Teachers: Would You like This for a Gift?

skip the mugs and coffee cups. go with a gift card and a plate of cookies. the landfills are full enough and so are the second hand stores. no one wants to throw them away and or give away a gift but when you have 30 students and 20 of the moms think "I will do something different and give a travel mug" its really not that different when it happens every year lol.

I have a good friend who teaches, and she has a collection of mugs and Christmas ornaments..... in boxes in her basement. I'll bet she has at least 3 bins of mugs and a good number are travel mugs. Some are even personalized.

A gift card is always appreciated by teachers. They have enough "stuff."

I'd say check and see if the teacher drinks coffee. I don't drink coffee at all, so although it's a nice gesture, it would sit in my cabinet.

I work at my chuch and our childrens director gave me one of those plastic travel cups with a lid and straw. They're pretty popular now. I love it, especially since I don't drink coffee. I like my iced tea, and it keeps my drinks cold. It was filled with candy. :)

I really think it is sweet and I am sure it will be awesome with your extra talent, but I promise you , no teacher needs one more coffee or hot chocolate thing..

Mugs, isolated, personalized, with a child's art on it, with a saying, ceramic, stainless, plastic.. They have all been given tons of them.

Water bottles, water bottle "ice makers", with straws with filters.. it is also all been done.

How about an amazing gift card to someplace.. The movies, the cafe close to the school.. How about a bottle of sparkling wine or a bottle of homemade Irish Creme? Or non alcoholic Irish Creme? Here is the recipe.

Home-Made Irish Cream kinda weather...

1 cup light cream
1 can (14 ounce size) sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 cup Irish Whiskey
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Place in a tightly sealed bottle and refrigerate.
Shake before serving.
mmmmmmmm LEKKER Smacznego!!!

Hi E.~

That's the kind I did use when I was a teacher. I'd have a cup of coffee before the kids came and I had it in a travel mug because if it tipped over, it wouldn't spill on the papers that were on my desk.

So... to answer your question, I personally wouldn't need another one because I had 3 or 4 travel type already. Extras were nice in case I left one in the car or at school.

I have plenty of water bottles too, but some teachers may need one and there are some cute ones that are insulated. I think you are sweet to give it some thought, but if you just include a gift receipt, that would be nice so in case the teacher doesn't need or want another one, she could return it and pick something else out.

The best gifts I received were the letters of appreciation. The letters that specifically stated what they appreciated about me were worth more than any gift that cost money. It was still nice to get a general type of letter such as.....
Thank you Mrs. P. for being a great teacher. Sammy really enjoys being in your room. Have a Merry Christmas.

BUT.... the letters that were DETAILED such as...
Thank you Mrs. P. for being a loving, caring and organized teacher. Sammy has already blossomed in first grade and I know you have had a lot of impact in making that happen. He is now excited about going to school and making friends. He talks about you at home and I can tell he really enjoys having you for a teacher. May you have a wonderful holiday season. Love, The Smith Family

The gifts that warm my heart so much were the letters from parents, as well the students, an ornament and homemade cookies or muffins. NOW every teacher will not like that because some don't want the extra calories or maybe worry if the bakers hands were clean, or don't want another ornament. Haha....with mugs and teacher stationary, it seemed like one more just made more clutter, but with ornaments it was different. I could pull it out of the box once a year and look at it and have it bring back memories of that specific child. Some teachers may only want certain colors on their tree or have a certain theme for their tree, BUT I would love a variety or ornaments. I STILL put up a few from former students and I haven't taught school for 10 years!

I think a travel mug is ideal. Or one of those reusable water thermoses.
Who can't use that? :)
I love to take water in the car.
Include a $5, $10 or $15 gift card to Starbucks
AND
a personalized note thanking him/her for what she meant to your child.

I think a travel mug is a great idea! Add a gift card to a coffee shop and it's even better! Make sure it is one that doesn't leak...but I love having those and it seems I can't find the one I own when I need it!

Good job on this one!

I'm not a teacher but I think it's true that you cant have enough "travel" mugs. I have 3 but have lost the tops to them somehow... and I miss having a functional one.

I have a great one from www.Tervis.com

They can be used for hot or cold drinks and they really do keep them hot/cold. Pretty designs, too!

Ok a travel mug is a step up from a coffee mug, but unless very very cutely presented and given to someone that is a huge coffee drinker, Its still in that rehlm of " oh what a nice gesture". i'm not saying it wouldn't be appreciated, but If you are an over the top really want to wow them then make sure you find a really awesome way to present it. If you just want to show them you are thinking of them and appreciate what they do, then it is nice.

I'm just one of those that don't drink coffee and don't like baked goods from people i don't know very very very well.

I don't know if your child's school does this but his has each teacher fill out a favorites list. I always ask the room parent or whomever is over the teacher lists. These are great! The teachers list what they want and what they don't. I also ask my son what the teachers drink/snack on in the classroom.

Typically, any Teacher, has tons... of various types of cups/mugs, insulated or not, BPA free or not, travel types or not. Because, they get them as gifts.
Tons.
Even here at home, my Hubby or Mom are not Teachers, but they get, every year, all sorts of cups/mugs/travel cups, as gifts or door prize type of things or from friends who have too many themselves or got it as gifts and then give it to you.
Once, we counted how many we had. And it was over 20 of these things.

Last year I gave the teachers a refillable water bottle filled with chocolate!!!! and a nice "thank you" note from the kids tied up with ribbon and stuck in the bottle.

I kind've feel like anyone who drinks coffee already has enough mugs, be it regular, travel, etc...and giving things like this just contributes to everyone having too much "stuff" in the world. If I were a teacher, I would appreciate something nice that could be useful in the classroom instead...neat stickers, post-its, anything, really. Schools don't often provide neat "extras" anymore and teachers have to buy them out of their own pocket if they want them...and many of them do.

I think the teacher would love it!

~And it's the thought that counts, right?!