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Original poster

It's that stressful time of the year again..do you or don't you?!

110 replies

BooseysMom · 17/12/2018 19:07

Xmas presents for school teachers, etc. DS is in Reception and i have bought small choc presents for his teacher and TA but also got the lunch time supervisors a box of chocs as they have a difficult job and are under appreciated. But then what about all the other staff..the care taker and secretary for e.g..where do you draw the line esp when on a budget?
So what do you do? Do you buy or not buy and for whom?
Thanks ..and happy Xmas all Grin

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cherish123 · 18/12/2018 23:33

Occitaine for class teacher. Didn't buy for P.E teacher, T.As (not sure how often they have one) or support staff. In the past, I have bought wine r chocolate. I tend to avoid personal gifts like jewellery or ornaments.

cherish123 · 18/12/2018 23:38

P.S. I would never give a "best teacher " gift, or the like. I would never give anything homemade, especially food. A teacher would never eat cakes made by a child. Sorry.

BringBiscuits · 18/12/2018 23:40

I don’t buy for teachers but I do buy a tin of chocolates for the cleaning staff. I don’t know how they divide it up! Assume they each just have a few while they do their cleaning on the last day.

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Stupomax · 19/12/2018 00:45

P.S. I would never give a "best teacher " gift, or the like. I would never give anything homemade, especially food. A teacher would never eat cakes made by a child. Sorry.

When DH was a teacher we liked the home made cakes the best.

DoveSecret · 19/12/2018 07:01

Working in a school i can confirm that not all cakes are eaten. Depends on who’s home they came from. Some go to the bin.

BertBox · 19/12/2018 08:57

Oops. Just sent my Yr5 child in with home made rum truffles and Prosecco for her teacher and TA. So long as they don’t tell me they binned them, I’m not too bothered what they do with them (their loss - they’re delicious!).

I did love that article about the teacher who sent a letter home asking parents to donate to a food bank instead. I hope that catches on.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 19/12/2018 09:18

@caringcarer.. I hadn't thought of giving wine so stuck to small chocolates! I hope DS's teacher didn't think i was being tight!
Your 6 bottles of wine one year made me lol! Grin

@Kikithewitch...vouchers for school books is an excellent idea. You should see the state of some reception books DS brings home with him! I always end up getting the sellotape out!

@MissClareRemembers..lovely to hear from a lunch-time supervisor. You make me very glad i bothered to get a present for ours. DS has a special relationship with one at his school as he always sits with her. She said sadly she wasn't allowed to hold his hand (he is quite a quiet shy boy) due to safeguarding but someone said yes she can in the right context, ie. for comfort. Anyway you do have to have eyes in the back of your head as a PP said! My friend does this job and she can vouch for this.. it's a v difficult unappreciated job ..but nothing gets past her eagle eyes!!

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Pinkkittens292 · 19/12/2018 09:25

I've bought the class teacher a "Best Teacher" mug, then a big box of festive biscuits for the classroom staff to share.

I also bought biscuits for the office staff as they are very helpful throughout the year when I've contacted school with various worries.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 19/12/2018 09:25

@BertBox
"Oops. Just sent my Yr5 child in with home made rum truffles and Prosecco for her teacher and TA. So long as they don’t tell me they binned them, I’m not too bothered what they do with them (their loss - they’re delicious!)."
... hilarious! Xmas Grin they sound lovely to me and i would def not bin them! Working in a school you pick up every virus going anyway. We're currently on our second cold bug this month

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twinnywinny14 · 19/12/2018 09:43

I buy one item each payday eg a bottle of wine, box of choc etc (always reduced or on offer) from January to November then stock pile those for end of year and Christmas gifts for teachers/TAs etc. Spreads the cost and means there is plenty x

CMOTDibbler · 19/12/2018 09:50

I've never done presents for teachers. In primary I'd buy books for the classroom at the end of the year

Bear2014 · 19/12/2018 09:54

DD is in reception, the class contacts have organised a whip round for a voucher each for the teacher and TA so have contributed to that. DD has written a card for each of them.

DS is in nursery and each of the staff in his room (5 of them I think) have got either a nice soap bar or little box of posh chocs each. Last year they got a Christmas tree decoration each as I saw some that I liked and stocked up.

Boatsnack3 · 19/12/2018 10:07

We've clubbed together too. £3 each and hopefully the teacher will get something he likes rather than 30 boxes of chocolates.

I'll take some sweets in for the office staff because they are very helpful but I imagine most parents don't spend half as much time in school as I do.

ohtheholidays · 19/12/2018 11:43

I buy for they're teachers,ta's,the head and the receptionists.

I pick up individual presents for the teachers,ta's and head and I buy a couple of boxes or tins of fancy biscuits for all of the receptionists to share.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 19/12/2018 11:47

@twinnywinny14... How do you manage to keep hold of such items?! I would be forever sneaking into the cupboard and I'd have to start all over again at Xmas! Smile

@Bear2014.. great idea.I wish one of us mums had thought of having a whip round. DS's reception teacher is wonderful and the TA's too. They deserve a big present tbh.
Thank you to all PPs who also posted this previously

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twinnywinny14 · 19/12/2018 11:56

I put them away in the spare room and tbh forget about them after a bit lol 😂

BG2015 · 19/12/2018 20:53

I'm a teacher and don't expect anything. If your child feels like they want to give something then a card is lovely. Please don't spend your money.

Delatron · 19/12/2018 20:56

That’s nice BG3015 I was feeling bad I’d just sent DS in with a card. But he came home saying Mrs x really loved her card!

I do buy gifts at the end of the year but Christmas too seems excessive.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 19/12/2018 21:23

@BG2015.. Thanks. I was worried chocolate was too small a present esp as DS really loves his reception teacher and TA. I was thinking I should have got wine instead. I'll get something better when he finishes reception as I'll really want to show our appreciation then. For his pre school teachers we got books, a plant and chocs and together we made a thank you card with pressed flowers. I like to think they'll keep that

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Kescilly · 19/12/2018 21:33

It’s not Americanized. I’m sure there are some people in the US that do presents for teachers but also plenty that don’t.

Stupomax · 20/12/2018 15:38

Yes present buying for teachers has become "Americanized" like everything else nowadays. And I've fallen into the trap.

At my US school the most popular Christmas gift for teachers is a donation to the school's education fund in the teacher's name.

At the end of the school year we usually do a whip-round and get the teacher a gift card for a store we know they love.

Bloody Americans eh? Bastards, the lot of us. Grin

NonaGrey · 20/12/2018 15:41

I don’t know why people think buying a teacher a gift is an American idea.

My Grandma has a thank you note for a present my Mum (now in her 70s) had given her teacher.

It’s not a new idea.

Hen2018 · 20/12/2018 15:45

DC2 (SEN school) has their own army of specialists and TAs so I always send in a box with various jams, chutneys and sloe gin that we’ve made over the year. I don’t know how they share it out!

Ragwort · 20/12/2018 15:51

I’ve never given teacher gifts, I don’t think it’s appropriate, a hand written card with genuine thanks is a nice gesture.

I work in a charity shop & we are inundated with unwanted teacher gifts after Christmas and at the end of the summer term.

Seriously, just don’t buy into this habit, the people who genuinely desverve a gift are the Volunteers who help your children, the Brownie Leader, the Sports coaches etc.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 20/12/2018 15:56

@Stupomax... many apologies along with a desire to retract the "Americanized" comment. Perhaps it would be fairer to say that the USA is paving the way in so many things nowadays esp how the younger generation speak ("like" this, "like that "!) that I threw that comment in without thinking. Not everything to come out of the States is fantastic and awesome but present buying is no bad thing therefore my apologies Blush

@Hen2018...I like the idea of a gift of jams, chutneys and gins. Quite a novel one that should be "preserved " (Sorry!) Blush

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