Need ideas for gift giving to teachers

**nonnaluna** · 12-14-2007, 10:49 PM

Could you please give me some ideas on what to get for a second grade school teacher

for Christmas. This gift will be from my grandson. I would image that any teacher woud have enough mugs, ornaments and picture frames.
Thanks

**dianne9106** · 12-14-2007, 11:44 PM

This is soooo cool! I reckon I should attach a picture, but if anyone wants one - pm me. The assisted living place my Mom lives made these up for the families for the holidays. You take a frosting bag, the disposable cone shaped typed and fill it up about 1/3 or 1/4 with hot chocolate powder, then you close up that bit up. Take another bag and slip it over that one and then put a couple of handfuls of little marshmallows on the top with some candy cane crushed up. Then you tie it up at the top with a little piece a ribbon. It looks like an ice cream cone! It is sooo cute! It is original and you can also give them as gifts to other folks or add one into a gift basket. Another idea might be a Starbucks gift card - $5 can go a long way. Or perhaps a kitchen towel set, or a small item from Pamper Chef (very inexpensive) or personalized bookmark. When my son was selling things this fall, I bought up several pink ribbon pin and bookmark sets and $10 magazine subsciption vouchers - they have made excellent pressies for distant families and friends.
Dianne

**Kitten20** · 12-15-2007, 12:07 AM

I second Starbucks GC, or a GC for Barnes and Noble or another bookstore. How about buying a few books to donate to the class library? I also hear teachers like getting school supplies (markers, crayons, etc.) Personally I would stay away from mugs and apple stuff - but that's just me!

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 12-15-2007, 03:02 AM

I got Blockbuster or Hollywood video cards and a pack of microwave popcorn. My DSs are in high school now and it would be a nightmare to get gifts for all--24!--teachers. I wish I could afford to do this.

**KJayEsq** · 12-15-2007, 03:08 AM

My dad was a teacher (Jr. High) for over 30 years before he retired and, honestly, he really appreciated ANYTHING that one of his students brought in. Usually it was homemade cookies or candy, a coffee mug (he doesn't even drink coffee, but liked it anyway), a Christmas ornament (either homemade or store bought...he didn't care which), or even a card with a nice handwritten note in it.

I agree with the above posts though...Starbucks or Barnes & Noble gift cards are great suggestions.

**MarshHen** · 12-15-2007, 07:56 AM

I agree with the gift card suggestion. Can't go wrong there.

**sixfreds** · 12-15-2007, 08:17 AM

I would (and an for the teachers we have) do home made goodies, I made the hot chocolate ice cream looking cones and some cookies or something like that.

Eileen

**AmyBoz** · 12-15-2007, 08:21 AM

As a teacher, let me tell you that gifts aren't necessary. A nice note from your grandson thanking the teacher for being so great would probably be much appreciated.

If you feel like you must give a gift, then either homemade baking or a gift card is nice. Stay away from specialized things because everyone has different tastes. With regards to Starbucks, I always wind up regifting those gift cards because I don't like anything they sell (not a coffee drinker or any of that specialized stuff). But, with a teacher, you probably can't go wrong at Barnes and Noble or an office supply store like Staples, Office Max, or Office Depot.

BUT...to reiterate...a nice thank you card would probably be just fine.

**ilovechocolate** · 12-15-2007, 08:45 AM

I'm a teacher. I really treasure notes from parents telling me how appreciated I am.

School supplies (dry erase markers, etc.) are great. So are homemade goodies.

You don't have to spend lots of money. Most teachers appreciate anything you can do. And if you can't do anything, that's fine too.

**kaykwilts** · 12-15-2007, 09:52 AM

My best friend was a teacher so I can tell you the gifts she did not like. She was always getting perfume and toileteries which she didn't like or use. It is risky to give gifts like that. Even food is sometimes risky. Don't try to give candy to a teacher who obviously has a few pounds to lose.

Homemade treats can be iffy too. There are some households where you might not want to eat what was cooked there.

I would think you could not go wrong with a potted plant.

**StartingOver** · 12-15-2007, 09:53 AM

I have always given gift cards to either the local grocery store or office supply store, along with note thanking them for all they do.

It's always been well recepted, and who couldn't use a GC to buy groceries?

**nonnaluna** · 12-15-2007, 11:17 AM

I was leaning towards a gift card for supplies or books. I just wanted to give his teacher something special that she would and could use. She is a fantastic educator and I appreciate all she does for the children.
Thank you so much for the wonderful ideas.

**forHISglory** · 12-15-2007, 03:46 PM

I'm a retired teacher, and appreciated anything the families gave me. I liked little one serving coffee or tea packs, homemade goodies, plants, gift cards....... Gift cards to office supply places, book stores, grocery, walmart, video rentals...... all good. Magazine subscriptions didn't happen often, but once I received a subscription to a professional mag. Notes and pictures were tops. I treasured each one, and scrapbooked them. I taught high school, so there were not as many gifts as elementary teachers received, but I sure appreciated it. Bless your heart for caring for your child's teachers!

**AmyMCGS** · 12-15-2007, 04:45 PM

For my daughter's two preschool teachers, I am making a single bottle of altered frappicino (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...si=frappuccino) along with a small gift card to a local coffee/bagel place. (Either that or some homemade baked goods with the coffee- depends on how much time I have!) I ran the idea by my cousin, an elementary teacher, and she said she would like it. She said she dislikes coffee mugs and things with apples because she has received tons of them over the years.

**carlitasway** · 12-16-2007, 02:04 PM

I've heard so many teachers complain about homemade gifts. Many won't eat them so I don't waste my time baking something. I got cups from Walgreens and filled them with candies for ds's school teachers. He has alot of teachers so I had to do something inexpensive. For my dd's MDO teacher I just asked her what she liked. She said she likes the aromatherapy lotions from BBW. They have them on sale right now for buy one get one free so I got to get her a lotion and body wash for 13 bucks.