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Teacher Gifts | Pad Patter 12.17.15.

jenevang

jenevang

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So, tomorrow is the last day of school before the holidays and I may or may not still have teacher gifts to complete after work today :whistle . Darn my ambition to make them :giggle .

I have 2 kids in HS so I don't give gifts to their teachers. Yes, it's not fair, but there are 15 teachers between them. I do, however, give to my elementary kids teachers.

So, what are you doing for teacher gifts this Christmas? I always like to tuck ideas away for next time.

OH... and for the teachers in the group... what do you like to receive? You can only have so many apple ornaments on your tree, right? :giggle
 
mine are in High School too ... so we are past teacher gifts but for some special people (coach/leader type) ladies for my daughter this year, i lgave cute Vera Bradley lunch bags with little tupperware bits to fill the inside. (for the ladies.) gift certificates are always good too. it's too late for you to order from Vera but target always had a cute line of Rachel Ray lunch bags that I also gave to teachers when my kids were younger.
 
I used to make tons of beaded jewelry, so for years that's what all the female teachers received. The couple of times that my kids have had male teachers, I've asked them what they wanted to give. Last year my son's teacher was a huge Green Bay Packers fan, so my son picked out a GB Packers lunchbag. This year the same son has another male teacher so he picked a Jimmy Johns gift certificate.
 
I completely forgot the teachers this year. Aaaaagh. Sigh. Quick fix... last year I gave them a K-cup package or two, because the day care owners bought then a Keurig. I can do that again. (Lame mom here!)
For valentines day, I gave them vases of paper flowers filled with M&Ms. As an idea.
 
In our schools, the class parents all collect money and get them a huge gift card. It's way simple, and the collection is enough and sorted with costs for the Holidays, End of Year, and a class basket.

We also send a holiday card, and give them something small from just us at the holidays and again at the end of the year. Usually this is on the more personal side if I can.... like if the teacher likes wine, lol... we get a wine stopper. If the teacher likes books, we pick out a really fun/cute bookmark. We've also done Dunkin donuts coffee packs, a cookbook, itunes gift card for an iPhone, and a winter pack - chap stick, cream, little stretchy gloves and scarf. If I don't know anything... Target gift card. :)
 
I usually do something baked + a small gift card to starbucks, amazon, or target (or somewhere that I know the teacher likes). I have the kids do handmade cards as well.

If we do a class collection then I'll donate to that and also give the baked goodies & card.
 
I'm so glad you asked about this this morning. I almost forgot to send the teacher gifts today. My dd (4th grade) has 2 teachers that each teach half the day and one of them won't be there on Friday so I needed to send her gift today. I keep a stack of those huge symphony candy bars on hand for last minute gifts. DD is taking those and making a cute tag to go with them before school.
 
This year I made "Christmas Potpourri" for Bugga's teachers, our neighbors, and some of DG's coworkers. Bugga's classroom teacher is also getting a gift card.
 
Well as a grand, that's not my department so to speak, but since I live here I'm privy to their choices.

The middle school asked for a cash donation, so that they could pool the money and do something epic for the entire staff. Not sure what they did for them, but they did it yesterday and the teachers were all firing out emails about how incredibly generous the parents were and how it would help make their holidays brighter, so I think they gave them cash or gift cards.

Chase's 3rd grade teacher will receive a gift card.
 
I am married to a teacher, and I have to say that a handwritten note is always a good thing. And gift cards :) Because you can only use so many Christmas mugs.

This year my oldest is in middle school and has 6 teachers so we only did $5 gift cards plus a handwritten note from my son. Based on the thanks you's we received, most people must stop giving gifts after elementary.
 
I've done many different things over the years, between Christmas, teacher appreciation week, and the last day of school... lately I just do a Target gift card and have the kids write a nice note. My MIL is a third grade teacher and she just wants things she can use in the classroom or money so she can buy things for the class (she has to spend a lot of her own money on supplies).
 
I fell off the Xmas gift wagon ages ago. In elementary, we did the class gift route. I was usually a room mom so I collected $5 bucks or so from each family and did a gift card. Before you could get the Visa Gift Cards, we'd do a gift card to the mall so they could shop anywhere. It just depended on the teacher. We'd usually check in with them early in the year and see what they liked.

For my son's first year of middle school, I made cookies and did little individual gifts for each teacher. They did seem to appreciate it, but life got busier and with two kids and upwards of 10 teachers it was too much. Additionally, my kids don't want to carry around a ton of stuff to pass out and actually give their teacher a gift in front of their friends.

Now listen to my kids and send in a $5 Starbucks gift card now and again to teachers during the year. If they've had a little one at home who had been sick or they had some stuff going on, I'll send in a note thanking them and telling them it sounds like they might need a cup of coffee. It's not much but I'd rather do that instead of sending in a bunch of snacks. Plus it's easier on the budget to spread the love throughout the year. If I find out it's a birthday, I'll send something in. I've done a little plant or a bag of their favorite candies ...
 
As a teacher, I'm sad to say giving teacher gifts is not a tradition in my country. Some students give something at the end of the school year, but personally I have never received anything.

What would I like? The Christmas card I got this year from a student meant a lot. So yes I'm all for the personal note. That can make my day, or week, or year.
A gift card would be great. A chocolate bar or something home baked is great. Shower gel is fun but you can only use so much. Something for decorating or to put somewhere would not be my choice because where would I put it?? Unless it's for the classroom, then yay! Anything for the classroom would be great: posters, games, pens, etc. I love the personal notebook people make that are all over Pinterest!
 
I'm so glad you posted this because it was perfect timing for a reminder. Ugh. We have nothing. I asked Jessica what she was planning, and of course she'd totally forgotten. She asked me if I could go and pick something up because she has to work. So I'll be grabbing a gift card at the store today. Of course I have a ton of ideas pinned on Pinterest, but no time to do them.

I really like the idea of including a letter though. She is just so sweet and special. She is just the epitome of everything you'd want in a kindergarten teacher.

One of my junior high/high school teachers just passed away from pneumonia a few days ago. One of my former classmates tagged me and about 100 others in a post about it. It was wonderful to see so many lovely comments about her, but it made me wonder if she really knew the impact she had on all of the kids she taught over the years. She'd taught at our junior high and then started teaching at our high school. She taught English and creative writing. I was her TA my senior year, and she was also the drill team advisor, so I spent a lot of time with her. I'd seen her a year ago at Costco and told her that I'd gotten my MFA in Creative Writing and was working on my M.Ed, so she was excited about that, and I thanked her for all of her influence. It makes you think about all of the teachers you've had (good and bad) and how important their jobs are.
 
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I like to give simple, hand made/home made gifts. Even though my kids don't have a "teacher" (don't worry, I gifted myself LOTS of new hybrid scrapping goodies! :giggle) they do have "tutors" in our weekly home school community, and teachers at church and AWANA. This year I gave a cute little take out box full of oreo peppermint truffles and a hand poured candle that my sister in law makes. I like supporting her business. In the past I have always given a home made treat with something else I have made...sugar scrub, body butter, lip balm, and will include a loofah, or pouf with eye mask...a pamper yourself basket. And always a hand written card thanking them for investing their time and love into our children.
 
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I made jars decorated with ribbons and tags and filled them with Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies, whatever you want to call them. As a teacher, I like gift cards best, but I am a high school teacher and rarely get anything at all. I did get a mug of candy today and that was nice :) Candy is always good!
 
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