students can put together candy grams to take home or give to friends.
- Candy Gram Game Night: Host a game night/dance where part of the admission includes supplies to make a couple candy grams to give out.
You can buy inexpensive craft supplies in bulk online or at craft stores. Pieces could include:
- Notecards
- Envelopes
- Stickers
- Cellophane bags
- Ribbons and bows
- Candy
- Stuffed animals
- Pencils, erasers
- Markers, crayons
- Stamps
- Suckers
Make sure to get approval and communicate with teachers and administrators when planning an in-school candy gram event.
Making and distributing candy grams
Once you’ve ordered candy and supplies, it’s time to assemble the candy grams! Here are tips for smooth putting together and handing out of candy grams:
Assembly line system
Set up an assembly line with these stations:
- Bags/boxes: Have volunteers prepare candy packaging like bags, boxes, or cellophane.
- Notes: Volunteers write out notes on cards and place inside packaging.
- Candy: Add candies and treats to each package.
- Extra treats: Optional – Add small trinkets, stickers, etc.
- Names: Clearly label packages with recipient names.
- Sorting: Sort candy grams alphabetically or by delivery period/class.
Moving down the line helps put together candy grams quickly and efficiently.
Quality control
Have a team leader double check:
- Notes are appropriate
- Candy grams are securely packaged
- Names are legible
- Bundles are sorted correctly
Discard any questionable notes and repackage candies that seem loose.
Delivery tips
When delivering candy grams:
- Arrive 5 minutes before class starts.
- Divide class bundles between delivery team members.
- Greet teacher and briefly explain you are delivering candy grams.
- Call out names and hand deliver candies to recipients.
- Make it fun by dressing up, singing telegrams, passing out roses, etc.
- Use signs, balloons, flowers to decorate delivery carts/baskets.
Smile, be polite, and thank everyone for supporting your fundraiser!
Candy Gram Message Ideas
Customized messages and poems make candy grams more special. Here are some ideas for cute sayings:
Valentine’s Day Candy Gram Messages
- Be my valentine!
- You make my heart skip a beat!
- XOXO
- Love you lots!
- You are sweeter than candy!
- Happy Valentine’s Day!
- Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you!
Halloween Candy Gram Messages
- Happy Halloween!
- You’re the pumpkin to my pie.
- Let’s get our scare on!
- Thanks for being boo-tifully you!
- Wishing you a fang-tastic Halloween!
- You make my heart go bump in the night.
- Hope your Halloween rocks!
Christmas Candy Gram Messages
- Wishing you a sweet Christmas!
- You’re the jolly to my holiday!
- Have a minty Christmas!
- You’re the Rudolph to my reindeer games!
- Santa thinks you’re nice!
- May your Christmas sparkle and shine!
- Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!
General Candy Gram Messages
- You rock!
- Smile, it’s Monday!
- High five for being awesome!
- Wanted to make your day a little sweeter 🙂
- You deserve this sweet treat!
- Thanks for being a great friend!
- Enjoy this candy grammy!
Get creative with rhymes, puns, inside jokes, movie references, or song lyrics!
Candy Gram Delivery Ideas
Make your candy gram deliveries more fun and special with these creative ideas:
- Dress up in costumes or colors based on the holiday
- Skip, dance, or sing telegrams
- Attach a balloon, flower, or stuffed animal to each one
- Rent a giant greeting card costume and take photos with recipients
- Deliver with musical carts, wagons, or wheelbarrows decorated festively
- For Valentine’s Day, give out a single rose with each candy gram
- Hand out with cookie grams, pretzels, or other themed treats
- Decorate your candy gram cart or table with holiday decor
- For Christmas, dress as elves or reindeer and play holiday music
- Hold up signs or giant cards they can pose with for social media pics
- Deliver small stuffed animals holding heart signs for Valentine’s Day
- Have Principal or staff members help with delivering candies
Get into the spirit with fun outfits, music, and decorations! Recipients will love the creativity.
Challenges & Solutions for Candy Gram Fundraisers
With any fundraiser, you need to anticipate potential issues and have plans to troubleshoot problems. Here are some common candy gram challenges and solutions:
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Limited sales | Advertise more via social media, posters, videos, contests. Offer bundle deals. |
| Running out of supplies | Order extra supplies as back up. Have blank cards/treat bags to make more. |
| Losing pre-paid orders | Create organized order files. Use Google Forms or spreadsheets. Print order confirmations. |
| Delivering to wrong class | Sort candy grams carefully by class. Double check names and rooms. |
| Allergies | Provide allergy-free options. Label with ingredients. Let recipients know. |
| Messy packaging | Use sturdy bags/boxes. Wrap carefully. Add extra sealing or reinforcements. |
| Inappropriate messages | Review all messages. Edit or remove inappropriate ones. Ban offensive participants. |
Build in extra time, supplies, and effort to handle any issues smoothly. Being organized and prepared is key!
Conclusion
Organizing a successful candy gram fundraiser or event takes time, creativity, and planning. But the hard work pays off through funds raised, connections made, and holiday cheer spread throughout your school.
Make the process easy by choosing appropriate holidays, advertising well, taking organized pre-orders, assembling efficiently, and delivering with fun fanfare. Customize candy grams with personalized messages and small trinkets to delight your friends and classmates.
Selling candy grams is a sweet way for student groups to meet fundraising goals while also strengthening bonds and bringing joy to the school community. With thoughtful preparation and enthusiastic participation, your candy gram fundraiser will be a huge treat for everyone involved!