need ideas for REASONABLY PRICED teacher gifts

[kccmommy]

Male teachers seem to like the baked goods.

I've done a loaf of bread wrapped in a Christmas T-towel, and this year I have gotten some Christmas plates ($2.99 at TJ Maxx, last year the dollar store had some too) and I am going to bake a batch of cookies and then wrap it with red cellophane. Then they will have a cute Christmas plate to use at home on Christmas.

 

[Goofyest mom]

I am a big fan of ornaments. It can be used for male and female teachers. They can put it on their tree at home or their classroom tree if they have one.
It is, in my opinion, a very nice and inexpensive gift.

 

[Skatermom23]

Wow, I never thought to buy gifts for the teachers once the kids started middle school.. Are you all mostly buying for elementary? I think I did ask DS his first year if we should get something and he told me no that kids don't do that anymore.

 

[bub]

As the wife of a male teacher, I agree that gift cards are a great idea (for any teacher). Borders, Blockbuster, Trader Joe's and local restaurants are all terrific choices. If on a budget (and who isn't) anything made by a child, whether a card, ornament or food, is always a nice touch.
I diagree with those schools who ban gifts, especially at Christmas. Giving gifts to others is part of my family's culture, so I have always given something, even if the school says not to or asks for classroom oriented gifts (I give those as well).
We give gift cards to our kids' main teachers, and have given frames to all the "specials" teachers like gym, music, etc.

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

What we do for their Sunday school teacher and music teacher, (they're homeschooled) is make homeade hot drink mix. I have recipes for toffee coffee, hot cocoa, mocha mix ect. They work out incredibly cheap to make. I package them in a jar, wrap a ribbon around it, attach the directions and tie on a plastic spoon dipped in chocolate.

We also make several types of squares and cookies. We use diposible plates and pile a dozen or so and tie it up with tissue paper.

I'd love to have those receipes if you could post them!

 

[missypie]

My DH makes a pineapple upside down cake for the elementary classroom teachers (now only one, since the other two are in MS and HS). He does it because that's what HIS mom did, and the teachers seem to like it.

BUT...his brother teaches middle school in a northern suburb of Chicago. He says that he would NEVER EVER eat anything home made that the kids bring. He says you never know what those home made goodies could be laced with. Whenever anyone brings him baked goods, he says thank you, then they go straight in the trash when the day is done. So those of you slaving over home baked stuff may want to think twice...

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

keep all the great ideas coming......

 

[LynnTH]

I too give the kids teachers a gift card. Usually, $25 to Target. Who doesn't like Target?? For Sunday School Teachers I have already bought some cute ornaments that open up and have a music box inside with moving scene (ex. a train track going around a Christmas Tree). I got them from QVC and they were 6 different ornaments for $30 or so. Really cute.

I do like the Blockbuster Idea and other gift basket ideas too.

 

[kkheburn]

I'm a preschool teacher and some of gifts I have recieved are cookie ingredients in a mason jar with recipe tied around the lid, gift cards to Starbucks. Blockbuster, movie passes, !,000 mugs and candles . My favorite was a aporn my class made me with all there handprints on it. I use it everyday! Aprons is something a preschool teacher will use all the time because we like to paint and do fun messy art projects.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

just a little bump...

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I am a first grade teacher (THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD ) Throughout the year the children give me beautiful notes and pictures etc! I stick them all over my desk, walls, etc. One year a parent took them and arranged them into a beautiful scrapbook along with the children's photos.....(she arranged this with the Principal who told me they were doing something with my "Art"). GREAT I loved it!!!
Another great gift I was given was a sweatshirt with all the children's names on it (Again pre-arranged with the Principal to get me out of the room while the children signed the sweatshirt with paint markers on the sleeves).
I have also received a blanket made of squares the children had designed (Planned by a room parent who sent the squares home to the families, collected them and sewed them together).
I love getting books for the classroom with inscriptions. I use them year to year and tell the class about the student who gave me the book. The memories are priceless.
One time I was given a gift certificate for a massage....LOVED THAT!! The class all contributed and it was from them all. I am pretty sure even the children who were not able to contribute signed the card.....something like that is nice because then the children all feel included. I always feel bad around the holidays. Some of the children can't bring in gifts. I understand as I don't expect gifts. The children who bring in gifts want them opened. The children who don't bring in anything feel bad even if I don't open the others. I really hate it. I once had a parent complain that I didnt open the gift her child had given me until after school. ARGGGGGGGG I tried to explain that it made some of the children feel bad and that if she wanted me to open her child's gift she should have given it to me before or after school when there were no other children around. It didnt help. Oh well.
Last year my room parents went to a ceramics store and purchased a very large planter. The children all put their thumbprint on the planter and signed their names. The planter was then fired and they class planted a sunflower in it for me. I love it. It is on the porch right now as we speak (well not the sunflower....I killed it but I will never admit it!!!)
In my school the parents run one big fundraiser (Chicken BBQ) and divide the $ up between the teachers to use for supplies etc. This is such a nice gift to us as I spend $$$$ on "Fun" things for the class and it is all out of pocket.
On my maternity leave one of the parents bought me a pizza coupon and put it in a basket with a bottle of pop, napkins and paper cups and a coupon for one free movie rental. I thought this was a very nice idea. The parents also got together and made dinners. Maybe you could arrange this for your child's teacher around the holidays? It was so nice. There were 22 students and they brought us 4 meals. It was a very nice idea and it was so helpful. I think they were

1) Baked ziti, Salad, Garlic bread and Gingerbread.
2) Tacos, Salad, Pop, and Chocolate Cake
3) Chicken and Rice, Macaroni and Cheese, Veggie and Dessert
4) Pork Chops, Applesauce, Muffins, Veggie and Dessert


Please know that most teachers DO NOT expect gifts. We really do like the cards and notes. It is so nice to be appreciated. If you do want to send in a gift please don't expect it to be opened in front of the class. I do send thank you notes tot he children but do not open gifts in class. I have to agree with the person who said please no teacher themed gifts. I have been teaching for 17 years and DH is also a teacher and we have so many mugs and signs. I really like the idea of buying something for the class. A game, a puzzle or a great book!!! I can use those and the children will also love them. I hope this has given you a few ideas. Good luck!!!

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Here is a website that has very nice gifts in a jar...
http://organizedchristmas.com/article75.html

We have made the Candy Cane bath salts several times. They are great. We have also made them as a class project and used the level 2 baby food jars. Top the lid with some fabric and they are adorable.

If your child's school has great 'lunch ladies' and you want to give them a little something, this is a great idea...

Buy an inexpensive wisk, 'open it' and stuff it with individually wrapped candies like Hershey kisses. Wrap the wisk with colored cellaphane and a ribbon. Attach a card that says, "We wisk you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

My dd's loved the lunch ladies at their elementary school, so we did this one year. They thought it was so sweet. We also made them aprons one year.
The aprons were not expensive but did require lots of sewing for a not so experienced sewer.

 

[annsteere]

Consider a Thanksgiving gift.

LOTS of homemade stuff comes to teachers the week before Christmas and the last week of school. So instead, I send a gift and a note explaining that one of the things I am thankful for is their good work with my children the week of Thanksgiving.

 

[agnes!]

We always make an effort to remember every staff member(teachers - including the gym teacher & the music teacher, lunchlady, principals), but this last year I did something extra, not so much in spending money but more in putting together a remembrance for each person.

I thought a thank-you note to her teacher would be nice & somehow my DD decided to write a note to *each* teacher she had ever had while at this school...starting in kindergarten! So she started on that a few weeks before school ended. We had picked up a very inexpensive Trifari(golden metal owl, the school's symbol) pin at our church's Christmas bazaar in the fall - that pin went to her main teacher. We went to Costco and picked up Ferroro-Rocher chocolates. Costco has them in retailers' packs, 12 sleeves that have 3 chocolates to each sleeve). Tied some nice ribbone around each one and then taped the sleeve to each note. We fancied up inexpensive magnets(.25 each!) that looked like an open book. Took a special marking pen, wrote "Thank you" "2005" and put my DD's name on the back. Those little magnets(for their fridges) went inside each note to the teachers. Made up some chocolate sleeves with ribbon for the office staff, the janitors and the lunchlady.

I know it was a bit much, but I didn't really spend a lot of money since I wanted to be able to remember everyone. We even managed to get a thank-you note/magnet(no chocolate, wouldn't fit to be mailed!) to DD's 3rd Grade teacher who had retired. Took the 'letter'(w/ postage) by the school office and they put her address on the envelope & put it on the mail. We got a phone call from this teacher a few months later saying how much she appreciated the note & that little magnet.

This year DD is in Middle School and there won't be any teacher gifts in our household(save some money?), but that's ok, because of all the fundraising stuff that is coming home this year.

agnes!
PS - My DD's Girl Scout Troop made up the Candy Cane Bath Salts one year for a 'mom' present and that was great!

 

[MHTeacher]

I am a teacher and happen to teach at the same school my children attend. ( 9 and 11). I buy my daughters' main teacher a gift, usually a resturant gift card or a manicure/massage gift certificate. For the music, art, computer,P.E., and Spanish teachers, the librarian, secretary, and principal, I try to get them just a little gift. One year, it was the small Bath and Body anti-bact. hand lotions. Last year, it was the layered cookie mix you put in mason jars.

Whatever you do, just make sure that your child's teacher know that you appreciate them.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Another teacher chiming in here! One of the nicest gifts is your time. Many teachers (especially in priviate school) have days with no breaks at all. One of my parents a couple years ago offered to do my lunch recess duty 1 day a week. I LOVE that Mom!!!!! She gave me 1 day a week to eat lunch in peace. If you have the time offer to help in some way: recess duty, before school duty, read a book to the class in the afternoon, come in 1 afternoon to help with a fun but messy project (last week we baked cookies), offer to take a small group for an activity on Friday afternoon. Be creative and use the talents you have, do you cook? sew? speak spanish? Like disecting things? Not only will the teachers appreciate you but your kids will love to see you at school!

 

[kc10family]

If the scholl does scrip, then buy a gift card from that. It helps the school and it's a nice gift for anyone. you can buy scrip from $5- $30.

Good Luck!

 

[DawnM]

I taught high school for many years. The gifts I got came directly from the students (and not parent bought) so maybe my perspective is a bit different. I also taught in the inner-city (L.A.). But honestly, ANYTHING the kids made or bought for me was so appreciated. I didn't care if it was an apple shaped anything or a #1 teacher anything, it came from their hearts and it meant a lot to me.

Some very good ideas here. Some common gifts were:

Homemade treats (or tamales....YUM!)
Candy
Mugs
Small plant
Handmade gifts

Dawn

 

[ZuZugal]

I taught preschool for a few years.

ALL gifts are appreciated......but some more than others. I'll list some least and most favorite.......

Least:
Candy/chocolates/homemade "food". Reason: Is a small box of chocolates great to eat? Heck yes. Should most people eat 30 boxes of chocolates? Heck no. Around the holidays we all get too much of "the good stuff" anyway. A teacher will always tell you to your face what a great gift it is; and the thought is wonderful.....but most will go untouched.

Most:
GIFT CARDS of any type are excellent! Even a $5 or $10 gift card is so much more useful than a $20 gift of food any day. It can be spent right away or saved for a rainy day.

An important thing to remember is......WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET YOURSELF? I have more candles/lotions/cookie-ingredients-in-a-jar than I can shake a stick at.

All of this said.....yes, it is the thought that counts, not the gift. The very special hand made ornaments and thoughtfully hand-written cards are of the best gifts I have ever received. But if you are thinking of spending a few dollars on your child's teacher this year, go for the gift card.

'nuff said.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

I gave the teachers last year personalized notecards (their name Mrs. XXX is on the front) so far they have loved them.

I gave gifts to the teacher, each aide, the speech teacher, the gym teacher (my girls love him!) and the bus driver.