Holiday gifts for teachers

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I am totally uninspired right now and could use some fresh ideas. Last year for DS's preschool teachers I did Klean Kanteens and Chico reusable shopping bags. So far this year I have a set of washcloths for each teacher that my mom knitted. I need something to go with them.

What are you doing for the teachers this year?

[IntuitiveJamie]

I have done cookie mix in a jar. I did Gingerbread tied with a bow and a nice copper gingerbread man cookie cutter.

I have also done homemade jelly.

As well as I have done homemade ornaments.

[mtiger]

Originally Posted by Biscuits & Gravy

So far this year I have a set of washcloths for each teacher that my mom knitted. I need something to go with them.

How about some nice soap?

[TiredX2]

Moved to Learning at School

[amcal]

I found a couple cute craft ideas.

I think we're going to make coasters for all the teachers:
http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2009/1...asy-christmas/

And then make a some of these to fill these with their favorite treats:
http://www.howdoesshe.com/neighbor-g...pop-top-treats

I also thought these candle holders were absolutely gorgeous:
http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com/2...-overload.html

[busymama77]

Last year we did homemade ornaments with DS's handprint on them. They were clear ornaments, white handprint and then I decorated a snowman on each finger and threw in some snowflakes. They turned out really cute. We did the same for the grandparents and other family members.

The cookie mix is a great idea. Something that could me made for both of my boys' teachers.

[MsBirdie]

I hate giving teachers knick knack things becuase I am a minimalist and I know teachers get inundated with mugs, so , I prefer something consumable with a homemade card. This year we are doing these, one for each teacher tied with raffia and paired with a baguette:
http://www.bistroblends-nv.com/index...cjbo8sebd0jn75


probably the sun dried balsamic or heirloom balsamic

[whatsnextmom]

I've done movie buckets.... go to blockbuster and get a 5 dollar gift certificate and put it in one of those microwave popcorn tubs with some movie candy. That one goes over well. We don't do gifts anymore because the kids have so many teachers but we did a lot of gift certificates to staples, target, jamba juice, ect.

[Irishmommy]

A bottle of wine, or a gift card to Tim Hortons (coffee shop). Dh gets lots of booze as gifts coming up to Christmas, including wine, so I regift.

[GuildJenn]

In flusher years we've done $20 gift certs to a book chain, but in leaner years we lean more towards comestibles - homemade jam, cookies, etc.

However I know some (online) people have said "oh no not the endless food". Really I just don't want to know that and continue to do my holiday cookies. Although I am thinking of something that can more easily be donated to a food pantry. Which makes me a bit sad.

[oaktreemama]

Last year my Mom got like 15 candles, 17 bars of soap, and some boxed chocolate.

Get a gift card.

[Red Pajama]

When I was teaching it meant a lot that the kids and families thought of me. I disagree with the sentiment "just get a gift card". Yes, you can, and you know they will be used and appreciated. But homemade jelly, soaps, knitted items? Great ideas.

One of my teacher friends made for her kids' teachers a set of coasters. You take small ceramic tiles, affix felt or coark stick-on grippies, and then decorate and spray a sealant. She did a stencil of their initial. I've done it before with a baby footprint for family gifts.

[imagine21]

As a teacher, I always preferred a heartfelt card from a student or parent. As a parent, I always give the "gift of sight" from www.seva.org (http://www.seva.org/site/PageServer?...ht_restoration) Amongst other services, Seva restores sight by performing simple cataract operations for people all over the world. For those who truly value education, the opportunity for someone to regain their sight is an apt gift. It has always been very well received.

[EFmom]

Small gift cards to Target. Hands down, gift cards for something useful are what most teachers prefer.

Dh is a teacher as are many of my siblings and a few other relatives. I don't know anybody who eats the homemade stuff or who needs more trinkets.

[One_Girl]

I'm doing a small gift card to a local coffee shop or bookstore (haven't decided which) because as a daycare teacher that is what I want.

[bluets]

what about altered notebooks? http://www.layoutaday.com/christmas-...ered-notebook/

[lach]

Last year the class parents collected cash for a large class gift. I also bought them boxes of chocolate in addition to participating in that. I figured that if they didn't want the chocolate, they could regift them as hostess gifts or something like that.

[Heavenly]

We are making a charitable donation from Heifer International (www.heifer.org) for each child's teacher.

[elmh23]

Gift card to either Target or Starbucks. I figure they already have to many little knicknacks and nobody needs that much chocolate, but they could use a new shirt or some coffee. I also like the Heifer International suggestion, might need to steal that one this year!

[StephandOwen]

We do food each year. It always goes over well and I've gotten requests for recipes several times.

In the past I've done cookies, muffins, candy, cinnamon almonds (hands down my favorite), these little pretzel chocolate thingies (also a favorite among teachers).

This year we'll probably do the nuts, the pretzel thingies and some different popcorn (in one of my cooking magazines they just had 3 or 4 different recipes that looked yummy!). I found little popcorn containers at Target for 2/$1 that I'll use and wrap them in holiday wrap. I think I'll do 3 different kinds of popcorn for each teacher.

DS has 5 different teachers that we'll gift (his 2 regular ed teachers (they have joined classrooms so he's with 1 teacher half the day and the other teacher the other half the day), special ed teacher, personal para/aide, classroom aide). He also has an OT and a SLP that we'll probably give a smaller goody basket to.