It is time once again for a post on teacher gifts.
I am sighing a little sigh as I begin, because it seems like every time we do a post on this subject we get a few teachers who are depressingly eager to make sure we know they throw away all baked goods (who knows how disgusting the students’ houses are?), or that they don’t want any more “useless crap,” or that really the only thing a teacher wants is cash for putting up with your nasty child. Well, and happy holidays to YOU too.
I am going on the assumption that it is a minority of teachers who feel this way, and that the majority (1) appreciate gifts and know no insult was intended if the gift doesn’t hit the mark, (2) know that these gifts are tokens, not a salary supplement, and (3) know that the parents, not knowing the teachers personally, MUST choose from the “hostess gift” category that includes candle/soap/candy. I am also assuming that, despite odd claims of having “closets full” of stuff they can’t use and don’t want, most teachers know they can pass on the things they don’t like to friends, relatives, shelters, and the kind of food bank that also takes toiletries.
Believing these things is what keeps me buying teacher gifts each year rather than crabbily throwing in the towel. Here is my list of best bets:
1. A gift card to a major, sells-everything kind of retailer. This year I got Target’s new bag of “gift coins” (round gift cards worth $5 each)—Target donates $2 to St. Jude’s for each bag of five coins, and St. Jude’s is my favorite charity. (I’ll give two coins to each classroom teacher. My kids are in elementary school, so they have one teacher each. If my kids were in daycare, where there can be several teachers per classroom, I don’t know WHAT I’d do. And I plan to stop doing teacher gifts when the kids are in middle school and have a different teacher for each subject.)
2. A gift card to a coffee shop of the sort that also sells pastries, tea, ground coffee, mugs, etc.
3. A “best of” gift. An eight-dollar box of four tiny Godiva chocolates is a better gift than an eight-dollar pound of some other brand. A single bar of ten-dollar soap is better than a ten-dollar gift set of soap, body wash, bubble bath, and bath salts. A small ten-dollar candle is better than two large five-dollar candles.
4. Memo paper or sticky notes. Even better: personalized with the teacher’s name.
5. An ornament.
And here are the things I avoid:
1. Apple- or teacher-themed items.
2. Mugs.
3. Scented things. When I go to Bath & Body Works, I like about one scent out of ten, and I actively dislike the others. I assume a lot of people are the same way, and that my chances of choosing a scent the teacher likes are slim.
4. Classroom supplies, unless specifically requested—I worry that otherwise it’s like getting printer paper and a box of pens for someone who works in an office.
5. Plants. It’s a good idea, but there are only so many plants a single household can (or wants to) support.
We have the kids make ornaments for the teachers and save the hostess-y gifts for spring. The teachers may hate the ornaments, but the kids are learning to make things for people they care about, and hopefully the teachers appreciate the thought.
Also, I wrote a letter to the chair of my son’s student teacher’s department and included a copy of the letter in the student teacher’s Christmas card. He is such a wonderful teacher and I want to encourage him.
Nowheymama | December 16th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
This year we did the $15 godiva box and I may tack on two of those target cards, those are great! A friend of mine made adorable, very simple, beaded bracelets, I would add that if I wanted the kids to make something.
I also picked up these great truffles that costco sells. two big bags for $10, and a tub of buckeyes. I will put these in a tin for the principal and make a little tray of them for the office staff.
vegas710 | December 16th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I am a teacher AND a parent, and I love these ideas! For my kids’ teachers (4 of them), I made some baked goods and included $5 gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts. That way if they are suspicious of my kitchen’s cleanliness, well, surely they trust DD. I sample all of the baked goods I get, but I get A LOT, and so I do end up putting some in the lounge for others to enjoy. I just can’t eat it all or I would be in a diabetic coma before we even get out of school. I always love receiving ornaments (if you know that the teacher celebrates Christmas) and I think of students who gave them to me each year when I hang them. Thanks for your tips and for the thought that you put into them!
Suzannah | December 16th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
As the daughter of an elementary school teacher, I can honestly say that all your ideas are fantastic. She (and all her teacher friends) would love every one of those. Well, I can’t speak for everybody about the ornament. I know my mom would like it, she even has a separate mini-tree to hold all the gift ornaments she has received over the years.
Brenna | December 16th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I’m a new teacher, so I have to say it: I WANT the really cheesy teacher-themed CRAP. Want it SO BAD. I can’t wait until I start collecting all of my teacher themed knicknacks!
However, I can understand how seasoned teachers get a little tired of it.
I would totally say to anyone out there: if your child has a teacher that is a Brand!New!Teacher! they will still absolutely love teacher-themed things, including mugs and ornaments, and anything else adorable like that.
Otherwise, love all of your ideas, Swistle! Gift cards are my go-to gift for any situation, it’s thoughtful enough AND actually useful! I usually recommend Chapters gift cards for teachers (which is a book store chain here, so it’d be like Barnes & Noble or Borders gift cards for American teachers).
Steph the WonderWorrier | December 16th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
From a former teacher–great suggestions! I never had a problem with the baked goods, etc. from a cleanliness perspective, and I always appreciated the work and thought that went into gifts like that. I do think your suggestion of no scented things is great, though. I am allergic to anything scented (I get horrible hives), and I just always felt really badly when I received a gift I couldn’t use.
JCF | December 16th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I gave movie theater gift cards, but those Starbucks gift cards are definitely on my list for the next round!
Ashley | December 17th, 2009 at 12:59 am
I can’t imagine going any route BUT gift cards. Our picks: Starbucks, iTunes, Target are all winners and you can’t really go wrong with ANY amount at those stores, so it fits any budget.
Brenda | December 18th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Love, love, love all of your suggestions! So thoughtful, yet practical! As a teacher, I’d be thrilled to receive any of those suggestions. Also, what totally means the most to me is a simple note from either the parents or the kids sharing their appreciation for what I do every day. Those cards and notes end up in my “feel good” binder, which I keep and read when I’m having a rough day! They always put things into perspective and leave me with a smile on my face.
Jamie :) | December 18th, 2009 at 3:50 am
As a former teacher I can say I liked every gift anyone gave me. It’s a PRESENT. What’s not to like? If it was not to my taste (I’m looking at you, fellow teacher who gave me a scented candle for a gift exchange one year) I regifted it. (I think I used that candle for a white elephant party.)
The best thing ever, however, is a letter telling the teacher how much you appreciate her. If you know her well enough to write one, do. If your child is the sort that requires frequent contact with the teacher, you know it.
Stacie | December 20th, 2009 at 2:09 am
I don’t want to be this year’s obnoxious teacher - the thought and care that goes into the gifts I get is very sweet and I appreciate it. But I’ll put in a plea against baked goods - unless you know the allergy situation at home for your child’s teachers, be careful what you send. Among my coworkers, I know the teacher with celiac disease and the two teachers with children with nut allergies throw out many of the homemade food gifts they receive - they don’t know the ingredients and don’t want to risk bringing them home.
ATeacher | December 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
well my husband teaches High School and still gets his fair share of candles (blech) ornaments (no thanks) and mugs (ok actually for him), but he LOVES (as do we at home!) the baked goods and the starbucks cards.
with two girls in elementary school my standard christmas gift is a quart of Vermont Maple Syrup, we go there every summer and this is a unique and wonderful gift, the stuff in the stores here in VA runs twice the price! And I buy some Costco lot of fabulous candies for the office staff.
gretchen | December 21st, 2009 at 12:23 am
This is the first year that my kids went to school (Pre-K and Preschool), so I was new to the teacher gift giving tradition. Preschool moms collected money and bought gift cards to the teacher and her assistant. Pre-K moms decided to give individual gifts. I knew that the teacher and her assistant were both busy mothers themselves, so I gave them each Mom’s Plan It calendars and included gift reciepts. I hope they appreciate the practicality of the gift and use it day to day.
Yummy Mummy | December 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 am