72 replies to this topic

[buckaboo21]

How much do you spend on teacher gifts and what do you normally get?

[Hazmina]

I usually have hand made cards that I have my daughter sign and attatch a little candy bag to it. In other words , Iam broke and we get creative.

[theboyzmom]

all our local teachers hang out at Tim Hortons (it's like a Duncan Donuts), so we usually did gift certificates for there (I homeschool now). I also used to buy a book for the classroom...the teachers LOVED this My mil was a teacher for years and she always told us to NOT buy "apple stuff" or coffee mugs....when she retired, she had over 100 teacher mugs that she didn't know what to do with (we donated them to a retirement community, but honestly I dunno if they used them either). She had a TON of apple themed note pads and stuff...she felt awful giving/throwing the stuff, but what was she supposed to do with it all? lol she recommends gift certificates for coffee shops, stores that teachers buy stuff at (staples, books stores, walmart/target, etc)

[caitlinn]

I got handmade ornaments for each of my kids teachers, as well as the Chicken Soup for a Soul Teachers edition. Will probably throw some Starbucks candy in the bag as well. We made Gifts in a Jar ~ Hot Cocoa for each of the crossing guards and daycare providers that we will be giving them. Last year everyone got Starbucks Gift Cards, but they closed ours down

[booga12345]

This year the teachers are all getting carousel picture frames and a book for their classrooms.

[Kat07]

Usually a basket with A Dunkin Donuts gift card, Bath and Body works anti-bacterial hand stuff, a homemade cookie/brownies in a jar thingy, a handmade card from the child. This year instead of the jar I am making chocolate covered flavored spoons(Kahlua, Amaretto, Mint, Coconut etc..) for coffee or hot cocoa.

[mom3kids]

Thanks for the great ideas!! Can someone please share some recipes for the jars (hot chocolate, cookies, etc.)? I usually buy the teachers stuff from BB&W, but this year two of the teachers don't really like smelly stuff.

[krissy904]

handmade cards (educational themed) from a craft show and a 50$ gift card to walmart, my son has 2 teachers and a home tutor. we put them in a decorated gift bag with a few travel size lotions, body wash, matching scented powder etc. the reason we seem to overboard is that the school he goes to seems to filled with kids that do not give gifts to the teachers and we try to "make up" up for the others since teachers are in a honorable profession.

[MidwestMama]

$50!!! Wow, I was a teacher before staying home with my kids and the most I ever got was an ornament! My cousins wife is a teacher in San Diego though and she gets $100 avg from each kid! Our school district has a policy that no gift more than $3. They send notes about it over and over and the teachers aren't allowed to accept them. I got cute ornaments from the hospital my son is a patient for. They were more than $3 but I consider that a donation to the hospital with the ornament for free... A cheap present we made one year though was to take a straight vase and hot glue sharpened pencils standing eraser down all around it and tied a ribbon around. It was cute. The teacher gushed and gushed about it and used it to keep rulers in at school...

[buckaboo21]

Thanks for all the replies. We are doing a $20GC to Dunkin Donuts and a tin full of cookies in a bag with a homemade card. I keep thinking it isnt enough though It is such a tough job.

[mscrapper]

One year we made cute little note cubes and this year we are making an event calendar. Last year we made the sitter a cute paint can that we made look like a hershey Kiss and filled it with kisses. She LOVED it and it was so easy.

[mywarmbluefleece]

I am a teacher and the gifts I love most are the things kids make. They always make me smile when I am having a bad day! Teachers also love food and anything antibacterial Ornaments would also be nice, but oddly, I've never received one from a child!

[MathGirl]

Remember to see if your school district has a spending limit like MidwestMama mentioned. In my area teachers and coaches can now only receive gifts that are less than $20 or $25.00 some teachers and coaches were receiving $100 coffee shop cards, open ended plane tickets and weekends in Aspen and Vail. Other parents complained and the school board intervened.

[sneakers1234]

Two tix for the movies (from coke rewards) and the free coke coupon that went with it. I'll add a bag of popcorn (from the indiana popcorn pack I bot at Wags) and all done. Only doing the main teacher.

[meinnj]

We just got back from Disney so we picked up a personalized ornament for each of the teachers, we figured even if they got tons of ornaments in the past these would be different.

[uffda]

I have 4 teachers to buy for - 2 school and 2 sunday school - they all got the same thing - Eddie Bauer Ice Scrappers - for $8 (after coupon and free ship)

http://www.eddiebaue...l={type:"hide"}

we live in the upper midwest so who wouldn't appreciate that?!

[elena_398]

I know for sure my daughter's teacher will get a Glade Wisp candle w/ refill. I also got her a lotion set (peppermint scented). Put it in a basket w/ christmas wrapping. I have sooooo many of the Glade wisps and candle holders that that part of the gift was a gimme. lol

[samisma]

I'm spending $5 on each teacher (dd has 4 counting her OT). the gifts: coffeemugs with a pack of hot chocolate, a chocolate square, a candy cane swizzle stick, a chocolate dipped spoon etc all packed into the mug. and then each teacher gets a card with dd's hand prints on it that are used to make moose antlers (two handprints, i draw a moose kissy face and to the side it says "Merry Kissmoose!")

[JollyGG]

What do you do for your daycare provider for Christmas? A good friend of mine who is a stay-at-home mom watches my 2 year old DD and she also watches my 5 year old DS when he doesn't have school. I have heard everything from a nice handwritten note to a full week or two of pay from others. What do you get for you daycare provider? We just switched to my friend watching my daughter and she doesn't except payment for days that she doesn't watch my child. Most daycare providers I have had require payment if my child is there or not (some have a set number of free and vacation days). Well since my in-laws will be taking the children for the week between Christmas and new years I won't have to pay her that week. I plan to pay her what I would have paid for that weeks care as a Christmas bonus. Now I just have to figure out how to get her to accept it. But I'm just curious what everyone else does.

Edited by JollyGG, Dec 2, 2008 - 9:00 am.

[nick_jenni_jocelyn]

how about one of them zip wallets from vera bradley(on clearance now for $15) and put the $ in that, say in a side zipper or one of the "hidden" compartments? I know if i was to get something like that, i would examine it more closely once the person left, and she would find it then.

Edited by nick_jenni_jocelyn, Dec 2, 2008 - 10:58 am.
spelling

[Mikesgirl]

Do an e-certificate that way she cant refuse it..

[Kandy]

how about one of them zip wallets from vera bradley(on cleaernace now for $15) and put the $ in that, say in a side sipper or one of the "hidden" compartments? I know if i was to get something like that, i would examine it more closely once the person left, and she would find it then.

I love this idea.

[RmV73]

I have the same problem don't know what to get my care giver either. Especially since she has everything that she wants or needs........ I was thinking a Pandora braclet and her husband thought that was a great idea but she said she wouldn't wear it and it would collect dust just like the rest of her jewerly. So I am back to square one......

[stacyk9]

I am going to bake Egg Nog Bread and put it in a plastic goody bag and include the recipe. I gave this to my co-workers two years ago and it went over very well!

[ellen zachariia]

I am looking for some ideas for my DS and DD teachers and assistants. Last year I gave everyone gift cards but this year money is very tight so I am looking for some creative ideas. Thank You:)

[conj]

how about GC to local resteraunts... or pizza places? not to have to cook is always a treat

[tokanm]

I am going to bake Egg Nog Bread and put it in a plastic goody bag and include the recipe. I gave this to my co-workers two years ago and it went over very well!

Can you post the recipe for this? Always looking for new ideas

[Cubluver8]

As a daycare provider, we like CASH! LOL Or, a gift certificate to a local store that has teachings supplies. Or make your own basket with construction paper, glue sticks, new crayons, markers, etc. I have a lot of parents give me Bath and Body Works soap. My hands are always in the water and that's the only soap that doesn't make them go crazy dry in the winter! Some of my other great gifts have been Yankee Candles, restaurant gift cards and a massage gift certificate. I don't really think it's the money you spend. We just like to be thought of as more than a babysitter so anything is really better than nothing. And most of us realize it's hard to come up with another week's pay to give us as a gift.

[LainieB]

As a daycare provider, we like CASH! LOL
Or, a gift certificate to a local store that has teachings supplies. Or make your own basket with construction paper, glue sticks, new crayons, markers, etc.

I have a lot of parents give me Bath and Body Works soap. My hands are always in the water and that's the only soap that doesn't make them go crazy dry in the winter!

Some of my other great gifts have been Yankee Candles, restaurant gift cards and a massage gift certificate.

I don't really think it's the money you spend. We just like to be thought of as more than a babysitter so anything is really better than nothing. And most of us realize it's hard to come up with another week's pay to give us as a gift.

Yes, agree. I watch two year olds all day and I am always grateful when parents think of us. The best present I have received have been a gift card to Kohls ($10) and Bath and Body Works lotion. If your child goes to a large child care center you could always ask the director for ideas.

[nesloc]

I order a floral centerpiece for the kids teachers. They seem to really appreciate them and enjoy having them for the holidays. Before I did this I did coffee gift cards and a gift certificate out to eat. I probably over spend but we are in a small district (19 kids in the class) and I appreciate the job they do. I never have any doubt that my kids are safe, well cared for and well taught. (Yep, we are lucky!)