Teacher holiday gifts

[momto3kids]

I work in a childcare center and would love it if someone made a donation to a charity instead of giving me a gift.

Unless you know a teacher well enough to know their favorite charity, it's not a gift to them. However, picking your own favorite charity and calling it a gift on their behalf is a bit self centered imho. If you don't want to give the teacher a gift, then just send a heartfelt thank you note but don't pretend your donation to a charity is a gift to them, unless you know they'd love it.

 

[KimFIGFern]

My most appreciated gift? A letter from a mom telling me how much she appreciated the help I gave her son. I still have it.

I am a teacher too and gifts come and go. However, in my 22 years of teaching, I have every note a parent has sent me that just says "thanks". Some notes are small and some are letters that have been sent to my principal. These are the most precious "gifts".

 

[crazyme5kids]

Unless you know a teacher well enough to know their favorite charity, it's not a gift to them. However, picking your own favorite charity and calling it a gift on their behalf is a bit self centered imho. If you don't want to give the teacher a gift, then just send a heartfelt thank you note but don't pretend your donation to a charity is a gift to them, unless you know they'd love it.

Sorry, but I don't feel that way. I would much rather see someone give a donation on my behalf than give me a gift that I don't need, can't use, isn't at all my style or taste, or just some little trinket that will get thrown out or handed to someone else. I would much rather someone not waste their money. Make a donation in my name, it is far better and not at all self centered at all (even if it is not "my charity of choice") imho.

I would love to make a donation to a charity as a gift to the teachers my children have, but I'm afraid they might feel the way you do.

 

[momx2]

I wondered when this thread would start this year. Every year it's the same thing. Someone asks about a gift for a teacher. Then most, not all, teachers respond they only want thank you notes from parent and/or students and/or $5 gift cards. For the most part, all other gifts are yard sale material.

I have to admit, I am truly suprised by the response to the "Make a Wish" donation. I understand it's not the teachers charity pick, but for goodness sake it's Make a Wish (for sick children). It's not like it's for saving the seals or even have any religious or political connection, KWIM.

I have purchased large boxes of prepackaged candies and will attach a $5 or $10 gift card. I hope it meets approval!

 

[carj]

We do a slightly larger gift card for my daughter's 1st grade teacher and slightly smaller gift card for my son's 4 third grade teachers. I get them all gift cards to Target.

For the special teachers like PE, PE para, Computer, Science lab, Art, Music, GT and GT para,etc... we give a gift card to Sonic. There is one close to school so I know that those will get used and be appreciated. Also, a small amount is still enough to buy lunch or some afterschool drinks.

I think all of those professionals do a great job with my children and I prefer to give them gift cards as opposed to shopping for something else.

I have already bought the teacher cards and I will buy the "special" group theirs next time I go to Sonic.

I find enormous satisfaction in crossing that item off my list!

 

[TinkfromTX]

I made homeade vanilla extract...I will then add recipe cards for family recipes and a few premade cookies.......Very excited and in the end very inexpensive....alway very appreciated...

Alison

 

[santa's surpriz]

Hi! 1st grade teacher chiming in

I suggest $5.00 gift cards to Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, or some similar place.

Please do not get any calendars, ornaments, picture frames, candles, etc.(all that stuff ends up in my annual spring yard sale). I would MUCH RATHER have a $5.00gc rather than a $20.00 candle or ornament.

The $5.00 gift card will be put to use & greatly appreciated.

How would you feel about a Brighton charm? and do you cringe everytime you get an apple item? Can you see where I was heading...Brighton has some cute apple charms and my daughter's teacher does like Brighton....thanks in advance!

 

[QVCshopper]

Thanks for the info I am doing a pot holder, spatula, cookie cutter and BettyCrocker Cookie Mix and was going to add a $5 GC to each one but this coin sounds like just the ticket. $5 for the teacher and $2 to Saint Judes nothing better in my book.

Where do I find them in the store?

I saw them today by the front registers with the gift cards. I picked mine up in the toy section. You may have to ask, but there seemed to be a spot for them with the gift cards.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
Our class contributes $10 a teacher and we get her a $100 gift card and a catered meal for her family (her choice of menu) the last night of school before vacation. This went over well last year and we're doing it again this year!

 

[Deffenm]

I ask the teachers what they need for their classroom and then make a class room box filled with the items. (Tissues, board games, books, hand sanitizer, dry erase markers, crayons, stickers, post it notes, ziploc bags, etc...) I also get a small gift just for the teacher - $5 gift card to subway.

This year I went a little over board for my dd kindergarten teacher. She had our son and now our dd and we love her. So I bought 4 Leapfrog Tag Reader systems for the classroom along with books. I did get them for only $14.99 each.

My mom is a teacher and I see how much money she spends out of her own pocket so I like to help out the classrooms.

We will also write Thank you Notes.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

My girls make their teachers gifts every year. We make cloth wreaths. The teachers always call or write to say they love them and the kids like seeing them hanging in the classroom (especially when they pass their old rooms and see them hanging the next year.)

As a Girl Scout leader for 11 years (3 troops, often overlapping) I can count on one hand the number of gifts I have been given in those years and though I don't at all do it for the gift, it is nice when someone gives you a small token of thanks.

Thiis is my first year as a preschool teacher and while I don't expect anything, I will be thrilled with anything from an ormanent to a donation (especially to something like MaW) to a card from the kid. I guess I am saying I believe it really is the thought that counts.

 

[JohnsonsRUs]

Last year we made a donation to the school's library in all of her teacher's names and let the Media Specialist purchase some books. We included a note to each teacher. Her elementary school can always use new books.

 

[mafibisha]

bumping for other thread that just started ...

 

[Pigeon]

Dh and two of my sisters are teachers. They say that a small gift card, either to Dunkin Donuts or Target or some other place where they can purchase school supplies (other than buying them out of their own pockets for a change) is infinitely preferable to trinkets like candles, toiletries, mugs and the like.

Apple themed stuff is at the bottom of most teachers' lists.

And yes, handwritten notes or cards are much treasured, so if money is tight keep that in mind.

 

[Pigeon]

Sorry, but I don't feel that way. I would much rather see someone give a donation on my behalf than give me a gift that I don't need, can't use, isn't at all my style or taste, or just some little trinket that will get thrown out or handed to someone else. I would much rather someone not waste their money. Make a donation in my name, it is far better and not at all self centered at all (even if it is not "my charity of choice") imho.

I would love to make a donation to a charity as a gift to the teachers my children have, but I'm afraid they might feel the way you do.

I think that if you know for sure that the person in question feels the same way you do about "getting" a charitable donation as a gift and if you know for sure that they are supporters of the charity in question, then the donation in their name is OK.

If you do not know these two things, then I think the charitable donation is no gift at all. You support a charity you like and take it off your taxes. You can do that just fine without pretending it's a gift.

 

[mafibisha]

Dh and two of my sisters are teachers. They say that a small gift card, either to Dunkin Donuts or Target or some other place where they can purchase school supplies (other than buying them out of their own pockets for a change) is infinitely preferable to trinkets like candles, toiletries, mugs and the like.

Apple themed stuff is at the bottom of most teachers' lists.

And yes, handwritten notes or cards are much treasured, so if money is tight keep that in mind.

THIS post says it all and probably speaks for MOST if not ALL teachers!

Thank you!!!

Wanted to add - if you have kids in HS, those teachers REALLY appreciate being remembered. By then many parents are burnt out and forget these teachers. So when they're remembered, even with something little, its appreciated even more!

 

[tzolkin]

The problem with gift cards where I live is that I would have no idea where to get one for. Everyone always suggests Starbucks, DD, etc but we don't have any. We live in a poor rural area and you have to drive 30-45 mins in various directions to shop. Yes, I could get a Target gc but it may be that their teacher never goes to that town. My mom and I live in the same school district (8 miles from each other). She shops in one city and I only shop in another. I don't know the personal habits of my kids teachers.

Any non gc suggestions? I'm extremely practical and also do not like receiving gifts, so it's really difficult for me to think of something to buy for some one I don't know well.

Unless you know a teacher well enough to know their favorite charity, it's not a gift to them. However, picking your own favorite charity and calling it a gift on their behalf is a bit self centered imho. If you don't want to give the teacher a gift, then just send a heartfelt thank you note but don't pretend your donation to a charity is a gift to them, unless you know they'd love it.

There used to be a website called MarkMakers. You could buy a card in any amount and the recipient could go online and choose however they wanted to allot the money. So for a $10 card they could give all $10 to one charity or split it up among a few. The website was kid friendly (my older daughter used it), so she thought that would be a great gift for her teachers. The money was donated, but they got to decide where it went. Her teachers told her that they enjoyed going on the website with their own kids. Unfortunately, this site has closed and I haven't seen another one like it.

 

[VanessasMom]

I bought Restaurant.com $25 gift certificates for my teachers. They can choose the restaurant they like and I used a 80% off coupon code! Everything helps when you are buying for 8 teachers.

 

[rdevine10]

We do a class gift for (Im the room mom) for my dd's 1st grade teacher. But, since I work closely with her teacher often I wanted to do something speicial in addition too. So, we got him a 2 pack pass for the local movie theater. It cost around $15 or $16 at costco. He is a younger teacher - unmarried, but dating and thought he might enjoy a night out!

Our class gift will be an Amex Gift Card.

DD's preschool teacher will just be getting a small gift (german chocolate- DH is in Germany for Business currently).

 

[marcyinPA]

THIS post says it all and probably speaks for MOST if not ALL teachers!

Thank you!!!

Wanted to add - if you have kids in HS, those teachers REALLY appreciate being remembered. By then many parents are burnt out and forget these teachers. So when they're remembered, even with something little, its appreciated even more!

My DS14's teachers are definitely getting something from us this year. He has had a very difficult transition into high school, and they have been MORE than patient with him. He's an extremely smart kid who is very, um, unmotivated...they have been wonderfully supportive and I am really appreciative! Thankfully, he only has two academic classes right now, because our district does block scheduling..so only 2 gifts to buy.