Hmmm..

[zoemurr]

I teach preschool and really appreciate all the gifts I have received this week.

That being said, maybe some of you can learn from this.

I received: 6 packs of gormet hot chocolate (2 with mugs)
5 gift cards for Starbucks
1 for DD
1 for grocery store
1 for Target (love this one!)
1 for local restaurant (love this too!)
2 ornaments
1 decorative plate
1 pointsettia (looks nice on kitchen table)

I have been on a diet since July (lost 20lbs!) and I have been trying to stay away from all the high calorie drinks, so I will give away most of the HC and the Sbux cards.

Not sure why there was such a "hot drink" theme this year..

 

[dizzymomx4]

Maybe its what the preschoolers like...hot cocoa is a favorite at our house when it becomes Christmas time...the kids somehow link it to the Holidays!

 

[simba20]

I teach preschool and really appreciate all the gifts I have received this week.

That being said, maybe some of you can learn from this.

I received: 6 packs of gormet hot chocolate (2 with mugs)
5 gift cards for Starbucks
1 for DD
1 for grocery store
1 for Target (love this one!)
1 for local restaurant (love this too!)
2 ornaments
1 decorative plate
1 pointsettia (looks nice on kitchen table)

I have been on a diet since July (lost 20lbs!) and I have been trying to stay away from all the high calorie drinks, so I will give away most of the HC and the Sbux cards.

Not sure why there was such a "hot drink" theme this year..

LOL! I just got around to making "Puppy Chow" mix for my DD's daycare teacher, daycare director, and secretary. I've tasted it and it is so overly sweet. Oh well. All I could think of this year.

However, I'd be glad to take those Starbucks crads off your hands. LOL! I am a grande soy chai tea latte no-whip addict. Usually I wait until fall or when it is cold. I started buying them at least 2x/week starting back in August.

 

[zoemurr]

someone got us GCs to Brueggers. I liked that 'cause I got a quick lunch one day of a bagel and some soup for $5. Not all sugar..

(If anyone needs an idea..)

 

[MM27]

OP, do you mean "learn from this" because you are happy with what you got or are you complaining?

Personally, I'd be happy getting 1/2 of what's on that list. Parents get what's easy for them (giftcards) or what the kids think you'll like. I wouldn't complain about duplicates.

 

[zoemurr]

I mostly thought it was funny. But everyone on here is always asking for teacher ideas, so I tried to show that thinking out of the box just a bit would really be noticed. I hate that people wasted $ on all this stuff I could never use.

Honestly, I don't need (or want) any of it. The best way to wish a teacher "Merry Christmas" is with a handmade card and a nice note. That is what we talk about most, and will treasure the longest.

I knew no matter how I worded it someone would say I was being ungreatful..

 

[disykat]

Honestly, I don't need (or want) any of it. The best way to wish a teacher "Merry Christmas" is with a handmade card and a nice note. That is what we talk about most, and will treasure the longest.
..

This can never be said too often! No one listens though! I always send thank yous when I get "teacher gifts" but I don't really want any of them. Everytime I dare to say that (on this annoymous forum) people think I'm being ungrateful. Thankfully teacher gifts aren't that big of a deal in my area.

 

[QVCshopper]

I'm getting my kid's preschool teachers Target gift cards (maybe a chocolate caramel apple from this local place that's SO good) and a homecard card of an angel made out of their hands.

Opinions about the apple are welcome. My kids go to the same preschool with the same teachers (M/W/F and T/R) so I wanted to go them a little extra.

Also to the OP, I don't think you were complaining. I just think people assume everyone likes hot cocoa and Starbucks. But, 5 gift cards are a lot... maybe regift them? That's what I would do!

 

[nikkistevej]

To the OP, I didn't think you were complaining either- just giving all of us parents a heads up on what the kids teachers want. DD7 picked out a bear with some body lotion- she REALLY wanted to give it to her teacher, so I let her. If she regifts it, I'm OK with it, I was going to get her a giftcard.

 

[Girlie1]

I am on the "hot drink" wagon. My DS5 is autistic and has one teacher and 5 paras in his class. I got them each a GC to DD. I figured they could use the caffeine or the sugar. They do such a wonderful job with my son and the other students but I know they have a difficult job. I try to alternate each year. Last year was Barnes and Noble.

 

[mcvixen]

Here in Canada, it's Tim Horton's, not Starbucks, that everyone gift-cards for teachers.... but luckily, Timmies offers a very wide range of breakfast & lunch foods; bagels, muffins, sandwiches, soups... and of course, coffee!!!

I honestly don't know of any Canadian that won't consume SOMETHING from Tim Horton's on a regular basis.

 

[jackieslp]

I just bought my daughter's teacher a target gift card - so hopefully she will like that. Also, I am a speech pathologist and was always so grateful when I would receive a gift, note or acknowledgement from a student or parent as I would be "one of the forgotten" ones at school. One year I gave every teacher, guidance counselor, secretary a gift - my kids thought I was nuts but I did it and it made me feel good - the gift was a small baggie filled with that shredded paper stuff, some candy and a cheese spreader (one of those cute holiday topped ones) with a note saying "just spreading some holiday cheer" - easy, cheap and well-liked but usable when serving dips and appetizers.

LIke I said, it made me feel good to give it - I love Christmas and the gift giving and receiving that goes with it - just like all of the my teacher friends.

Now, I would love for all my kids to have a present under their tree as I work in an inner city with children who are enrolled in a Head Start program 0- these kids are the best.

 

[rparmfamily]

I don't drink coffee at all and I enjoy Starbucks. They have more than coffee!

 

[avamadison]

We bought Borders gift cards for our kid's PreSchool teacher.

We figured if the teacher doesn't want to use them on herself - she can buy books for the classroom.

 

[lecach]

I asked all the parents in DS's class if they'd like to go in on a Visa gift card. They were all thrilled with the idea and said yes. We didnt keep track of who gave what. In the end we ended up with $250! And that's just from 11 kids. I was really surprised. There are two teachers so each will get a $125 gift card.

We did this last year too and the teacher from last year said she sure wished someone was doing that in her class this year. Not that she doesnt appreciate the small gifts but the Visa card could be used anywhere. Plus without someone doing a collection, a lot of the parents dont even think about getting a gift for the teachers.

 

[KateMW]

Here in Canada, it's Tim Horton's, not Starbucks, that everyone gift-cards for teachers.... but luckily, Timmies offers a very wide range of breakfast & lunch foods; bagels, muffins, sandwiches, soups... and of course, coffee!!!

I honestly don't know of any Canadian that won't consume SOMETHING from Tim Horton's on a regular basis.

I've be dreaming about apple cinn. TimBits ever since we went skiing last Nov. in Whistler. Yummy!! I wish they would get a Tim Horton's in Canada at Epcot!

 

[Astro Orbiter]

Be happy there are gift cards now!

My mom was a teacher before gift cards - apple mugs. apple pencil cups. apple stationery. apple tea towels. apples here, apples there, apples, apples, everywhere! And if it wasn't apples? Some little chalkboard with ABC and/or 1+1=2 on it somewhere. And always a chocolate orange, which we could never smush to break. Most of it got regifted to my teachers or donated somewhere.

I got DD's teachers Target GCs. They can pick personal items or classroom items, whatever suits their fancy. DD, however, was responsible for making a hand-made card for each of them to put the gift card in. The cards the kids made have been taped up in the room.

Deb

 

[Dee77]

Very interesting thread, now of course I want your opinion of what I picked up to give my DD's teacher as well as the extra people (aides) in the school/day care that she sees each day. I picked up picture frames from Kohls that are a stone type with a phrase or words etched on them. Each is different, "live, laugh, love" "family" etc. My DD's teacher will get more than one since she is her teacher and she is AWESOME.

I thought to myself that even if they want to swap amongst themselves or re-gift to someone else that would be fine. Opinions anyone....

P.S. At a child's b-day party in October I asked several of the parents if they wanted to go in together on a gift card for the teacher and a few seemed put off by it so I dropped the subject. I am sure she would have preferred a larger denomination of a general gift card than smaller scattered ones mixed in with token gifts but that is JMHO.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Don't those Visa gift cards come with a bunch of "catches"? (They have to be used by a certain time, there's a fee for certain uses, whatever?) Just something to mention to the giftee. Unless I'm mistaken, in which case that's something to mention to me, LOL.

We gave someone a gift card this summer to Sheetz, the gas-food-whatnot store here in the East. I figured if they like coffee drinks, you can get them there. Soda? Got that, too. Sammy or burger? Check and check. Magazine, lottery ticket, and so on...even down to paying for gas. Everyone needs that!

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

My wife makes Pizzelles and puts them in cans for Teachers. My Daughter usually makes something to go along with it, this year she made a potholder in Green, Red, and White to go along with it.