Teachers gifts ..... any teachers give us some thoughts?

[Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure]

I’ve been giving teachers gifts for the last 10 years, I’ve given candles, mugs etc now I wanna go bold but obviously out of this world expensive. Dd has 2 teachers, one is vegan. So I’ve brought chocolates, because there are other teachers that help out the class so chocolates will do for all teachers. However I want something individual... any ideas from current or past teachers on what you would like to receive??

Please don’t. Mugs etc flowers when the teacher might be going on holiday etc

a gift card for John Lewis or Amazon is what we do here and it’s perfect

This absolutely. Words have always been much longer-lasting and meaningful than an object. Teaching can be thankless and words do make a massive difference. And if you can write about a time where the teacher went over and above and made a difference to your child, and CC the headteacher, it can have an impact on their whole career.

Vouchers for John Lewis/M&S. Can be used for necessities or a treat of choice.

Cards and messages are by far the most treasured thing I have been given over the years.

Re gifts

I have had some lovely flowers this year. I love flowers in the house but only with my supermarket shop for myself. These were from a lovely flower shop and are so nice - a real treat. However, I'm really glad I was given them last week and not at the end of term - I go away almost immediately so I often don't get the benefit of them.

Likewise for edible gifts with a short date/life. Did have a small box if really nice ones from a local independent chocolate shop last week - fabulous!

I drink so wine, etc is nice for me and lasts a while.

Vouchers - can feel a bit odd as you see how much is on there. However, I have made good use of vouchers. My favourite are ones I can use locally - we have a city centre gift card that can only be used in shops, cafes, restaurants, cinema, theatre etc within the city centre (can be online so long as place has a city centre location) and we also have some small independent shops, cafes, etc near school which do vouchers. I had a selection of those last year and they were great.

But to be honest, I am very grateful for ANY gift I get and can always put them to use in some way. I would never expect a gift - infact in my jib role it's less likely anyway most years - but certainly feel grateful if I receive one.

But by far the best gift is the kind words, especially when written down so they can be saved and brought out in a challenging day.

Another vote for a heartfelt card - I keep all of mine in a shoe box to read when I’m retired.
I don’t drink but usually get a few bottles each year (maybe a look like I would be a drinker)
my son is leaving primary school this year - we’re buying his teacher a substantial Waterstones voucher, but just because she has been amazing for both our boys - and we know she’s book mad (she’s passed on many of her favourites to our boys over the years).
She’ll definitely be getting an email to the head too!

I appreciated the gifts which were made by a child (stll using string tin - covered with sticky back plastic with a hole in the lid for the string to come out) or related to child's life (bookmark from Sheppey, by me as I write). One not well off family gave me a homemade fruit cake one term, and an aloe vera plant another (filling up my bathroom windowsill.) There were also gifts related to my teaching and interests - astronomy books and starry mugs - and one Christmas, when I had been sending home maths work sheets based on the 12 Days of Christmas, a mug adorned with them.
When I retired, parents clubbed together for things beyond what the school collected for, including a ticket for the Tutankhamen exhibition at the O2. (We did Egypt that year.) It was lovely, appreciated, but embarrassing. And there was a length of African cloth, which I'd mentioned I liked at some previous occasion.
If that sort of thing doesn't occur to you, I'd go for vouchers. As above, but you might try Hobbycraft - where I spent some of the money gifts at the end. Or a garden centre.
A warning though. On a small number of occasions, a child would tell me as I received others' gifts, that their mother was bringing one after school. She wasn't, of course. I'm not sure how that embarrassment can be spared the child if there is a general giving frenzy going on. - Homemade bookmark, perhaps. (If doing Egypt or Vikings or Greeks, labelled in hieroglyphs or runes or Greek alphabet?)
But you don't have to do it.

It is that time of the year so I am revisiting this post. I buy a present from John Lewis but always ask for a gift receipt so the teacher can change with it something she likes if it is not her taste or clutter.

As others have said, one of the things a teacher would most appreciate is an email to the head and governors outlining how the teacher has supported your child, and enabled him/ her to make progress with learning.

Other than that, classroom supplies would probably be greatly appreciated. Budget cuts mean they teachers are buying pencils, pens etc for their classroom. A box of Pritt Sticks would win you a friend for life!

That, not they.

Embarrassing typo!