What do teachers actually like to receive??

[aperolspritzbasicbitch]

like many, I get my children’s teacher and TA a small gift at the end of the school year.

every year I struggle to know what to get - I want to gift something that they would actually get use out of, not waste my money and provide inconvenient clutter for them.

both teachers are male.

is alcohol appropriate?!

if any teachers on here could give some input I’d really appreciate it.

dh is a teacher in private senior school. Honestly? the simple handwritten thank you cards mean a lot more to him than the bottles of wine.

A card means the world to us and is definitely enough.
If you really want to give a gift, I am always so very grateful for something edible or flowers. Basically - something that doesn’t last forever! Mugs and keepsakes etc I find difficult as I feel awful getting rid of anything but the house becomes overrun!
I know people will be along to say they wouldn’t want chocolates as don’t eat them, wouldn’t want flowers as they are going away etc. But I always just think consumables are the best option, very easy to pass onto someone else too if you really can’t have the gift! It’s the thought that counts.

I have three friends who are, and have been teachers, and they get so overloaded with things by well-meaning parents and TBH usually find somewhere to donate objects to.
One of my friends said the nicest gift she'd received, and was relieved to get, was a lovely card that one of her pupils had made for her. The student has taken great care to make with a carefully hand-printed thank you note saying she was so nice and the best teacher she'd ever had, and would miss her.
My friend kept that little card up to look at for a long time :-)

DS is a teacher, mainly sixth form.
Most of all he appreciates the cards with something written inside about his teaching. He has several years worth and honestly they are very touching.
Nothing better than an email to the head.
He's fine with alcohol but the kids are mostly 18 and know him.
Not keen on
Novelty mugs or t shirts.

Our teachers like a handwritten card (individual) or a card from the whole class that includes their photos and names and vouchers for a department store like Fenwick or John Lewis.

I agree with the card - I have kept every single card a child has ever made me - there are a lot!

However, if you do want to buy a gift I agree with a PP, something that isn’t ‘forever’. Chocolate, candles, wine (although I don’t actually drink it, my husband does 😂) are all great. Mugs are nice but when you’ve been teaching for a while you end up with a lot and no where to put them! The nicest presents I’ve had have been ones the children have chosen (a braclet, a keyring, book!)

Definitely a card handwritten by the child.

We club together and get a £50 voucher for their hair salon or beauty salon they like x

Per teacher

We pool together and buy a gift card that can be used at lots of different shop as that is what all the teachers we know say they want. We’d give cash but it’s against the rules.

Also married to a teacher. He’s kept every card he’s ever been given. Cards really do mean the most.

He appreciates every gift he’s given but I wouldn’t worry too much. Alcohol and chocolate are probably the best as it’s not clutter for the house!

Starbucks voucher is always a hit

We do a collection and all chip in and get them a restaurant voucher or something similar (afternoon tea etc) people still do their own cards with heartfelt messages or personalised tokens but it seems to work really well and they don’t end up with 15 candles and boxes of biscuits!

Oh yes, my husband would love a Costa or Starbucks voucher.

Coffee shop voucher and/or a big bar of chocolate! (Not a box, too many disappointing ones 😂)

Hopefully a nice picture, coloured with love by the child and a nice thank you message because that's all DCs teachers will receive this year....! Previous years I've paid into the PTA mums collections for each class. There's usually wine, posh chocolate and a gift voucher.

We all live off of coffee in our school, so a nice coffee voucher or some brewable coffee always goes down a treat. We all also LOVE home baked cakes/brownies/cookies 🫣 we are a team of 3 males and 45 women 😂.
Although these are off lovely gifts and well received, my most favourite gift I have ever received is a singular sunflower with the most beautiful hand made sunflower card and a heartfelt message from the child and their parents 🥰

Friend is a teacher, she loves a card or note. She is appreciative of all of her gifts but one year received 8 mugs! 😁 I usually gift personal items if I know the teacher quite well, other things that have gone down well have always been -
Gift card for a coffee shop
Chocolate
Alcohol

In primary I always got wine (or champagne if really liked them) for both Xmas and eoy. If pregnant I got a baby gift and if they had a dog or cat that they always talked about I got mini pawsecco for them too!

chocolate

not best teacher mugs

I love a card; I keep them all.

Cards with a personal message are the absolute best thing.

other lovely things have been a deliveroo voucher for a tenner (loved that), little things that the kids had picked up on that I like eating/drinking ..... they remembered that I always though the shrimp and banana sweets were little bacon slice and bananas and bought me a pack of those which made me laugh a lot. They also bought me a book for a podcast that I loved.

I teach mainly sixth form so we had little chats where they found out these little snippets but honestly a lovely card is the best. I have kept every card I have ever received

A card with a personalised message that you can keep. Extra special if it's well written (for the child), like their best work.

It's also nice if managers are told of the difference teachers have made to children. Often there's a tendency to try to speak to someone 'in charge' for a worry or concern (despite the HoD or HoY then having to ask the teacher or tutor actually in charge, as they have no clue themselves because they weren't there / didn't speak to the child...) They never get cc'd in or called directly for praise.

I am a teacher and I enjoy edible gifts the most.
nice to send in a week or so early so they can be shared in class or a little box to take home.
i never expect gifts and actually feel awkward getting them.
As a parent I gift chocolates usually (posh ish ones).. or a little house plant. But like others have said, best to keep to something that doesn’t last.
only exception is if clubbing together, a voucher would be great and if I received that as a teacher, I would probably buy resources for the class with it.