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Holiday House Magic
JLLR’s annual fundraiser continues to draw crowds and support the League’s mission, 30-plus years after it was founded
by: Meagan Davis
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The Junior League of Little Rock’s most beloved fundraiser, Holiday House, returned for its 31st year November 16-19, 2022, at the Statehouse Convention Center. Keeping with tradition, the event was filled with fantastic vendors and holiday cheer.
2022 Holiday House Chair Shelby Hardin and 2023 Chair Morgan Karrant have both devoted their JLLR careers to serving on the Holiday House committee. They each describe working on the committee as stressful but rewarding and lovingly refer to fellow committee members as family. “The friendships I have built over the past seven years has hands down been my favorite part of the placement,” Shelby said.
Various special events were hosted throughout the four-day holiday shopping extravaganza. Preview Party, held on Wednesday night, was Shelby’s favorite special event. “When the doors open at 6 p.m., our committee gets to see their hard work put into action and watch shoppers pour through the doors excited for a night of fun,” she said. Morgan reported her best-loved event is Ladies Night, because of how fun it is to see women of all ages coming together to celebrate and shop.
Holiday House has faced challenges over the past few years with the pandemic and the ever-changing holiday shopping market. These challenges, combined with the pressure of being the primary fundraising mechanism for the League, puts a lot of weight on the committee’s shoulders. Shelby describes the experience as incredibly fulfilling. “It’s so rewarding to see how the proceeds are used and how much impact our hard work of planning and executing the event has on our community,” she said. In 2022, Holiday House raised more than $130,000 for JLLR community projects—a major accomplishment only two years after the beginning of the pandemic, which caused the fundraiser to pause operations for a year.
In typical JLLR fashion, the committee has faced hurdles head-on and continues to evolve to meet the needs of those they serve. Morgan affirms that the 2023 committee is exploring ways to continue to improve special events, cater to smaller businesses, and have a bigger impact on the community. “We have some great ideas, so stay tuned for Holiday House 2023,” she said.
