Gift for boy classmates

[PHXscuba]

I don't bring back vacation souvenirs for others unless they are helping me with the vacation -- if my mother watches my kids so DH and I can go somewhere, we bring her something as a thank you. I could see the same for a pet sitter or a friend who helped make travel arrangement or gave great advice. Maybe a trinket for a teacher who was helpful, non-judgmental, and willing to give schoolwork before we left.

But buying something from E-bay before a trip to keep and give classmates after returning? I honestly want to know what the OP's thought process was -- is this something expected at her daughters' school?

PHXscuba

 

[ceecee]

I know some schools actually frown on this. I don't see the point either. DD got her good friends things when she was younger and gave it to them outside of school. It's almost like bragging we went to WDW!

 

[girlsmom]

thought process: trying to be nice.

every other year we have done it, the classmates seem really excited to receive something "Disney" (In the past, I have bought the Goofys candy so lollipops but I know there are dietary issues in her class that I dont want to be problematic so was trying to do something non-food this time).

daughter gives a presentation after we get back on something she learned on her trip and then hands out a "disney prize" to each student.

gee, when I was little I loved getting a surprise at school...and even now, when someone I know gives me a surprise, it makes me feel special.

sorry its so off-putting for so many of you. glad yall dont have kids in my daughters class

 

[girlsmom]

curious to those of you who critisized: do you feel the same about getting postcards from friends/family on vacation too?

just wondering, as I am now gathering my addresses for the postcards we plan to send from WDW this year

 

[girlsmom]

they are perfect for my purposes

When you ge t them can you review them here? They look like a good classroom handout for birthdays too!

 

[girlsmom]

..When we go on vacation, we don't buy souvenirs for anyone else. I find it not necessary, and for kids silly. I'd let my kids buy something for themselves.

WOW, am i glad to be in the minority if the majority is more focused on doing things just for themselves. I want to teach my children that doing something for others is GOOD, and EXPECTED, absolutely NOT "silly." Thinking about how to brighten someone else's day...? yes, that's what I want my children to aspire to do.

If it makes a child feel special and good for 5minutes then its worth the effort on my part.

I am truly shocked at the general response about this...in a community where I expect people to understand the "magic" of disney...and would expect you to want to SHARE and spread some of the magic around, too??!

Can I afford to take all the children at school to WDW? no, but I can afford to buy them a piece of "junk" (per happy mommy) that will make them feel good for a moment...even if they throw it away before they leave school that day, if we have succeeded in making them feel special for 5 minutes, its worth it to me.

 

[luvmy3]

curious to those of you who critisized: do you feel the same about getting postcards from friends/family on vacation too?

just wondering, as I am now gathering my addresses for the postcards we plan to send from WDW this year

I don't send postcards to anyone when I go on vacation. I only bring back gifts for family/friends that pet sit, or check on my house as a thank you. I do not bring back "just because" gifts for anyone, don't see the point.

 

[luvmy3]

WOW, am i glad to be in the minority if the majority is more focused on doing things just for themselves. I want to teach my children that doing something for others is GOOD, and EXPECTED, absolutely NOT "silly." Thinking about how to brighten someone else's day...? yes, that's what I want my children to aspire to do.

If it makes a child feel special and good for 5minutes then its worth the effort on my part.

I am truly shocked at the general response about this...in a community where I expect people to understand the "magic" of disney...and would expect you to want to SHARE and spread some of the magic around, too??!

Can I afford to take all the children at school to WDW? no, but I can afford to buy them a piece of "junk" (per happy mommy) that will make them feel good for a moment...even if they throw it away before they leave school that day, if we have succeeded in making them feel special for 5 minutes, its worth it to me.

So do you buy all those kids something on their individual birthdays? Do you send in special treats for all holidays for each child?
I think its sweet that you want to make someone feel special, but to some of us, giving someone something because you went somewhere they didn't/couldn't go doesn't really make much sense.
Again, your plan wasn't buying them something from WDW because you were walking through the park and said "oh this would be perfect for XYZ", your plan was to buy some cheap "junk" on ebay and hand it to them. Doesn't really seem all that special to me

ETA I'm also of the opinion that people who bring back gifts are really making it about them- look at what I did to make you feel special because I went somewhere great and you didn't, kind of thing.

 

[allison443]

thought process: trying to be nice.

every other year we have done it, the classmates seem really excited to receive something "Disney" (In the past, I have bought the Goofys candy so lollipops but I know there are dietary issues in her class that I dont want to be problematic so was trying to do something non-food this time).

daughter gives a presentation after we get back on something she learned on her trip and then hands out a "disney prize" to each student.

gee, when I was little I loved getting a surprise at school...and even now, when someone I know gives me a surprise, it makes me feel special.

sorry its so off-putting for so many of you. glad yall dont have kids in my daughters class

I totally get that you are doing it to be nice! And I understand a kid wanting to bring something back for their friends.
Your kids' school seems to encourage this. Personally I don't think it's appropriate to have a kid get up and give a presentation about a disney vacation to the rest of the class. I just don't think it's school related. I mean, should every kid who went to a zoo or museum or theme park over the weekend give a presentation too?

Maybe if the class was studying say, China, and the kid went to China and brought back Chinese candy or something-to me that would be appropriate.

Howeve, I understand schools/teachers are different, and since your school has time for this and encourages it, I think you've gotten some good suggestions. Enjoy your trip!

 

[DLgal]

I totally get that you are doing it to be nice! And I understand a kid wanting to bring something back for their friends.
Your kids' school seems to encourage this. Personally I don't think it's appropriate to have a kid get up and give a presentation about a disney vacation to the rest of the class. I just don't think it's school related. I mean, should every kid who went to a zoo or museum or theme park over the weekend give a presentation too?

Maybe if the class was studying say, China, and the kid went to China and brought back Chinese candy or something-to me that would be appropriate.

Howeve, I understand schools/teachers are different, and since your school has time for this and encourages it, I think you've gotten some good suggestions. Enjoy your trip!

I totally agree with this.

This is such a strange thread. I find the idea of doing this to be very, very odd.

 

[englishteacha]

Teacher here. If you really want to be nice, how about pencils with a Disney theme? All my students could use a pencil. I wouldn't have a student give a presentation about a trip, but I do ask them to keep a journal while they're on vacation and miss school (I'm a writing teacher, after all!). If they have a particularly relevant experience to share then I might have them speak about their trip or show some photos, but I also feel it's bragging to have them talk about their vacation.

 

[ceecee]

Teacher here. If you really want to be nice, how about pencils with a Disney theme? All my students could use a pencil. I wouldn't have a student give a presentation about a trip, but I do ask them to keep a journal while they're on vacation and miss school (I'm a writing teacher, after all!). If they have a particularly relevant experience to share then I might have them speak about their trip or show some photos, but I also feel it's bragging to have them talk about their vacation.

 

[ashley0139]

While I can sort of see the idea of giving something to everyone from your trip, if that's what you want to do, I don't get the idea of buying things off Ebay to give to them. What's the point of that? It's not even from your trip. If you're going to do that, at least get them something FROM Disney World. It's like buying souvenirs from Walmart beforehand. They're not souvenirs.

 

[disneychrista]

It's like buying souvenirs from Walmart beforehand. They're not souvenirs.

Thank you. I never understood this "money saving tip" about buying cheap-discount trinkets before your trip. If you don't have money to buy things AT the parks then don't buy them.

 

[djmeredith]

I'm a former elementary school teacher. I can respect your efforts to teach your children a lesson about making others feel happy. However, I don't think you are going about it the right way. Bringing inexpensive trinkets to children who weren't able to go to Disney may not bring happiness. Most likely, some of the children will feel different (negative) because his/her family cannot afford the luxury of a Disney vacation (unless your child attends a very affluent school where every single child takes a fabulous vacation each year). Making children feel different never makes them feel happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of taking kids out of school to travel because I believe travel is educational. However, a child drawing attention to the fact they missed school for a vacation is not appropriate and I would not have allowed it in my classroom.

If your goal is truly to spread the magic and make someone happy, maybe you could have your children personally choose a small gift while on their trip for 1 or 2 close friends who you know share your family's love of Disney.

 

[imsayin]

Bringing inexpensive trinkets to children who weren't able to go to Disney may not bring happiness. Most likely, some of the children will feel different (negative) because his/her family cannot afford the luxury of a Disney vacation (unless your child attends a very affluent school where every single child takes a fabulous vacation each year). Making children feel different never makes them feel happy.

This would have been my reaction as a child. We did not go on vacations; the money was just not there. If someone did a presentation on their Disney trip and handed me a cheap trinket, I would have been depressed.

 

[Pumbaa_]

This would have been my reaction as a child. We did not go on vacations; the money was just not there. If someone did a presentation on their Disney trip and handed me a cheap trinket, I would have been depressed.

Ditto