How Schools Use Custom School Ornaments
Key Takeaways
- ✦ School ornaments are a fun and easy way to celebrate school years, first-day moments, teachers, and even graduating seniors.
- ✦ Personalized school ornaments, like school bus ornament designs and Christmas tree ornament styles, make perfect gifts for families and staff.
- ✦ You can use ornaments for fundraisers, holiday season events, and even Social Media reveals when you want to show off student artwork.
- ✦ Quick reference below on the top custom ornament vendors that provide outstanding quality service, and are geared towards schools and institutions.
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Why Schools Keep Coming Back to School Ornaments
I like school ornaments because they are small, personal, and easy to hand out. Schools like them because they do not require storage, they cater to preschool, middle, and high school buyers, and they fit the holiday season perfectly. When a parent sees a personalized Christmas ornament with the school name and the year, they almost always buy it. It feels like a perfect gift.
Many of our customers use a first-day theme because it evokes a sense of nostalgia. A first-day-of-school ornament brings parents right back to that morning when shoes were too clean, backpacks were too big, and everyone was trying not to cry. You can offer Kindergarten Ornament versions, 1st Day of School designs, or simple custom wood ornaments with the year and grade level. Then, when the holiday season comes around and they hang it on the tree, it reminds them of that exact day, not just the school year.
School Christmas Ornament Ideas to Inspire
Schools use ornaments in lots of different ways, so it helps to see a few proven styles laid out. Below are several school ornament ideas you can mix and match depending on whether you are gifting, fundraising, or building school spirit for the holiday season.
Teacher Ornaments and Staff Gifts
Teacher Christmas Ornament designs are simple to make and straightforward to love. Add the school name, the year, and “Best Teacher” or “Favorite Teacher,” and you have a perfect ornament. It is an ideal gift for staff appreciation or for the holiday staff party. You can even add a small greeting card with it to really set the stage.
Glass ornaments work exceptionally well for teacher ornaments because they feel a little more special and display nicely on a Christmas tree. And the nice part is people keep teacher ornaments forever, so that one thoughtful gift shows up year after year during the holiday season.
Band / Choir / Music Program Ornaments
Band, choir, and music program ornaments are always the best sellers because every parent wants to remember the year their student performed. You can turn the music logo, instrument, or concert name into custom Christmas ornaments that match the rest of your school designs. These make great gifts for directors, section leaders, and proud music families who keep every performance program.
Custom Fundraiser Edition
A Custom fundraiser edition ornament is perfect when your school wants something limited, special, and easy to sell before winter events. You can design it around a Christmas Countdown theme, add the year, and even tie it to a student’s first Christmas at the school for families who have just joined. Photograph it near Christmas lights and it will look amazing in your flyer, on social posts, and in the PTO store.
Sports Themed Ornaments
Sports ornaments are always popular because every school has proud players, proud parents, and at least one coach who keeps every keepsake. You can create ornaments for football, basketball, soccer, cheer, band front, or even the championship team from that one fantastic season. Add the year, the team name, and the jersey number, and it suddenly becomes something the family hangs every holiday season.
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Personalized School Ornaments
Personalized ornament designs are the ones that sell first. Put the student’s first name and last name, the grade level, and the year. Parents love that. You can print or engrave names directly on the ornament, so every student, teacher, or staff member receives something that feels made just for them. The engraved option is available for custom wood and metal ornaments only. Personalized school ornaments can feature classic school themes, such as a graduation cap, your mascot, a stack of books, or even an apple for teachers. You can also incorporate art supplies, music notes, or sports icons, so every program at the school feels included. The beauty of custom ornaments is that they can be customized to include any logos or custom designs you prefer, unlike stock ornaments, which require you to select a pre-existing design.
Top Vendors for School Ornaments
When schools start looking for the best places to buy custom ornaments, they’re usually trying to do two things at once: keep everything on brand and make something parents will actually buy again next year. That’s where The Monterey Company fits best, but we also know there are other vendors out there, each with their own little niche. We specialize in school artwork, mascots, logos, and grade-level pieces, so your preschool, kindergarten, and high school ornaments all look like they belong to the same campus family. Below is a list of vendors schools use, each offering a slightly different style or price point.
Here are a few vendors schools can look at:
- The Monterey Company
Best for fully branded custom ornaments, school logos, mascots, staff gifts, and matching holiday season collections. Great when you want a Christmas Tree Ornament that feels higher-end.
- Etsy
Great for handmade or “cute teacher” gifts, especially if you want an Etsy single teacher ornament or a first-day-of-school ornament; however, it may not be scalable for an entire district.
- 4imprint
Ideal for quick, promotional-style ornaments when budget is the primary consideration. Lots of stock shapes. Not always as detailed on school branding, but valuable for large PTO runs. Overall, it appears to be a more cost-effective approach.
- Custom Ink
Better known for apparel, but CustomInk can be utilized for custom ornaments. New to producing custom ornaments, I recommend reading customer reviews before making a purchase.
So, Monterey Company is first for quality, branding, and consistency. The others are options if the school wants quicker, cheaper, or straightforward designs.
Tips When Designing School Ornaments
When designing school ornaments, start with a simple design and ensure that the school name, year, and colors are clearly visible. Parents want to recognize the ornament from across the room on the Christmas tree. If it looks clean, it has a better chance of becoming one of your best-selling pieces. Promote the ornament link at the bottom of every email the school sends during the holiday season so families see it more than once. The more you repeat it, the more ornaments sell.
A brilliant idea is to run Student Artwork to Ornament Programs. Let talented artists within the school draw winter scenes, mascots, music notes, or even Honor Roll stars and then turn the winning designs into custom ornaments. Kids love seeing their art come to life, and parents buy it quickly. You can even create separate versions for younger grades and a more polished style for College Graduates or seniors. Over time, this tradition can really balloon into ordering large quantities of bulk customized ornaments and driving significant revenue for your fundraiser.
A Holiday Tradition Your School Can Own
Custom school ornaments work because they grow up with the student. You can start with a simple preschool ornament or kids ornament that has a name and a year. By the time that same student is in middle and high school, you are offering band ornaments, sports ornaments, and senior year keepsakes that the family actually recognizes. It becomes a little timeline on the Christmas tree.
If your school wants something parents will buy every December, ornaments are an easy win. Keep the designs clear, match the school colors, offer a personalized option, and ensure families see the order link multiple times. The Monterey Company can help you accomplish all of that while keeping it on brand.
Eric Turney
Eric Turney A devoted father, football fanatic, and stand-up comedy enthusiast who loves nothing more than bringing people together over great food and a good time. When he’s not cheering on his favorite team or experimenting in the kitchen, you can find him connecting with others on LinkedIn
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