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Christmas Gifts for Teachers


chastac

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DD is in middle school, so 7 teachers and the office staff--it adds up fast! We make peppermint bark--white melting chips (Wilton) from Micheal's, peppermint oil (just a couple of drops, it's strong) and candy canes that have been ground up in the food processor. I put it on the small solo red plates, wrap with clearpane or plastic wrap, tie with a candy cane strip ribbon, it's very popular.
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I am a teacher- I suggest buying things for the classroom especially if the teacher is a new one. Teachers can always use extra books (try bookcloseouts.com) stickers, etc...many would rather have something for the class than themselves.

 

Also, be careful about scented things. We are not allowed to have anything scented in our rooms. (Doesn't help that the room smells like feet and we can't spray anything).

 

I think it would be nice if your daughter made something for her teachers, too. Good luck!

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I always thought of all the pencils teachers must "lend" to students to never see again. I am getting these for my kids teachers this year...

 

http://image.orientaltrading.com/otcimg/47_114,6,76.jpg?

 

Yup! They are personalized so they can have the teacher's name on them.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/application?namespace=browse&origin=catalogProducts.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=OTCG171&prodCatId=378601&mode=Browsing&erec=3&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&N=378601&sd=Personalized+Pencils

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How about a $5 gift card to Starbucks or a local coffee shop. Starbucks cards are one of my favorite gifts to give and recieve.

Also check out Office Depot and Staples in their Clearence sections. The stores near me still have some school supply clearence left over. And check out the Clearence sections at Target. My Target had 52mb portable hard drives for $2.47

 

Make the gift extra special by having your daughter make the card. Crayons+Paper and you're all set:)

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I am a teacher some of the best gifts i have gotten that are inexpenive are

movie tickets, a mug with a class picture on it, "the entertainment book" with dinner coupons, tickets to the high school play. After all the bad things that can happen by eating home made foods i tend to stay away from those. :rwb:

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Another teacher here, and I will 2nd that comment about home made foods. If I do not know the family well, I do not eat it. I do appreciate the effort and the thought, though.

 

Classroom supplies is a really great idea, as are a little gift card; I have always appreciated things that were "consumable"... I have over 100 students and can't possibly use all the mugs and pins and scarves that I have received over the years.

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I too am a teacher - the items that are most often given and most often not used are ...

scented lotion

candles

ornaments

coffee mugs

homemade treats (I ate very few of them - unless I knew the parent extremely well, it's just too risky!)

 

Great ideas would be:

gift cards - walmart, staples, coffee shop, bookstore

how about a treat basket - buy a cheap basket and some 100 calorie packs or individually packed snacks and put together a little basket - teachers need a boost too once and a while, you could put juice boxes or soda in them as well

A travel mug (used much more often by teachers on the go than a regular coffee mug) and hot chocolate, hot cider, or coffee singles

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one year I gave a card to each of my sons teachers (9 total between the 2) that had a special note in it that read - A donation has been made in your name by ..... I chose a school funded charity that purchased christmas gifts for kids in the school that were poor. the teachers were thrilled and many have suggested it to other parents when asked what they would like....
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I used my $20 giftcards from Dale Thomas to buy the 6-packs to ship in early Dec. (cost for 6 bags was $12 using the $6 free popcorn code) Will use one or two bags of popcorn plus two movie tix I got from Coke Rewards and walah....a great gift for under $5-- I didnt drink any of the coke, the folks at work pass me their caps!!
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I always write them a heartfelt thank you card. I wish I could afford to give all the teachers a nice $ gift card, but there are soo many between specials and all the regular teachers I try and keep it really simple. I like the B&BW soap idea. DBF is a teacher and loves that stuff. I stick to basics (kitchen herb, lemon..) and away from florals and musky ones. Now I just wish I had more of those BBW coupons, lol.... I have done Yankee Candles in previous years, I thought they were well-liked...but I guess reading here candles, lotions, scarves and pins are out the door, lol.

I make handmade (professionally) cards and I try and give the main teachers a ribbon-wrapped stack of @8-10 general cards, they have always received quite a few compliments. good luck on your gift search, you've got me thinkign about mine!

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I'm a Kindergarten Teacher of 21 years and LOVE every minute of it!! :yup:

Personally, I don't expect my parents to buy me a single thing.

Yes, I am an underpaid Teacher working in a poor community, but I CHOSE THIS CAREER.

 

Nothing saddens me more than for parents to spend $10-$20 on a gift for me when their child is standing there with holey jeans, no mittens or socks, and their little tummy a rumbling.

 

I always send a note home two weeks in advance that states DO NOT BUY THE TEACHER A GIFT, SANTA WILL BRING HER ONE FROM ALL THE CHILDREN. I purchase for the class 2-3 books from Scholastic, a pair of fuzzy child-like slippers in my size, and a huge box of instant cocoa and marshmallows. NATURALLY, I am shocked :shock: when I open the big box and I have to Parade around the classroom in my funny looking slippers :gdclap: which the children just Laugh and Laugh! They say things like: Didn't we do a good job?

Aren't You surprised Teacher? We told Santa what to get you! We told him our Teacher loves to read and drink cocoa, and wear fuzzy slippers!

Then USUALLY the orneriest little one will say.... Teacher, don't forget you always say to share, and we will have hot cocoa, cookies, I will read to them in my brand new fuzzy slippers, and EACH AND EVERY CHILD WILL GO HOME THAT DAY THRILLED BECAUSE THEY GOT TEACHER A GIFT ;)

There are always 4-5 children in each class whose parents don't buy "Teacher a gift" and that little child is SOOOO EMBARRASSED.

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I have done many things over the years the simplier things is a popcorn /movie basket popcorn a few 88cent boxes of candy at wal-mart and a coupon for a movie rental you can do something simple like a bag of candy Russell stuffers or those round truffles in a bag with a pretty bow for one teacher i knew stopped at a certain coffee store every morning so i got her a travel mug there with coupons for free coffees in the am. they had really nice thermos cups/bowls on clearance one year at Kolhs on year so I bought them all and made gift bags of travel coffee mug with flavered coffeees and a few chocolates and then i did soup and oyster crackers in the bowl type you can also get your daughter to help and make

cappuccino mixes in a fancy jar or those chocolate dipped coffee spoons or even cookie or soup mixes. I always used to get all those teacher gift ideas out of the way the day after Christmas for the next year and special orniments are good too.

hope this helps

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Got some small wooden star shaped boxes at Michaels. the tops are magnetic and stick to the base. They were 1$ each. DS(7) colored 4 last night (the yellow highlighter looks great!). He used some beads and bells from last years Xmas crafts and made an ornament or bracelet with each of the 4 names on it, and put it in their box.

 

total cost to us - less than 2$ each. Got my Son to color. (priceless).

 

The boxes are a good size for paper clips or the like. Hopefully all will be appropriately thrilled.

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you could also make something crafty like a country fabric garland.

get some hemp string, two yards of plaid fabric and cut it into strips about an inch wide three inches long.

tie each strip on the the hemp and pull down to end and continue until finished!

this could be used on xmas tree or all year around!

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Last year -- I bought bulk chocolate (like Hershey's kisses) and made seperate bags for each teacher. The kids and I hand stamped minature treat bags with holiday stamps. This was inexpensive, easy and the kids were involved. As a seperate note, our PTA collects donations and buys 1 gift card for each teacher to a Walmart, Target or Staples type of store. The gift card always says from the entire class even if you didn't donate.
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As a teacher, I would love to get a note from the parent/student telling me I am making a difference and/or being a positve role model for the student. That IMO is the BEST present I could ever get.

we've sent flowers.... Teachers are amazing.

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