Teacher gifts

[Princesspickle777]

Teachers, if you were to receive an end of year gift, what kind of things would you prefer?. I’m wanting to get my DC’s teacher a gift for the hard work she has done for them but I don’t just want to get any old tat I’ve seen advertised. What has been your favourite gift?.

If you receive (or buy) a gift voucher, what amount do you usually get? £10 / £25 / £50?

Hand written cards from the children and letters/notes from parents are the things I treasure. All gifts are so, so appreciated but if I were to choose, I’d say wine, coffee shop vouchers or nice stationary. Previously my classes have gotten together to give things like Amazon or afternoon tea vouchers.

Stationery, rather!

@Elpheba- that sounds lovely. I am a teacher and I would be really touched by that. They might even go out together, which would be great.

I normally give costa vouchers. I have no idea what kind of wine they would prefer (I don’t like wine, so it would be something I regift), my teacher SIL gets so many boxes of chocolates she hands them out to other family members, you never know if teachers are going to go on holiday on the first day of the holidays, so flowers would die without being enjoyed. I figure even if they don’t like coffee, they can go in and buy a bottle of pop With a Costa voucher while they are shopping.

Coffee vouchers
Personalised stationery
Wine (although I acknowledge your reasons for not wanting to buy it as a gift)
Possible small stud earrings if you know the teacher wears earrings etc

Best gifts I’ve received:

Christmas decorations, I love that they come out every year and I remember the student from 20 years ago.
Plants for the garden, same sentiment if they’re a perennial.
Big paper clips, one is a wooden treble clef (guess what I teach)
Note books

Ps not flowers, I love them but often go away the day after school breaks up.

My dad once received a silver tankard from his form inscribed with "To [first name] 'Sorry I'm late' [last name]".

An email to the head singing my praises please (costs nothing!)

No sugar please, I'm low carbing.

A nice card, maybe a small token eg flowers, a £5 Costa voucher, fluffy socks, bubble bath?

Booze is always best! 😁 Any mugs are given to the mums who have kids on the street, so they don't have to fork out for their teachers 😂 but I keep the booze!!! 😁 😂

Ooh yeh
Vodka please.

Voucher would be lovely - high street/coffee/cinema/restaurant maybe.

A letter thanking me for the slog of the last year would be 100 times better!

I love anything personalised or a nice card written by the child. A voucher is a nice idea too.

Teachers end up with a lot of wine and chocolate which isn't great if you don't drink wine and you're trying to eat healthily! Obviously the thought is lovely though.

As a teacher my favourite and most loved gifts are handmade cards from pupils. I got one today from one of my 5 year old's that he made at home. It had a lovely drawing and thank you message that he spontaneously made at home the evening before. That means more to me than any bought gift and I'll keep it forever!

I'd love a coffee voucher! I've only once been given one. Doesn't have to cost much to be enough for a coffee or piece of cake :)
Anything a little personal is good - sometimes children know my favourite chocolate bar or something, or a parent chooses a book (can return or exchange if I've read it). Or anything related to any hobbies I've mentioned, shops they know I shop in, or practical gifts are all appreciated. I'm personally less keen on mugs, ornaments, toiletries, candles, but I'm pleased to receive anything. I don't expect anything and it's unnecessary, but I enjoy getting things too. Thank you cards are often the most special.

@GoldSlipper

As a teacher my favourite and most loved gifts are handmade cards from pupils. I got one today from one of my 5 year old's that he made at home. It had a lovely drawing and thank you message that he spontaneously made at home the evening before. That means more to me than any bought gift and I'll keep it forever!

Really? Mine make it into the classroom desk for a week... If they are lucky 😂

Wine, chocolate, pretty house plant. I always think wine can be regifted if needs be and is a fairly safe bet. If in doubt, just ask! Also had book tokens once which was great.

Please, please, please don't buy any of that best teacher ever rubbish.

Best present ever though, when I left first teaching post, was a book full of photos and lovely comments from a class. They'd also clubbed together (at least I hope they had) and produced a 1 and a half litre bottle of sangria!

You used to be able to get the M&S dine in meal deal as a gift voucher so that with a nice note along the lines of "please have a relaxing night in on us?" That gets round any issues of people who don't drink alcohol/ coffee, eat chocolate etc.
Or nice stationary as teachers usually end up funding their own. My brother usually gets "teacher pens" (those Bic multicoloured ink ones) and a couple of A4 notebooks in his Xmas stocking.

Something edible or drinkable for sure.

My best gifts over the years have been book vouchers or a book, a voucher for afternoon tea at the farm shop, stationery (I'm still using fab fluorescent board pens that I was bought last year) plants and if in doubt wine or nice chocolate is always appreciated. A £5 Costa voucher would go down very well @Elpheba.
Best teacher tat is best avoided. Worst ever - a framed photo of the child!
Most important as others have said is a card with a personal message. I've got a stash of special ones that I've kept over the years.

One year I was given a fabulous new book related to the subject I teach. Because it was newly released, it was actually a safe bet that I wouldn't have read it yet. That was a collective present from the whole class - I think it was an expensive book- glossy and hardback!. It was very much appreciated, and I felt that a lot of thought had been put into it.

Cards or notes from pupils and their parents are very nice to receive, as are vouchers for nearby coffee shops/ bookshops. Chocolate is always welcome as are candles. Bath stuff not so much. Stationery is good, especially nice pens in the colours used for marking- the scratchy school ones are unpleasant to use but a nice flowy one is a pleasure every day.

We have bought personalised stamps and they went down a treat. I bought them off Amazon.

One teacher showed me some personalised stickers she has for good work/effort. She teaches yr 9 and they are still into getting stickers

Personalised stamper is a great idea, OP I've been using mine for years. Stickers are nice too.

We actually discussed this in our last staff meeting. In the past I always loved getting a hand made card and/ or a small gift that the child had picked themselves, eg key ring or box of maltesers. More recently our parents have taken to clubbing together to buy gift cards. As lovely as the thought behind it is, I have missed the individual tiny gifts and feel very embarrassed accepting an over the top £100+ gift card twice a year!! (Christmas and end of year)

We decided as a staff to say something small would be lovely but staff feel the big collections are too much and home made cards are always gratefully revived. Not sure how the parents will feel! It's not that we are ungrateful but it's all too much and not necessary.