Teacher Christmas Gift

i know this isnt personal BUT very practical.... get an American express gift card so she can get what ever she wants. if shes been a teacher for years just think of all the sweaters, mugs and candles shes collected lol

I used to collect money from each parent and buy a gift card to a nice store or mall. Usually ended up with $75-$100. I know one teacher bought a pretty necklace, back when gold was not over $1000 an ounce..lol.
They get so many mugs with apples and things they really do appreciate the gift cards. All the teachers I did this for were so grateful.
Hope this helps you, A.

I got my daughter's teachers a fruit gift basket from Fresh Market for teacher appreciation week. They loved it. They had a raffle for the actual basket.

A gift card to Target is probably always welcome.

gift cards are always best. If you know her favorite store, style or even favorite restaurant, you can get her several gift cards. We just gave our teacher one for clothes, one for spa and one for a restaurant. You can do a book store or general like target if they need to buy supplies with their own money. Along with the money we gave for a gift card we did our own little thing and gave her a notepad with her initial on it, notecards with her last name, bath and body works soap and lotion, and then a Turvis Tumbler cup with her initial on it. She loved everything. You can also do some sort of craft if you would rather. One year the room mom took a pic of all the kids as a group and framed it with a large mat around it and the kids signed the mat. They love whatever you give that is different and special.

anything that can be used, such a gift card. I feel, some teachers, have enough tinkets, classroom made items, etc that they run out of room. Not that they don't appreciate them. The oriental trading idea is great!!! I like that.

I was a first grade teacher before becoming a mommy. I would suggest something she can use herself - best thing ever is a money tree or a large gift card to a mall or something like an American Express gift card. With the economy the way it is now, and I know how little teachers make, she would really appreciate any of those. The best way to do this is to send out a note to each parent asking they send in $5 or $10 toward the class gift. Or more if they wish (many will send in more, some will send in none). Run copies of your note at school, and tell the teacher you need to put one in each of the kids' cubbies and tell her not to read it. In your note tell the parents to send the $$$ in to school in an envelope with your name on it. The teacher will gladly help the money get to you. Good luck, and way to go on taking the initiative on doing this for your child's teacher!

First suggestion: Ask the teacher her favorite place to shop for herself. Ask the children's parents to send in a cash contribution toward a gift card for the teacher.

Second suggestion: Ask each parent to contribute a book of children's literature for the teacher's personal library. Ask each child to write a note to the teacher in the book telling her how much they appreciate her being their teacher.

These are both also a nice end of the school year presents.

We gave our teacher a gift card for a massage, some teas, chocolate and a candle. For end of school we gave her a gift card to her favorite clothing store.

CASH, CASH, CASH. It may seem crass, but really it's the best way to go. No mugs, bath products, or food. And for the previous posters who talked about gift cards so that they can buy supplies for the classroom - HUH? The present is supposed to be for THEM, not their classroom. The other problem with gift cards is that you don't know where they shop, unless you ask. I personally, even when I was a part-time guidance counselor and making no money, never shopped at Wal-Mart, so a gift card would have been a complete waste of money.

I gather from your email, you mean a group gift from all the kids.

I personally think the gift card is the only way to go. If you don't know the teacher's tastes, Target or Wal-Mart are great choices because they always need something, although many local malls have "Mall gift cards" good for a variety of stores.

I am a mom and was a student teacher. I know the LAST thing teachers want are homemade gifts. They receive bags and bags of homemade ornaments, picture frames, baked goodies and trinkets. Things that aren't their style and end up as garage sale goods.

I think the best thing to do is to either get them a gift certificate, or as the room parent ask the teacher what they want. I am my sons Kindergarten teacher, and I've asked them to tell me what they want. Then I'm planning on emailing the class parents to pull everyone together.

At my son's preschool they ask for a teacher bonus, rather than gifts. Everyone is asked to pitch in what they can, and then it is divided among the teachers. I think this is wonderful. All our teachers make so little money. Helping them out financially is much more appreciated than unwanted trinkets.

Personally I don't give gift cards. Mainly because everyone gives gift cards to my daughter and in turn Mommy has to end up spending them and giving her the cash for them. I think a gift card just says... here's some money but you can only spend it "here".

I have gives my daughter's teachers Christmas ornaments, handmade dishcloths, handmade dish towels with crocheted toppers, candles, homemade candies, etc. I leave candles as a last resort since it seems that is all teachers get these days. Books is a good gift for the classroom also and one teacher I helped loved books as much as I do.

If she has a favorite restaurant the gift cards for it. If she is the type of teacher who would rather get something to share with her students then a give a gift card for a teacher supply store.

R.,

I was a teacher for 9 years and the best gifts I got were basket of supplies for the classroom (b/c I usually had to buy my own). Also gift card to pamper herself with. You coule even make a small basket with pencils, crayons, etc. and put a card in there to get her nails done or something that makes her spend a little on herself. Every teacher needs a little pampering. I would avoid candles, coffee mugs, and picture frames. I don't know how long she has been teaching, but after nine years of teaching I had a stock pile of candles, 7 boxes of mugs (about a 100 total), and lost count on frames. ha ha Good luck. I do know she will make use of anything you give her. Good luck and don't stress about it...oh, there is a coffee mug at Starbucks that the kids and sign and then you bake it and it stays on forever. I got it for people to sign at the hospital when I have my little girl in the next few days.

A journal or a nice photo album are always great, easy gifts. Or a picture frame!! Good luck, Merry Christmas and God Bless.

I have seen alot of gift card trees....everyone donates a $5 gift card and you make a little tree out of them. They really seem to like Starbucks and chick-fil-a.
Jen

Thinking what about a Starbucks GC or something along those lines... Ask other teachers who may know her a bit.

My daughter's kidergarten teacher had been teaching 20 years when she told us she received the most thoughtful gift from us for Christmas. The room mom purchased a small undecorated tree from Hobby Lobby $12 from the class account and asked each child to bring in a gift card from anywhere they wanted and make it so you could hand it on the tree like an ornament - a piece of ribbon looped through a hole worked just fine. We did have a "her favorites" list. Some kids made a card an attached it to the card to put on the tree. The day of the party she opened each card so the kids could enjoy giving their teacher a gift. She received all kinds of gift cards for movies, Starbucks, McDonalds, Target, etc. in all sorts of denominations. The teacher was really thrilled! She enjoyed her gift for months to come as she used them.

I agree with the gift card idea - restaurant, coffee shop. Another great gift card idea is a movie theatre gift card. Also, depending on budget, a gift card to a local spa for a manicure, pedicure, massage.... whatever they want. Depending on the budget, you can get gift cards to multiple places - like the suggestion of the little tree with the gift card's as ornaments. Good luck and happy holidays!

I asked my son's teacher what she wanted and she told me a gift card to Target or Walmart because that is where she goes to get classroom supplies. Another idea might be to sponsor a classroom elsewhere in the world on his/her behalf through a reputable charity such as WorldVision.

If this is the gift to the teacher, I have a lovely suggestion.
I actually asked my son's teacher at the end of last year what they would love to see as a gift-

Honestly, they wanted a gift certificate to Oriental Trading (to buy more supplies for the class) and a cup of coffee from Starbucks. So, that's what I got her- a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks in a spill-proof mug and then a $40 gift card to Oriental Trading. I mentioned it to a few other parents and they got her similar items.

Most the time, teachers have to buy EVERYTHING out of their own pockets because the budget doesn't cover classroom decor and supplies. So, in a way, it was kind of paying her back for the money she'd shelled out on our kids.

a gift certificate for a massage-good for male or female teacher!

I would do a gc for a mani and pedi or a massage. Some people don't like to be massaged so I would ask her some questions. A restaurant gc would be nice too.

I think gift cards are the answer. Way back in the dinosaur ages, we did gift certificates for restaurants. My son's 4th grade teacher was a Port City Java fan so we got her the cards where she could have her coffee fix! Starbucks has little key chain cards that can be loaded with money and I believe they are re-loadable. Great teacher gift! Grocery gift cards are great too as teacher's salaries aren't great in NC. Find out what she/he likes and buy accordingly. Also remember, not all families will be able to send in money for the card, but be sure the children realize they ALL gave the gift. With this economy and some single parents, it makes it difficult to do. So realize they will not participate or make it so they can give what they feel they are able, even if it is only $1.00.

I had thought gift card were nice until I learned some of them have expiration dates and will not be honored after a certain time so If I went that route I would want to check for sure and see when that was and enclose a note with it saying when it was expired for I personally think it should be honored as long as the money lasted.

As a teacher and a former room mom, I can tell you that I and many of my colleagues appreciate gift certificates for things such as a pedicure, movie theater, dinner out. We also appreciate gifts for the room - board games, books, CDs etc for those indoor recess days. Most of us would agree that we do not need any thing else with an apple on it, another tote bag, coffee mug or cutesy thing to sit on our desks.

One other thing that is nice is when a charitable donation is made to an organization such as Toys for Tots, Read for the Record or other child oriented group in our name.

Try a ribbon gift card. They come in a variety of selections and price ranges. It allows you to buy the card for them, then they pick out what they want online. Really neat, and everyone gets what they want.

kdickerson.ordermygift.com

If you have questions, please ask.