End of year gifts

[Benducci]

ok - our class is taking care of the teacher - any ideas on what to get all those other people in our kid slives? We have the aides, bus drivers, dance instructors with aides, Daisy leaders, t-ball coaches, school patrols.
Any good ideas for inexpensive things to give?

 

[MagicalMouse]

I never really partook in this. Buying presents isnt really so big here. The most we did was buy beer and flowers for the drama teachers who directed the school play, haha.
Probably not the best idea in this case though.

Flowers might work though. Or maybe those mugs that say 'Best coach' etc on? Giftards? Personalised keychains?
Gosh my suggestions are useless. I hope you get some ideas =]

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Unless you know them well, generic(target, wallmart, visa) gift cards are probably best. Please no little trinkets, mugs, etc.

 

[theprincess]

I give money

 

[Princess Roo]

I agree with the giftcards & a thank-you note instead of "trinkets". We usually do $5 for Starbucks or the ice cream place here for the "extra" people and bigger gift cards to Target for the main teachers. I generally include a little picture, too. Or, if $5 is too much, maybe a bag of the Lindtt truffles? I think they're 2/$5 at Target (though that might have been a sale).

 

[mickeymouse1017]

I just received the most sentamental gift that I have ever gotten. My room mother gave me a charm bracelet with two charms on it. One was an apple and the other was a circle with the school name and year on it. The other kids in the class each gave me a charm for the bracelet. I ended up with 20 different charms. It meant the world to me and I can tell you which charm came from which child. I know this is not a good idea for the "other" helpers but I wanted to share this special idea. The best part is that the charms were only $3 - $5 which is very reasonable. Hope this helps somebody. It is something I will treasure forever!

 

[wrldpossibility]

I am thinking about end of school gifts right now too. I usually have the kids write a handmade card, and get a small box of See's Candies for each teacher and coach. They usually have teacher themed ones for about $7-$10right now. Or, I sometimes do a gift card for a popular coffee chain. I try to steer away from mugs and apple-themed trinkets.

 

[LauraAnn630]

I was thinking of doing a movie gift basket. A blockbuster certificate, 2 bags of popcorn, 2 cokes and 2 candy bars.

 

[lillygator]

I am trying to think ahead for next year when DD "graduates" from preschool to go to K. I would like to do something for all the teachers at the school mabe a luncheon provided? I am not sure what...they have many different personalities and I would not know which type of gift card would be best for them....

do you guys think lunch from Olive Garden or something similar would go over well? They don't get to leave the facility for lunch as it is.....I am not sure what to do...something thoughtful and that they will remember... my DD has been with them since she was 6 weeks old....

I love the charm bracelet idea!!

 

[kayc86]

I always do starbucks giftcards for DS teacher,one-to-one aid,OT,PT,speech,and for the bus driver and bus aid we give money.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I am trying to think ahead for next year when DD "graduates" from preschool to go to K. I would like to do something for all the teachers at the school mabe a luncheon provided? I am not sure what...they have many different personalities and I would not know which type of gift card would be best for them....

do you guys think lunch from Olive Garden or something similar would go over well? They don't get to leave the facility for lunch as it is.....I am not sure what to do...something thoughtful and that they will remember... my DD has been with them since she was 6 weeks old....

I love the charm bracelet idea!!

I work at a small preschool(18 teachers), I think we would all love to have someone bring in lunch, Olive garden sounds good, lots of choices. We also don't leave for lunch, we eat when the kids do. When we make pot luck lunches for ourselves usually we set up in the church kitchen and everyone makes a plate to take back to their rooms when they can. If they have a day or so after the kids are gone to clean the rooms, that would be a great time to bring in food, or at the beginging of the year when they are setting up and cleaning up.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

School here doesn't end for another month so I really haven't thought about it yet -- but now you have me thinking.

Our 3rd grade class has all contributed to a group gift for the teacher but I do like to give something from my child. I've given stuff from Bath and Body Works in the past. I do like the idea of the movie basket someone suggested. Gift cards are nice to.

I also have to get something for our bus driver. She is really nice and has been working our route for a couple of years. I'm thinking picture frame, photo album or gift card for her.

 

[VanessasMom]

I just started putting my dd's preschool teachers' gifts together. They are getting a summer themed gift. It will be a striped canvas tote bag filled with a beach towel ($4 at Target right now), a visor ($1 at Target), a box of Jelly Belly jelly beans ($1.25 at Target), 3 headbands, and a hot/cold eye pack. I make the tote bags, headbands, and eye packs for pretty cheaply so it ends up being about $9/teacher for the whole lot.

When trying to come up with something, start with a theme and build from there. It's a lot easier than picking something at random. Also, I always buy stuff I would like to get.