Gifts for teachers?

[MAMom]

I'm looking for ideas for a holiday gift for my DS's preschool teachers.

Last year I got them each a gift certificate for a nice local restaurant.

I'd love to hear what you've gotten your kid's teachers (or what kinds of gifts you enjoy receiving if you're a teacher)?

I'll probably spend $50-$75 per teacher.

TIA!

[KalamazooMom]

I've done movie, restaurant, and book store gift certificates for teachers. DS has at least 6 different teachers at preschool so last year I gave them all one gift certificate for $75 I think. I figured they could use it for breakfast or lunch for all of them. They seemed to really like that.

[funkygranolamama]

I'm thinking something practical like a dept store gift cert and/or a gas card. Our preschool teachers aren't paid alot so I'm thinking for them that practicality is probably a big help. I first considered a spa day certificate but then I realized that her family could probably use help with groceries and such this year.

[RufusBeans]

gas cards. I don't want to to resterants, because they might have food restrictions, but I figure, everyone has to drive.

[UUMom]

This year as our hens are laying like crazy, they are getting eggs. I thought one teacher was a vegan, but I checked and he's 'only' a vegetarian. lol

In the past, we've given indie book store GCs and GCs to the coffee shop near the school.

[~Megan~]

Wow! Lucky teachers! I'm a budget, I didn't even spend $75 on my kids.

I made the teacher and assistant a hand knit cotton face cloth. I'll wrap up a locally made honey based soap inside. They will each get a small container of my homemade lotion as well.

[escher]

I love all these ideas. Gift certificates are always nice (especially since it is hard for parents to know what kind of things each teacher likes), and handmade gifts are wonderful. I think eggs from a hen sounds perfect--it would totally thrill me if one of my students gave me fresh eggs (too bad I live in a city where it is extremely unlikely to happen!). A letter from a parent telling how much they and their child like me is always the very best. You can never get enough love letters, I think.

[lightheart]

Aloe vera plant... I have a bunch in tub that I pulled when I brought my plants in this fall, His teacher already has a gazillion plants in her room but talking to her she loves them and one more would only add to her jungle.

All my friends and family are getting aloe vera plants too

[UUMom]

YK...I missed that whole $50-75 per teacher. Hell No Way. My kids have never had fewer than 6 teachers a year, even in Kindy. (Art, music, home room, Science Lab, PE, library, computer, spanish/latin etc. LOL. $50 or $75?! It is to laugh! )

Even my organic free range eggs are less than $5/dozen.

I've never given more than $5-10 worth of CG to any one teacher and would never give more. I don't know of a teacher who would even expect more! Or anything! Even if my kids had only one teacher, anything more than $10 would really be pushing it. To the edge... and into the canyon.

ETA--I am going to edit my thoughts simply to say that if a class is going in on a gift, $50 or $75 might not be nuts. 10 families copntrinuting $5 or $10 seems within in the realm of reason if a family can afford to contribute that much.

[lindberg99]

I got my kids' teachers $10 gift certificates to a locally owned coffee house that also has beer and wine. Then they can decide if they need a cup of coffee or a glass of wine after dealing with my kids all term!

I think the amount just depends on how much you have to spend. My SIL is an aide who works with special needs kids and she has gotten $50 gift cards before.

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by lindberg99

I got my kids' teachers $10 gift certificates to a locally owned coffee house that also has beer and wine. Then they can decide if they need a cup of coffee or a glass of wine after dealing with my kids all term!

I think the amount just depends on how much you have to spend. My SIL is an aide who works with special needs kids and she has gotten $50 gift cards before.

I think that would be awesome. i wish someone would give me such a gift for doing my usual squat.

[Mommabean]

at our MOPS meeting last week we made these awesome chili mixes and put them in small rubber maid square bowls. i gave one to ds1s teacher and one to the head of the preschool department.

they LOVED them, and i got wonderful thank you cards and hugs!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/chili-mix.shtml


there are some other great ideas here as well!
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/index.shtml

[MAMom]

Thanks for the suggestions! It sounds like a gift card of some sort with a nice note may be the way to go again.

Originally Posted by UUMom

I think that would be awesome. i wish someone would give me such a gift for doing my usual squat.

I agree, it is a generous gift, but I really think they deserve it (and it works for our budget). I can't imagine they get paid much based on the cost of the preschool (which is really low in comparison to many others in our area) and I'm sure they need a treat after 5 days a week with 3 & 4 year olds!

[southernmommie]

I like the gift card idea, but my son (in Kindergarten), wants to give his teacher a Build-A-Bear. He is really into that all of a sudden. I don't know where he got it. And since it is totally his idea, that is what we are going to do. I may add a gift card to the bear though for gas or what nots.

[RufusBeans]

kind of OT

We just got a note from Bean's school about what gift to give teachers, and they said something like, "Our houses are all aglow with all the candles we've received from years past" Dh was kind of irritated by that and said we should get them all gc to the candle store

[Mommabean]

laughup

i cannot believe that they sent you a note! wow.

[funkygranolamama]

Originally Posted by RufusBeans

kind of OT

We just got a note from Bean's school about what gift to give teachers, and they said something like, "Our houses are all aglow with all the candles we've received from years past" Dh was kind of irritated by that and said we should get them all gc to the candle store

kind of weird but totally understood. i typically buy a candle for my mom for most holidays and one day i was at her home and opened a closet that was FULL of, you guessed it! CANDLES!!! I guess alot of people gave them to her. No more candles for mom.. lol... at least she's set for hurricane season!

[shanniesue2]

from the teacher's point of view.... I always appreciate all gifts given to me by my student's... the nicest gifts IMO, though are simple and tasteful Christmas tree ornaments. My favorite that I ever received was a homemade ornament... the family had bought a glass brick (like what you might see in a 50's style diner), drilled a hole in one side and threaded a string of Christmas lights into it, then tied a decorative ribbon around it (like you would a present). You plug it in under the tree and it makes a really nice decoration under the tree.

As for candles, I appreciate the gesture, but usually have a hard time finding something to do with the seasonal candle holders... non seasonal scented candles in our house are great because we use them in the bathrooms (well, mostly hubby uses them in the bathroom )

p.s. I would never send a note home about what kinds of gifts are appropriate to give teachers... I think that's extremely tacky... I think that if a family wants to give their child's teacher a gift that their generosity should be appreciated... not solicited

[wildmonkeys]

For ds1 homeroom teacher, I got personalized notecards. They were actually only $6 online, but I figure it is useful and feels like a luxury to have personalized stationary. I am giving his busdriver a coffee mug full of nuts from a wholesale place (same for his religion teachers). In reading this post, I realized I should probably make/get something small for some of his other teachers at school (math and enrichment at least, but maybe also art, music & gym

For ds2 the preschool class is taking up a $10 per teacher gift card collection. A few parents are doing something on their own, but the two of them should each get $100 this way. I am going to do something for his speech teacher as well, but I haven't figured out what yet. He suggested flowers and a card and I thought that was actually quite a nice suggestion.

Hat off on the $75 per teacher. I am sure they will be thrilled. We actually have a $25 limit on ps teacher gifts here.

[meowee]

OMG... $75 per teacher?

I would love to give that much but it's not possible. I love my kids' teachers and am so stuck over what to get them. I can't spend much.