OK - quick etiquette advice after a bit of a cock up if you can be bothered (this is not very interesting).

[CRS]

I am a teacher. Every Summer, I write a list of kids who have given me gifts and what it was so I can send thank you cards out in September. This year, it's finally happened - I've lost the bloody list!

So I now have 3 options as I see it.

A: Get a class list and see if I can remember which kids gave presents and send cards to them not specifying the gift, and pray not left anyone out.

B: As above except thanking for specific gift in the cases (most) where I know who gave what, and just a thank you if I know a gift was given but not sure what, and still risk missing someone out.

C: Send no thank yous for fear of offending someone who I have inadvertently left out, but feel rude and ungrateful forever.

Which is best, or alternatively, am I missing a better solution?

Send a thank you to all of them but not specifically for gifts/cards buy for trying hard and being good?

Presuming they did...

C.

Now go and enjoy your holiday

Give a generic card saying you've lost the list, 'thank you' and please let me know who gave what so I can give a personal thank you?

B. Write a general: 'Thank you so much for your lovely gift, I looked at it over the summer and it made me smile.' Parents don't talk to each other (usually).

What about a general thank you to all members of the class - wishing them a good next year, thanking them for their enthusiasm as class members and for the very kind cards and gifts ............

In all the time my DCs were at school I never once got a thank you (other than verbally on occasion) for end of term gifts. I think it's extremely nice of you to do it but IME is not an expectation so I would just leave it. I doubt anyone would notice.

D: Pour another large glass of wine and forget all about work.

(A would be the best option I think)

gosh I think you are a very nice teacher.

Having taught KS2 for 10 years I have never written any thank you cards!

I do open the present in front of the child and say thank you, give a big smile and always found it was all that was needed.

Umm in your situation I'd do B.

my kids have never expected a thankyou card from their teachers I dont think any kids do just forget about and enjoy the holidays the new term will come round quick enough

Agree with MissVerinder - just write to everyone mentioning how much you enjoyed teaching them and giving a general thank you to everyone who sent kind wishes, cards or gifts.

Well, if you will be having the same children in your class next year do a generic thank you to all of them.

Otherwise, don't bother. My mum always bought our teachers presents at the end of the school year, and aside from a verbal thanks on receipt we never got anything else! Generally, if you thank the person at the time I wouldn't send a card to anyone.

Dear Child,

Thank you so much for being in my class last year. You were all wonderful. Thank you also for all the lovely goodbyes I received, as well as my lovely hugs, cards and gifts. I am very grateful to you all for being so kind to me on our last day, and I shall treasure the memories of all our time together.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Flighty.

OK, it is nice to get a thank you note, but you should be making the most of the rest you have over the summer.
Go for C

If all of them didn't give you a gift, is it worse to leave a DC out, or give one a thank you card when they didn't get you anything and they go home and tell their parents you expect a present at the end of term?

send a thank you to each and every child in the class for something you like about them rather than the actual present the parent purchased

Bloody blimey, DD has never received a thank you note, despite being an arselicker giving every teacher she's ever had a present.
Stop stressing and get on and enjoy the holidays.

I like option D! .

My mother was VERY strict about thank you letters when I was a child, and I still haven't got over it - there are always about a million quite a lot of thank you cards in the house for a range of situations!

I like the idea of the "thanks to all kids, and for the lovely cards and presents" idea - but a bit worried that this would then look like I was making some kind of pointed comment to parents who don't do teacher gifts!

Arrrggghh! The social minefield just got worse!

How about a sign to stick on the door at the beginning of term:

"Mrs X would like to thank everyone for their kind gifts at the end of term and wishes you all a very happy and successful new year"

That's been done at dd's school and all were happy with it.

Oh - I missed some posts there! Am now worried that many parents over the years have thought I was a complete bloody freak on receipt of thankyou card!

Wait for at least 3 weeks as the lost list will turn up eventually and you can write the thank you cards in a mad rush at the end of the holidays?

I really wouldn't worry too much tbh. We put a fair bit of time & effort into getting something suitable for DD's teacher at the end of the term as she was particularly fab, but it wouldn't have even occurred to me to expect a thank you card (and I'm quite fussy about them generally!).

You are over thinking....they will all have forgotten they even gave you anything by September.

LOOK WE HAVE AN ETIQUETTE TOPIC

B sounds like the bet option to me.

Sorry - have now also made a faux pas in terms of etiquette by not knowing there was an etiquette topic and posting in wrong place! Things are going from bad to worse!

I think I am going to go with C and live with the crushing guilt, no my mother's obsession with formal expressions of gratitude hasn't left me with any hang ups, no siree