Christmas Presents for Teachers: Ideas?

[channlluv]

I am an elementary school librarian, and I work with about 300 kids on a weekly basis. I have received several gifts this week, including chocolate (which I share), cookies (also shared, except for the ones made by my gourmet chef friend, which I savored), homemade granola, a handmade ceramic plate by a mom who volunteers in the library and is a good friend (I also bought a similar plate from her to give to my mother-in-law who collects Santas), a little bottle of bubble bath, a $10 Starbucks gift card and a $25 Amazon gift card, both of which came from a fundraiser our school ran about a month ago in advance of the holidays.

I love every bit of it, because every single one of them came with a hug and a "thank you for what you do for our kids" message.

My daughter's teachers' room parents sent out a message a week or so ago making it clear that the teachers and aides were not requesting gifts by any means, but that several other parents had asked what they might want or need, so the room parents sent this message with a list of places the teachers like to shop/eat so that those of us who wanted to could buy gift cards.

This year I bought each of them a $5 Starbucks card and my daughter wrote a personal note in the card thanking each of them for something specific to do with her schoolwork/activities.

In the past, she and I have made sugar scrub scented with white ginger and put it in glass Ball or Mason jars I buy at ACE Hardware (and her Kindergarten teacher still raves about it, eight years later and even asked me how to make it so she could do it for her friends and family), or we've made cookies together and given them plates of goodies. We've also made donations in teachers' names to Heiffer Intl. (which they loved)

I gave all of my library volunteer moms a pretty angel Christmas ornament (they all celebrate Christmas) from Crate and Barrel. ($2.95 each)

We do Secret Santa here, too, and, among the standard chocolate, tea, and flowers, I received the coolest gift ever this year: a bouquet of porcupine quills, with a note explaining that according to Native American legend, they represent innocence and playfulness and ward off negativity.

The very best part of my week is reading aloud to the kids -- I make it very playful and fun, so I figure she absolutely nailed me with that gift. Plus, my BA is in Anthropology and I spent my entire senior year leading a field team digging up Creek sites near Montgomery and counting trade beads in the state archives building. I love this gift. And they're beautiful. I can't wait to get them home to put on my desk.


It's really all about appreciation. When you notice and acknowledge someone's attention or contribution to your life (in this case, your children's lives), I think that kind of thing is really appreciated by the giftee. Or it should be, anyway, and it's good for the giver to acknowledge and express appreciation of others' work or effort on their behalf. It's all positive and foments more positive work/effort.

Roxy

P.S. One of the moms just came and gave me a big hug and thanked me for working with the kids so well, and handed me $75 in gift cards from the parent council. Yes, i'll admit it. Being appreciated feels good on multiple levels.