End of year gifts?

[kitpuss]

Does anyone have any ideas for end of year gifts for teachers?

Especially if you are a teacher - are there things you get loads of and hate to receive, or would love and never get?

[hellymelly]

Yes,teachers,tell us all the brutal truth..

[overlysentimental]

DS is leaving pre-school shortly, and I really don't want to lumber them all with chocolates.

Wine? Is that appropriate?

[orienteerer]

We club together as a class and buy one present, having first asked teacher if they have a preference for something specific.

[cornsilk5793]

you can never have enough wine

[orienteerer]

cornsilk - I agree.

[compo]

We club together too and get vouchers like john lewis or similar

[Seona1973]

I did wine and chocolates for dd's teacher at school and ds's keyworker at nursery

[busymummy3]

no teachers presents this year have to tighten our belts and who started the whole thing off anyway?

[clemettethedropout]

I would like to get something for both her teacher and the TA because she started reception screaming and clinging to the doorframe and is now delighted to go every day. I want to say thank you, but I don't have much spare money...

[Goblinchild]

It seemed to take of with a vengeance in the mid 1990s, the giving presents every year thing. Before that it was usually only when you left the school that you were bought a plant or wine.
Of course, that's just my experience, someone will be along to list all the tributes they have received since the war.
I like homemade edibles, plants and sometimes a parent that knows me well has brought me a book I really liked.
Least useful, although appreciated, are all the smellies and mugs. Can't use one and the other I have far too many of anyway.
I donate stuff to a charity shop in another city, so no one gets hurt.

[snice]

Then write them a short letter saying what you've just said and it will mean a lot to them

[snice]

meant that to clemette

[overlysentimental]

snice, for a minute I thought you were suggesting teachers write letters to say they don't need any more mugs

[shinyshoes]

I stopped giving pressies a couple of years back, it was the biggest present buying headache bar christmas.

I'd not only buy the teacher, but the TA's as well and when they were both in primary it cost alot. I didnt want to buy more chocs and more wine so i'd search for weeks for the perfect present.

I get them a Thank You card and get them to write a little message in it. That's it, couple of quid sorted

[shinyshoes]

weren't there a thread last year where one set of parents bought the teacher A SPA DAY!!

How can you top that!!

[overlysentimental]

I would like to do something for DS's pre-school teacher though. DS is always saying how she loves oranges and they are her favourite food.

Terry's chocolate orange probably a no but can you think of anything else that might be suitable. I thought of a scented candle but not sure someone would want one that smelt of orange!

[McSteamy]

I think I will get the children to bake their teachers a cake.

[RollaCoasta]

To be brutally honest (well, you did ask!), I really don't like candles or smellies or jewellery or ornaments. I'm not keen on homemade ornaments either, as I'm not sure what to do with them.

I think the whole class collection is a brilliant idea - much cheaper for parents and it isn't as obvious if you haven't contributed! BUT - the downside is that someone has to be willing to do it.

Wine is always my favourite.....food and flowers are OK.

Personally, I don't really want or need any end of term presents, and certainly don't want parents like the OP worrying about what to get. I'd quite happily go without!

However, I really value appreciative, personal notes or comments on the reports. That is much, much better than any type of present.

[lovingmy2]

wine, flowers and the personal handmade things children make are always lovely. I got a picture once, accompanied by a letter from the child which had been laminated to make a nice keepsake. I still have it 6 yrs on and it still makes me think of the child. All the wine and chocs are long gone.

[Feenie]

Quite happy with a handmade card and a personal message.

Other than that - wine, wine, more wine or a book token.

Flowers don't work - I usually visit my mother for her birthday straight after we break up, so have to give the flowers away.

[Galena]

Yep - wine's always good! Or if something has come out in class that the teacher is a fan of (so I like maths/maths puzzles, so a sudoku book or something similar would be perfect). Or book tokens - most teachers end up buying resource books anyway. Or something personal from the child - biscuits in a pretty bag or cakes.

Not flowers, smellies or chocolate.

[asdx2]

I always let my lot write their own messages in the cards which always goes down well however honest they have been.
Past years efforts have been "the lessons were fun, the games were great, the ties and the jokes were awful

"you made us work hard, very hard, too hard but we had fun as well"

"I will miss your pretty dresses and your big smile but I hope Mrs X can sing better"

[lilac21]

Please, no wine - not all of us drink!

I'm quite happy not to get anything at all.

[Galena]

My parents were teachers who didn't drink and used the wine given by parents at the end of the year if they went to dinner parties or for tombola prizes.

[mustrunmore]

Always just go for the class collection. I normally then get vouchers as it looks nicer, but this year, they're getting hard cash as a)its more useful b) I think ds1's teacher wont want anything from a mainstream shop, so cash would work better.