It was a blaze of summer and Christmas colour at Bledisloe School in Taradale on Wednesday as the youngsters dressed up and paid up (with a gold coin donation) in support of the Hawke's Bay Christmas Cheer Appeal.
And yesterday the youngsters of Port Ahuriri School also embraced the cheer appeal as they staged a mufti day for the price of a gold coin.
When the counting was done, Bledisloe School had raised $600, and the Port Ahuriri children had collected $300 - a great result which has given the appeal fund a real boost.
As Bledisloe School principal Carol Bevis put it: "It was very colourful".
"Lots of Christmas fairies and trees and Santas ... we even had an Italian ninja Santa."