Is this tacky? Teachers gift question.

[disneyquestions]

My youngest daughter has 3 teachers for her pre-k class. I'm trying to figure out something to give them for Christmas. This is a private school so gifts are not frowned upon, and pretty much expected. (The kids have birthday parties in the class throughout the year, and each student is expected to bring a gift for the birthday kid.) Anyway... I don't want to spend more than $10 per teacher, and I was looking through my email, so saw something from Restaurant .com. They are selling $25 GC for $2 and I thought it would be nice to give each teacher 5 of them (totaling $10 per teacher for me, but they would be getting $125 in gift cards) so they could try all different restaurants around the area. The only thing is, some restaurants have stipulations on these GCs like... you can't go on Saturdays, and you have to spend a certain amount, etc.

So my questions is, is it OK to give these as gifts, or is it tacky?


TIA

 

[kwelch10377]

I think it would be tacky to give a gift that had stipulations on when/how they could use it.

If you want to do something easy, I would do maybe a Starbucks gift card and a coffee mug or if you have a Yankee candle outlet near you something from there.

 

[Kika]

I agree; I would feel funny giving a GC with stipulations.

I also think a $10 Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts GC for each would be nice. Even if someone doesn't like coffee, they have other things there.

 

[taximomfor4]

I won't give my opinion about the in-school birthday parties (including gifts)...I will just answer the OP question. While I do use Restaurant.com certs myself, I would never give them as gifts. Too many strings attached, and it does leave a significant bill to pay (what we consider significant, at least.) For example, a $25 cert off $35 bill might state not valid on alcohol. So glass of wine is in addition. But lets assume they just order iced tea. They get the bill to $35 on the nose. Leaves a balance of $10 plus tax (7% here so $2.45)=$12.45. Plus the almost-always-already-added-in-18%, $6.74. $12.45+6.74=$19.19.

So the MINIMUM the teacher would have to spend to use this "gift" is $19.19. Each time. IF they hit the $35 right on the nose. In actuality, those "certificates" are more technically "coupons." I would never give a coupon as a gift.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes, tacky - they're more like coupons than gc's. I think a teacher would be happier with a $5 gc than candles, ornaments, mugs, baked goods (all learned on these threads). How about a picture your child made?

 

[disneyquestions]

I thought so... I just don't want to give a stupid mug or DD gift card - they are so over done! LOL Guess its back to the drawing board for me.

 

[minkydog]

I wouldn't give that kind of GC myself. I give gifts to Christian's teacher, 2 parapros, PT, OT, SLP, Adapted PE teacher, and 2 bus drivers. So obviously, I have to have a strict budget. For the bus drivers I get them lip balm and dry skin hand cream, or gloves, or a fleece throw to use on the bus. For the therapists and PE teacher who he sees about once a week, a little bag of cookies & candies with a thank you note. For his teachers and parapros, who work with him daily and have the hardest job of all, I give several little things throughout the season: popcorn, homemade cookies and baklava, fruit tray. Before they stop for the break I write each one a note thanking them for all they do for my boy. If I can afford a GC, I give them one. If I can't, well, I can always bake some cut-out cookies for them. Last year I made bread pudding mix complete with home-dried bread cubes, homemade vanilla and all the other ingredients except the butter and milk--I even put a small aluminum pan in the bag! I got more positive comments on that gift than any other I've ever given.

 

[kwelch10377]

You could also maybe give them some personalized notecards/notepad. Even if it just had their intital on it.

While I think that DD or Starbucks giftcards are over done, I don't think it is one of those things that they mind it being over done. Maybe pair it with a inexpensive ornament.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I wouldn't give that kind of GC myself. I give gifts to Christian's teacher, 2 parapros, PT, OT, SLP, Adapted PE teacher, and 2 bus drivers. So obviously, I have to have a strict budget. For the bus drivers I get them lip balm and dry skin hand cream, or gloves, or a fleece throw to use on the bus. For the therapists and PE teacher who he sees about once a week, a little bag of cookies & candies with a thank you note. For his teachers and parapros, who work with him daily and have the hardest job of all, I give several little things throughout the season: popcorn, homemade cookies and baklava, fruit tray. Before they stop for the break I write each one a note thanking them for all they do for my boy. If I can afford a GC, I give them one. If I can't, well, I can always bake some cut-out cookies for them. Last year I made bread pudding mix complete with home-dried bread cubes, homemade vanilla and all the other ingredients except the butter and milk--I even put a small aluminum pan in the bag! I got more positive comments on that gift than any other I've ever given.

Minky, mom MIL is a retired school bus driver and her favorite gifts were always a great pair of driving gloves or a blanket for the bus!

 

[HM]

A group of women (one of whom is a pre-k teacher) had a teacher gift discussion last week. You might want to look into getting a gift certificate from a local movie theater in the amount of $10. They thought this was one of the better ideas.

 

[marcyinPA]

I thought so... I just don't want to give a stupid mug or DD gift card - they are so over done! LOL Guess its back to the drawing board for me.

Teacher here...and I agree with not giving a "stupid" mug...but don't underestimate the gift card! I LOVE them!!! I teach in a private preschool too, and we don't make much money, so a gift card allows me to treat myself to something that I otherwise would not buy.

Starbucks, DD, Panera, Target, Barnes and Noble....etc. etc. etc.....All appreciated!!!

And write something nice inside a card. One of my biggest disappointments is opening a card from a family and they just sign their name. The best gift I can receive are kind words!!

 

[Cinderella94]

I thought so... I just don't want to give a stupid mug or DD gift card - they are so over done! LOL Guess its back to the drawing board for me.

There's nothing wrong with gift cards! My mom has taught first grade for 20 years and has said on the DIS many times that a $5 gift card is the way to go. Candles, lotions, anything with an apple on it, etc, no thanks!

 

[minkydog]

Teacher here...and I agree with not giving a "stupid" mug...but don't underestimate the gift card! I LOVE them!!! I teach in a private preschool too, and we don't make much money, so a gift card allows me to treat myself to something that I otherwise would not buy.

Starbucks, DD, Panera, Target, Barnes and Noble....etc. etc. etc.....All appreciated!!!

And write something nice inside a card. One of my biggest disappointments is opening a card from a family and they just sign their name. The best gift I can receive are kind words!!

My sister has been a music teacher for about 25 years. She has just about every version of "Number #1 teacher" mugs and knick-knacks you can imagine. She loves to get GCs for movies or the local Mexican restaurant or B&N.

 

[shortbun]

My friends who are teachers do not eat the homemade gifts they get from their students-they have pretty good reasons and they all agree. So-I always got DS's teachers a small box of Godiva. I feel like getting Godiva is special and what teacher does not like chocolate? I usually find a promotion on the website or use my Barnes and Noble membership to get at least 10%discount.

We also usually started a group gift for a Staples or Office Depot so the teach could buy some fun supplies for the classroom. No mandatory donation and everyone signed the card for whatever amount we collected.

 

[disneyquestions]

I'm sure teachers do love gift cards - I know I do! I just wanted to do something different and special. They are so good to my little girl, so I wanted to make it personalized. Her "main teacher" is a HUGE chocolate freak (and a size 2 to boot!) so I'm thinking about going with that. Maybe some chocolate covered strawberries, some Buckeyes, some chocolate covered nuts... not sure yet what I'll do exactly. Better figure it out quick though - don't have much time left! Thanks again for the help everyone!

 

[marcyinPA]

I'm sure teachers do love gift cards - I know I do! I just wanted to do something different and special. They are so good to my little girl, so I wanted to make it personalized. Her "main teacher" is a HUGE chocolate freak (and a size 2 to boot!) so I'm thinking about going with that. Maybe some chocolate covered strawberries, some Buckeyes, some chocolate covered nuts... not sure yet what I'll do exactly. Better figure it out quick though - don't have much time left! Thanks again for the help everyone!

Chocolate is good!! I enjoy that as well. I know a lot of people (teachers) here on the DIS say that they throw out any homemade treats the receive, and I just wanted to let you know that I DO NOT do that! I know most of my families pretty well, and there is not one family that I would be worried about receiving homemade food gifts from!

 

[HsvTeacher]

Do any restaurants deliver to your DD's school?

If they do, you could give them a GC from one and tell them to treat themselves to lunch. That is always one of my favorite gifts, because I hate our lunchroom food.

 

[Agri]

Here's the problem with giving gifts to teachers - unless they're outspoken about allergies, a lot of products might end up in the trash or re-gifted. Chocolate is a common migraine-trigger, and if it wasn't a trigger for me, I would have never thought twice about giving it as a gift. Scented items can cause reactions, too. Not everyone likes everything, so it is hard to do a general gift like Yankee Candle or Godiva. My mom re-gifted a lot of her gifts over the years because she does not like most of the things that people refer to as "Who wouldn't like that?".

Of course, they were nice things so they *did* save her money, but getting a gift you cannot use yourself is still a bummer.

Think about the things *you* want to get that you can always use more of, and then get that for them. People get hung up on a person's profession when they cannot think of what to buy for them. Outside of being a teacher/doctor/nurse/etc., everyone is a 'normal' human being. Chances are, what you think is an extra expense/luxury is one for them, too.

So pamper them they way you like to pamper yourself! =)

 

[LuvOrlando]

I don't know that it's tacky but with the limitations they seem more like coupons than gift certificates. Why not just do Duncan Donuts or something like that? Last year I bought all my kids' teacher's (female) purse hooks to hold their purses off the floor when at a restaurant. I love mine and they liked theirs too. Check them out on Amazon

 

[luvsJack]

As someone who formally worked with children, my favorite gifts are the unusual Christmas ornaments. All of the ones I got over the 12 years have the children's name and the year written on them. But the best ones are the really different ones that the parent found at a flea market or craft show type thing.

Carved angels, a cut tin snowman, cross stich snowflake; that kind of stuff. Many are hand made (not necessarily by the giver) and really special. I have some beautiful ornaments this way.

I know that some teachers say they cannot use anymore Christmas decorations, but Mom and I love to see them every year when we put up the decorations.