Gifts for teachers? - Page 2

[mamamaris]

One of my son's has 6 teachers, the other has 2. I sent money into the school with the 2 teachers where everyone pooled and got a generous gift card from all of us. The other school had nothing organized, so I took my son to the paint your own pottery place and he painted ornaments for each teacher. The most expensive one was $5, the least was $2. It was under $20 and they all get a hand-painted ornament.

[wifeandmom]

I've got twins in Kindergarten this year, and I'm the room mom for their class. I sent out a letter to the parents in the class (22 kids including my two) for them to participate in a gift card for the teacher if they wanted to. I suggested $5-10 max per student which would give us $110-220 total from the class if everyone participated. I'm figuring I'll easily get $150 or so based upon talking with other parents so far.

My girls are also giving her a monogrammed bag in her favorite colors (all of the teachers filled out a 'favorites' sheet for the PTA this year and the room moms got copies). I think the bag ended up being about $60 total.

For us, the fact that I'm no longer paying for their preschool means we actually have quite a bit of extra money every month compared to what I was paying last year. I typically send in a $25-30 gift card or gift of some kind every month (did a gift card to a local take out place at the beginning of school, a gift card to the local teacher supply store for Halloween, a gift basket from Costco for Thanksgiving, etc). Compared to $250 a month for their preschool, it's nothing really.

I also try to send in extras whenever they ask for specific supplies. Last week they were supposed to bring a box of candy canes for a project, so we sent 4 boxes. One week it was apples, so we sent in a whole bag of those. Next week it's brown paper bags. There are 2 or 3 children that for whatever reason just don't bring in stuff like that when it's requested, so I try to pick up the slack and give the teacher one less thing to think about.

For all of the office staff (principal, asst principal, secretary, receptionist, counselor, nurse) and all of their 'extra' teachers (art, music, PE, library, etc), we are doing movie bucket things. They had plastic popcorn containers at Target for $1. I'm going to put a $5 gift card to Blockbuster in it, along with microwave popcorn and some candy. I think I have 15 of those to do.

For all of the above, we include handmade cards telling each person what we appreciate most about them. If I didn't have any money to spend on gifts, I'd do the cards and try to do maybe a picture of my child in the card as well. Those are the things that I think teachers remember years and years later anyway.

[Leatherette]

My daughter has three excellent preschool teachers, and I know they don't make a lot of money. I was going to get them each a 25$ gift card to a local coffee shop (where they get coffee on the way to work), and put the card in a nice lidded coffee mug (different color for each teacher). If I can get other parents to chip in, I will increase the $ amount of the gift card.

I am an elementary school teacher, and the best gift for me is something for the classroom that I don't have to spend my own money on, or a card with something written by the students. I did get some German chocolates for St. Nicolas day from a German student, and that was nice. I would be uncomfortable receiving a gift worth more than $20 from one student/family, unless it was something for the classroom.

L.

[mata]

For my 7yo dd's teacher-I'm chipping in on a group gift, and am making a basket with homemade tea bread, sparkling cider, etc. I'm also writing him a thank you note of praise and cc'ing the principal. My dd drew a picture of them together, and I had her write out the answer to the question "What is something that Mr. X said to you this year that meant a lot to you?" Her answer was so sweet (in the context of her asking him if it was ok to do something

"Mr. So and so, something you once said that meant a lot to me was '(DD's Name,) if you think it is ok to do something in my class, then go ahead and do it-you don't have to ask me.' That made me feel really special, and that you trust me a lot."

For my youngest's teachers- we donated books to children in need in their honor.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by 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.

I don't think that was per teacher, but a group gift; they all go to Denny's for lunch and pay with the single $75 gift card.

[Heffernhyphen]

Think about how you like to cure your own stress. If you have the budget, there's nothing a teacher would appreciate more than a gift certificate for a massage. Trust me, as much as we love your kids, 20 of them at once are stressful even on a good day. If a massage is too expensive, maybe a facial or pedicure would be affordable . . . even if it has to be at a cosmetology school where the cost is minimal. Short of those stress-busters, I'd love to receive a gift certificate to a local liquor store. If you know the teacher likes a glass of wine now and then, it would be a good way to acknowledge how hard her job is. Other than that, maybe a nice bottle of bubble bath.

[Zach'smom]

I am going to get ds's teacher a gift card for Target. I figured she could get something for herself or her classroom. I am also going to donate a book to the classroom. Ds is going to make her a handmade card and letter to put the gift card in.

[aprilgurlie]

WOW $75? I am a teacher and I have never gotten anything that expensive!! I usually get a lot of bath and body stuff, and candles. I like all of that but sometimes my bathroom is bursting with it after Christmas!

I personally like chocolate, ornaments, and notes from the kids/parents telling me that they appreciate me. If I got to choose, I would also like gift certificates to Scholastic, Barnes and Nobles, or teacher stores in the area. A teacher friend of mine said that the best gift he got was a $150 gift certificate to Best Buy! He said that one parent organized for them all to donate a little toward it, and he LOVED it.

It's the thought that counts, though!

[Heffernhyphen]

Originally Posted by aprilgurlie

I would also like gift certificates to Scholastic, Barnes and Nobles, or teacher stores in the area.

Not me! The last thing I want is a gift certificate to buy more stuff for the classroom. A Christmas gift is supposed to be about the teacher, not the classroom. But that's just selfish me.

[tuffykenwell]

Well I got a really good idea from one of my yahoo groups. I am going to take a juice lid and put a wallet size picture of my child on either side and then take small puzzle pieces that have been spray painted red and green (the 750-1000 piece puzzle size) and glue them around the edge. Put pretty (and inexpensive) ribbon under the picture on one side and you have a pretty cute Christmas ornament.

I found a place that develops digital photos in wallet size...$0.39 for a 4-pack so now I really want to make a bunch of these for all the people I want to give gifts to but don't have enough money too...only how do I get all those juice tops LOL (we don't drink juice much around here so even one jug is pushing it I have sent out a call on Freecycle but I haven't had much luck with getting "garbage" items on Freecycle <sigh>...

Steph