Teacher Gifts?

[maciec]

In 2nd grade my son was out in the "cottages" (really trailers due to overcrowding) so there was no bathroom and the kids had to walk outside and then back inside the main school to go to the bathroom. This meant forever sending the kids inside just to get papertowels if there was a spill or they needed to just clean up. They were cleaning up with tissues a lot of the time. I cannot tell you how happy she was when my son walked in with a big Sams Club pack of papertowels with a bow on it for Christmas. She was so happy for getting something so simple. Maybe it wasn't the most "ideal" gift for Christmas, but it made her day and it she said it was the most useful and practical gift a student had ever gotten her. She was grateful that she didn't have to spend her own money on yet another supply for the class.

 

[Janepod]

Public school in CT. Every family contributes $15 at the beginning of the year and the money is used to buy a gift card at Christmas and a gift card at the end of the year. The room moms handle it. Participation is voluntary (though when I've been room mom, everyone has contributed - a few even more than the minimum) but the cards must be signed by EVERY child in the class, regardless.

I love this system!

 

[torinsmom]

I've seen many of these threads, and the teachers who have gently added their input have always seemed grateful for all gifts, especially hand-written notes. I think it's very helpful to know that they are overwhelmed with the amount of body lotion, candles, ornaments, and mugs they receive.

I used to sometimes give homemade treats, but thanks to the information on these threads, I always just give gift cards - I'm not using them as a way to cheap out on a gift for the people who spend as much time with my children as myself.

I always open the teacher gift threads and these are the ones I have seen too. I have never seen teachers complaining that the amount of a gift card was too little or how rude a parent was to give them homemade cookies. When people ask what is most useful to us and ask for suggestions, what are we supposed to do? The responses I have seen explain why certain items may not be useful while others may. This is usually what people are asking. As far as why people don't shop at WM, Target, etc., I have never seen that on here. If you do, please tell that person to PM me and I will gladly take those cards, LOL.

I appreciate everything I get. Your child will never know that I won't use that candle(have allergies and cats), mug(I don't drink coffee or tea), or lotion(hate strong scents). Heck, one time a kid gave me a bright red lipstick and I have never worn lipstick I smiled and hugged her and told her I loved it.

In NC, teachers make a pretty sad salary. Even with 13 years experience and a Master's degree, I make right around $43,000 before taxes. I usually spend $30/mo of my own money for school things. So, yes, gift cards are my most appreciated gifts.Another gift I really loved was a big bag with pockets on it from Thirty One. I have used it a lot.

 

[teacherforhi]

I used to give gifts, then I saw teachers kvetching about every kind of gift on message boards and stopped.

This is how I know Christmas break is almost here. Every year, someone asks what they should get for teachers, the teachers respond, and we're the bad guys.

Have your child make me a card. I keep every one I've ever received in a folder in my desk. Honestly, on the days when I feel like I'm done with teaching, it's that sort of thing that reminds me of why I do it.

If you send an ornament or a mug, I will thank your child profusely and write you a thank you note. Your child will never suspect that I did anything but love it. But I'm not going to keep it. I don't need it, and if I keep everyone of those I'd ever received, I'd need a few new file cabinets.

There is an exception to the mug rule. About 8 years ago, one of my students made a mug in art class and gave it to me for Christmas. She had worked on it for several weeks, with molding it, glazing, firing in a kiln, etc. When she gave it to me, she seemed kind of down, and I asked what was wrong. She started crying because she didn't think her present was good enough. I sat down and opened it. She started pointing out the imperfections and how I couldn't drink from it (and I couldn't have). I looked at it, and told her it was perfect for sitting on my desk and using it to hold paperclips, if that was okay with her. She lit up like a Christmas tree because I was going to actually use her present. That little purple mug has sat on my desk, full of paper clips, ever since.

I guess the moral of the story is that most teachers would rather have something from the heart and a gift that is sincerely meant, than just some tchotke that someone picked up because it had the word 'teacher' on it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd much rather teach a lesson about generosity by taking my kid shopping for Toys for Tots or the Giving Tree at church. And in fact, that's exactly what we did after I read thread after thread of teachers kvetching about the horrors of holiday gifts -- took the money I would have spent on teachers and my dd and I went out shopping for those less fortunate. IMO, that's a far more valuable lesson than, "Your teacher probably won't like any item we could choose or make for her/him, so we gonna give him/her a plastic card that's basically cash."

I would love to see just one of these nasty posts that you are referring to - I think I've read every thread on this subject, and I'm calling you a liar.

When shopping for a gift, I don't find the need to make is a life lesson for a child, although it could be. "Mom, let's get this #1 Teacher mug for Mrs. Jones!" Me: "I bet Mrs. Jones has so many mugs already - how about we get her something she can really use." Heck, if little Snowy wanted to give Mrs. Jones a lacy pair of panties, one might suggest something else, right?

We do the giving tree every year at church (will be picking up our tags today). If someone asks for legos, I'm not going to give them batteries. The point of these threads is to find out what teachers want, kind of like the giving trees. And if my little Snowy picks out batteries, I'm going to tell him that legos would be a better gift idea. And risk damaging his creative genius.

 

[java]

Thankfully I know most of my children's teachers relatively well. (they live in my town) So if I know a favorite restaurant- they get a gift certificate to there. There is a favorite breakfast place for most of them that they will all be getting cards to.

There is one teacher that I don't know well- she is an aid in my youngest child's class. I really like her. She has young kids of her own. I am thinking of putting together a Stonewall Kitchen kind of basket- *stuff she can make herself mixes, jelly ect. Maybe the waffle mix?

I don't get caught up in the "oh not another......" things. While I doubt many teachers feel that way - just the thought of it makes me sad.

 

[JulieWent]

I have been a teacher now for twenty five years. I have appreciated and loved every gift a young person has given me, but my favorite gift of all has been a hand-picked bouquet of flowers. Years ago, when I taught in an inner-city school, I received many beautifully wrapped gifts during the day before we broke for the holidays. As I always do, I thanked each giver and left the gifts sitting wrapped for the time being. After school was out, I stayed for awhile getting ready for the next term, and I was loading up my things when I heard someone yell my name from across the street. He was running up the street from his house with a handful of wildflowers that he'd picked and decorated. He said he wanted to give me something special. It made me cry.

Now, my son is 17. Last year, when I asked him what we should get for several of his teachers, he said, "I've got it, Mom." He had spent the weeks before the holidays talking to his teachers and asking them about their favorite local restaurants. He narrowed it down to one that they all liked and had already gone to get gift cards for them. Each of his teachers commented to me about how much his gift meant because it was from him and because he had taken time to figure out what to get.

So, I guess for me, it's not what anyone gets -- or if a student gets something at all. It's just, is the gift from the heart, or is it a duty? I will love and nurture each of my students -- gift or no gift.

Julie

 

[My2Qtz0205]

I give my children's elementary school teachers and TA's winter survival kits: soft socks from B&BW, chocolate, gourmet hot chocolate, tea, cough drops, scented hand sanitizer, travel-sized tissue packs, and anything else cute and little I can find. I put them in a decorated container. I've done altered lunch boxes, and at Michaels last year I found plastic jars with plush holiday-themed characters. I will probably do that again this year.

I would say this will probably end in middle school, as they will have multiple teachers, but I might still do gift cards for them--Starbucks, Sweet Frog, Target...those are a few places I can think of that most people would like.

 

[marcyinPA]

I give my children's elementary school teachers and TA's winter survival kits: soft socks from B&BW, chocolate, gourmet hot chocolate, tea, cough drops, scented hand sanitizer, travel-sized tissue packs, and anything else cute and little I can find. I put them in a decorated container. I've done altered lunch boxes, and at Michaels last year I found plastic jars with plush holiday-themed characters. I will probably do that again this year.

I would say this will probably end in middle school, as they will have multiple teachers, but I might still do gift cards for them--Starbucks, Sweet Frog, Target...those are a few places I can think of that most people would like.

I love that idea. I did something similar when my boys were younger- a big bowl, with popcorn, slipper socks, hot chocolate, and a video store gift card (back in the day when there were video stores! LOL). The teachers loved it! (or they said they did- maybe they didn't?). Anyway- it's different, it's thoughtful, and it's usable to most people. Score!

 

[sndfan]

My DS is in 8th grade, but I've done the following the last few years. I crochet a bunch of scarves for the teachers. He chooses which one he thinks each teacher would like, and we give that as well as a Target gift card. That way, they have something personal, as well as something practical.

One year for his favorite math teacher, he requested a Fibonacci scarf (he said it's a math pattern - I used two colors and each "section" was the total number of rows of the two prior sections. So 1 row blue, then 1 row brown, then two rows blue, followed by three rows brown, etc.) It ended up SUPER long because of the pattern. His teacher said she loved it and wore it when she walked in the winter because she could wrap it an wrap it. He loved explaining why she got that particular scarf!

Even if they re-gift the scarves to others, it's ok with me! I figure it saved them the money they would have spent...

 

[KerriSue]

I can't say that I have given every teacher through the years a gift. I know that there have been a few that I really liked that I bought a bottle of wine or two for. I figured that after dealing with kids every day they could use a little relaxation.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I am a teacher and receive mugs, ornaments, homemade foods and gift cards. I appreciate each and every one of them.

Sometimes, parents are trying to teach kids a lesson, such as "let's put forth a bit of effort for this teacher and make her a special treat". Even if it isn't the teacher's favorite thing, the hold learned a valuable lesson about gift giving-something from the heart.

My kids have always felt especially proud when they made their teacher gifts. I think teaching our children is as important as making the teacher happy. I would think any teacher would feel the same way. Let your spouses fulfill all your Christmas gift fantasies, not your students.

 

[reelmom]

I have always bought gift cards for the teachers. My older son is going into middle school next year so I am not sure if I will continue with the gift cards with the amount of teachers he will have. A couple of my friends who have kids in middle school brought lunch for the 6th grade teachers before Christmas break. Last year, they all chipped in and got Olive Garden soup, salad, breadsticks, and an entree. The teachers really appreciated it, and they are planning on doing it for the 7th grade teachers this year.

 

[tarheel618]

Based upon what I've heard, then they'll complain that the $5 wasn't enough to really buy anything and/or that the gift card was to a store they don't shop at.

I've read this entire thread and you really seem to have a lot of bitterness towards teachers. I am sure there are some that are ungrateful but you seem to be lumping every teacher together.

Quite frankly a gift is given from the heart regardless of how it is used (including gift cards) if you can't give it freely then don't but I don't think it is necessary for you to paint all teachers as greedy people who don't appreciate anything from their students. Bah Hambug

 

[kirstenb1]

I would love to see just one of these nasty posts that you are referring to - I think I've read every thread on this subject, and I'm calling you a liar.

When shopping for a gift, I don't find the need to make is a life lesson for a child, although it could be. "Mom, let's get this #1 Teacher mug for Mrs. Jones!" Me: "I bet Mrs. Jones has so many mugs already - how about we get her something she can really use." Heck, if little Snowy wanted to give Mrs. Jones a lacy pair of panties, one might suggest something else, right?

We do the giving tree every year at church (will be picking up our tags today). If someone asks for legos, I'm not going to give them batteries. The point of these threads is to find out what teachers want, kind of like the giving trees. And if my little Snowy picks out batteries, I'm going to tell him that legos would be a better gift idea. And risk damaging his creative genius.

Agreed!!! The closest I've seen to a "nasty" post, is a teacher grudgingly admitting she has a lot of mugs. I believe that was in answer to someone wondering if they should buy a mug for a teacher gift. For years, I've given candy along with a gift card. Once I've given it, I certainly can't control what the teacher does with it, so I don't worry about it.

 

[auntie]

I only taught kindergarten one year, but in that one year I received so many Christmas and/or teacher mugs to fill 2 boxes when I moved! I also received at least 10 teacher-related ornaments.

The gifts I loved were the gift cards. I was able to bundle several together at a local bookstore to get a couple things I really needed.

This year my oldest is in kindergarten - her teacher and aide are getting gift cards and fun markers/pens.

I totally agree. Gift cards are the way to go. Seriously, how many chotchke gifts does one techer really need.
30 gifts X's however many years of teaching, after a while I'd think they'd just wanna chuck them out the window on their way home the last day before winter break!
A nice card with a handwritten note of thanks along with a GIFT CARD is thoughtful and USEFUL.
I'm also quite sure there are those that will feel that their "special" gift is better, nicer, and never seen before. Not hoping to change those minds. However, I do suggest taping a nice little gift card to the most special chotcke ever as it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kteacher]

I just wanted to add that as an ex-teacher my favorite gifts were the hand made ones. I still have a beautiful handmade ornament from a little girl in 3rd grade that I really love. Ornaments are gifts I typically buy for our Sunday school teachers etc... One kid gave me a diet coke which I still remember after 13 years. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy to be meaningful. There is something I still find amazing about children's artwork. I also kept many cards that I was given from students at Christmas and the end of the year.

I totally agree! I love the handmade cards, pictures of Mickey Mouse (my students know I love Disney ). One of my favorite gifts was a construction paper heart with the word "Disny" written on it. One of my kindergarteners gave it to me many years ago. She was an ELL student with very little english at the beginning of the school year. I still have it , and it always makes me smile when I look at it.