Christmas gifts for teachers, paras, etc?

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Hi! Just wondering if you give holiday gifts, who gets them (teacher, DCT, speech, OT, aide, counselor, psychologist, 'specials' teachers, principal, etc!), and what kinds of things you usually give?

I'm overwhelmed even thinking about the list this year!

 

[pilgrimr]

Yes, we also get overwhelmed. We usually give gives to the teacher, aids, speech therapist, bus driver, and bus aids. It also got worse this year because my daughter just started school. Our gifts are usually around 3-5 dollars. Last year we got them mugs with hot chocolate.

 

[lucigo]

Hi! Just wondering if you give holiday gifts, who gets them (teacher, DCT, speech, OT, aide, counselor, psychologist, 'specials' teachers, principal, etc!), and what kinds of things you usually give?

I'm overwhelmed even thinking about the list this year!

I usually give gift certificates for a book store to my son's ST, OT, teacher and aids. Last year though I got "crafty" and made these. They were really easy to make and cost around $10-15 each to make. It was cool to see that they actually wore them throughout the year

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

ooh, those bracelets are nice! Great job!

and yes, the bus driver and bus aide too!!

the list gets longer....!!

 

[KirstenB]

Luci, those bracelets are awesome!! I bet they loved them.

 

[JESW]

Hello again!

Yes, we have quite a list of people for holiday gifts! I usually give everyone a $10 gift card to Dunkin' Donuts (they all need that caffeine!) and some sort of chocolate - sometimes I buy those little lindt chocolate reindeers or trees or the like and we package them together in a small gift bag - easy for ds to transport to school. The bus driver gets a bottle of wine (she needs it!), gc's to DD & Honey Dew and usually $$$ - she is AWESOME with our son and she deserves everything and more.

Holiday gifts end up being around $150 total depending on how many are involved. This year ds is in a different classroom so I will need to get a list from him.

Those bracelets are beautiful! We have some male teachers/aides so I try to keep everything generic.

Jill

 

[scojos]

those bracelets are amazing, where did you get the stuff? can i get it mailed here to the uk?
thanks
tracy

 

[lucigo]

those bracelets are amazing, where did you get the stuff? can i get it mailed here to the uk?
thanks
tracy

Thanks everyone, I always have to tell everyone I'm not a "real" jeweler so if they fall apart I'm sorry! I have repaired more than one, usually because their kids pull them off! LOL Here are some links to where I have gotten supplies on the internet. I also try to hit the sales at Hobby Lobby. I have always had to buy the puzzle charms online, and usually the yellow swarovski crystals I have to buy online. I haven't made any in a while, my eyes don't focus on those little wires like they used to!

http://www.beadland.com/silverplatedwords.htm
http://www.beadstudio.com/
http://www.artbeads.com/charm388.html

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

great ideas, everyone!

I always wonder if someone should get a bigger gift than someone else, and how to decide, etc...
you know, does the 1:1 get more than the teacher? Does the teacher get more than the spec ed teacher who pushes in? Am I just being weird? LOL


ps--jill, sorry I didn't get to reply yet...I didn't forget!

 

[JESW]

Hello! Write when you can - NO PRESSURE! (goodness knows we need less of that in our lives!)

I always worried about giving more to one than the other too so I am weird right there with you. I solved that by just giving the same thing to everyone. It makes it easier for ME and since I don't really know these people since my son gets transported to school so I don't see them on a daily basis and can't figure out what they might like. But when we went in to see a play the class put on the other year I saw LOTS of Dunkin Donuts cups so I knew that they would all use the gc. I also figure that coffee and chocolate are universal and one size fits all.

I am sure that whatever you give will be appreciated.

Oh - and I also give a gift for the classroom like a board or card game since the kids use them during free time.

Have a good day!

Jill

 

[ireland_nicole]

My DD and DS are in "inclusion" classes; and they get inclusion support hours, but not 1:1 para. We give the classroom teacher a slighly larger gift, but not much. For what it's worth, I just bought everyone's gifts at Costco. (and I mean all the paras, therapists, counselors, paras, "special" teachers, etc.) They had these really nice mugs w/ a foil snowflake design and were filled w/ hot chocolate mix (ghiardelle) and cookies, etc. and wrapped in cellophane. They came in units of 3 for $15.

 

[1stluvispooh]

I make several batches of homemade truffles. Easy to make and everyone is impressed with them. I box them up. Everyone gets about 10 and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Now for who I give them to: teacher, special ed teacher, special ed aid, OT, and ST (School and private) bus driver, bus aid, piano teacher.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I'm an aide in a special ed class. We love getting gifts from parents, no matter how small. It just nice to be remembered and appreciated. Even just a nice hand-written card is a great gift. Most of our kids come and go on the bus and we rarely see the parents. It's really nice when they take the time to acknowledge our efforts with their kids. In the past, we've received gift cards, candy, cookies and stuffed animals. One mom gave us festive socks for every holiday. Her child has long since moved on but I always think of him when I wear my socks. Another mom used to give us potted plants. Sometimes we'll get a gift basket to share. We each take our favorite things home or we leave it on the counter to share until it's gone.

Right now we have a mom who likes to bring us food. On the first day of school she brought donuts. A few weeks later it was cream puffs. The other aide said she would take one to her husband so she wouldn't break her diet. So a few weeks later she gave us fresh fruit salad from one of the high-end grocery stores. It was really good stuff!

 

[LuvsTinker]

Those braclets are adorable !!!!

I give to both in class teachers equally - usually spend about $20.00 to $25.00 each (they are wonderful) ; other teachers like PE, religion, etc. I give something small or make sugared pecans.

I give to the OT and SLP equally - usually valued around $15.00 each

 

[gritzel4]

We give gifts to: Spec Ed Teacher, Inclusion Teacher, Aides (in both classes), Speech/Occupational/Physical Therapists, Bus Drivers and Assistants and Religious Ed Instructor. One year it was 21 People

Some gifts:

Bus Drivers & Assistants: Chocolate and Dunkin Donuts gift cards

Everyone else:

Homemade cookies/candies in crystal candy dish/plate (BJ's 3/$15)

or

Movie Night Gifts: Blockbuster $5 gift card, Candy, soda all in a movie popcorn bucket

or

Spa in a Jar: Mason Jar filled with mesh bath sponge, travel size Bath & Body Works lotion/bath gel, votive candle and small wrapped chocolates

or

Personalized Stationary - monogrammed note cards and stamps

***Always including a card that my DS has signed his name (scribbled during the early years) and a personal note of gratitude.

 

[mom_2a_sept_princess]

We get the teacher, the aides (Emma's and if there is another one in the classroom), her OT, and PT, the bus driver and the bus monitor (this year she has a different one each way) and the two school nurses (Emma uses the potty in the nurses' room each day).

We get gift certificates for all of them. Last year we got the bus driver and monitor $30 gc to a local resturaunt. We got the rest GC to either Dunkin' donuts or the local bagel shop. The amounts ranged from $20 - $10. It all depends how much interaction Emma has with each teacher/aide.

We also get them gifts throughout the year. Last year we loved her bus driver and monitor so we got them gifts about 4 times last year. Just little tokens like GC to DD or something. They appreciated them and they kept my Emma safe.

Amy

 

[kaffinito]

I usually give classroom supplies. I scout out the territory during Parent/Teacher conferences so I can see who likes what kind/color of pens, and whether or not the teacher or aide has a particular thing they like on their desk, like Holly Hobby or cats. Then I get them gifts that fit the teacher/aid, along with some generic art/classroom supplies and a lot of sticky notes. I also stick a GC to the teachers store in there too.

If I know the bus driver I will get her a card signed by my son and some holiday chocolates.