Christmas Presents for Teachers: Ideas?

[limewave]

I need your help! If you were an elementary school teacher, what gift would you like from a student?

[sfa]

A sincere thank-you note written by your child is the number one item I've heard teachers like to get--it's meaningful, heartfelt, and doesn't take up space in their home or need dusting.

My sister (teaches K-8 music) also likes disposable stuff--edible treats, poinsettias, etc.

Giftcards are also popular--Barnes and Noble and Target go over well, or giftcards to restaurants and coffeeshops if you know the teacher likes those places.

[malkin]

I agree, notes or kind words are good. Cute/funny stuff that applies to a specific kid is good too--like a pack of bandaids from the parent of a kid who bites.

Often, I have re-gifted the other 'standard gift" stuff immediately.

The gifts of soap and lotion always make me wonder if I might have some personal hygiene issue that I am not aware of. I guess if anyone gives me deodorant or mouthwash I will know for sure!

[jessmarimba]

I always think it's cool when the kids - especially the boys! - give baked goods that they made. That is, if you trust them to not do anything nasty to the food.

(I just teach extra-curricular music, but I volunteered one fall for a school that was 50 miles away and I would go in after my normal office day. They had nothing to pay me, but I've never taught a more thankful group of kids. A bunch of them got together and made white chocolate macadamia nut cookies...YUM)

[Veronica]

Notes written by the kid are really nice. If you have to give me a gift, I'd rather get gift cards. If you know the teacher really likes a certain place (I get a lot of REI cards ) that makes it more personal. Barnes and Noble is always a good choice.

I use to like to get plants, but Cassie tries to eat them or is afraid of them. Makes it hard to enjoy them at home and our classrooms are too small to allocate much space for plants. Although, those small cactus gardens are kind of cute.

Last year my hall passes kept disappearing. One of my kids made replacements on his computer and had them laminated. That was an awesome gift! Very thoughtful and meaningful to me.

I still have a card from a 5th grade girl (who's now a sophomore in college.) She drew a picture of me, sitting in my chair and reading aloud to the class with a nice note inside.

No ornaments, candles, coffee mugs, cheap chocolate, or bath stuff. Unless you know they like that kind of thing.

Veronica

[Becky]

No ornaments, candles, coffee mugs, cheap chocolate, or bath stuff. Unless you know they like that kind of thing.

This. My mother, who is an elementary school teacher, is allergic to most fragrances and ends up giving away all of that candle/bath/fragrance stuff.

Consumable items seem to be a bigger hit.

[OakLeaf]

Consumable items seem to be a bigger hit.

... but then there's my mom, who's struggled with her weight for years, and was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes ... it's a lot easier to re-gift toiletries than cookies. Just in general, holidays already have plenty of opportunities for over-consumption without adding to the problem for someone else.

What about an indoor herb garden? (not one of those expensive hydroponic rigs, just the ones with the little window pots)

Can you go in with other parents for a bigger gift? A spa day? A year of Netflix?

[badgercat]

Can you go in with other parents for a bigger gift? A spa day? A year of Netflix?

I think I remember our "room moms" organizing things like this at least a couple times when I was in elementary school. The teacher didn't end up with a bunch of cr@p and it also helped any kids whose family wasn't interested or couldn't afford to give a gift to the teacher from feeling awkward the last day before winter break since *no one* was giving individual presents.

I was really into arts and crafts, so in 2nd grade I gave my teacher a Christmas-themed cross-stitch with her name on it--I told my mom what I wanted to do, she helped me design the pattern on graph paper, then I stitched it--I was also a teacher's pet

[Crankin]

I always liked getting gift cards to places like Starbucks, or unusual food items. One time, a boy gave me gourmet pasta, in the shape of dreidels.
I had so many Dunkin Donuts coffee cards (I don't like that place), that I gave them to DH and he just used them up, after 3 years.

[ame]

These gifts are making me broke! (But, we have such great teachers) This year my daughter made "dinner and dessert" in jars (Soup and Cookies). She's 6 and it was easy enough for her to participate, and with 9 teachers between my 2 children it was still cost effective and fast. I got the jars at <shudder> Walmart and printed the tags on sheets of photo paper. Here's the link I used: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/g...r-recipe-index I also gave her class a book.

[tulip]

Is this a new thing? I don't ever recalling giving teachers gifts. Not that they didn't deserve them, but it certainly was not done.

Until I was in the 8th grade, I was in a bunch of different elementary schools. I was one of the kids who got reduced/free lunch. There was no way my mom would have been able to buy my teachers gifts. And there was no pressure to do so. No one did, not even the rich kids.

Just wondering when this all came about...

[Cataboo]

I don't remember ever doing it when I was young - My sister does it currently for her daughter's teachers. Her daughter has medical issues, so the teachers do sometimes have to do an awful lot more for her daughter though.

I did get a note from my 4th grade teacher recently (my niece had just started at my old elementary school and ran into my 4th grade teacher), so it was awfully nice being remembered. I emailed her. She was quite happy I'd remembered her and how much I remembered of her class.

[Veronica]

I don't know when it started. I was a bit shocked the first year I was teaching and got gifts. That was 19 years ago.

Veronica

[zoom-zoom]

I like what Dane's teacher asked for...a charitable donation in his name, if we chose to gift.

[Veronica]

I like what Dane's teacher asked for...a charitable donation in his name, if we chose to gift.

I'd love to know how the teacher worded that suggestion. So I can copy him next year!

As a teacher of young, impressionable children (with parents who don't always read everything or sometimes even English) I've been reluctant to suggest that. You don't want it to sound like it's expected or that you're not grateful.

Veronica