To ask teachers and teaching assistants what you would really like for Christmas from a parent?

[Whosthecrazy]

Dd is in nursery and has I think 4 teachers in her class, 2 she is very attached to! I’d like to get them all something nice for Christmas but don’t want to fall into the trap of smellies or boring chocolates! So please, what would you really like if you could give a wish list?!

I’m hoping not everyone has the same idea

Even if they don’t, it’s just more stuff. It’s not going to be more meaningful than a mug.

@daisyjgrey

So just to clarify, a nice mug, but never a mug. And wine, but not wine.

Haha I love the first few comments completely contradicting each other 😂

I wonder how many people saying to buy mugs, decorations etc are actually teachers.

I love Christmas decorations they are a great present. Sure even if they are not to your colour scheme (I don't have one!) Use them on the class tree.

Our parents collect 7euro per child(optional no list is taken) and it is divided between teacher S.N.A's, caretaker, secretary and everyone gets a voucher.

Best card I got from a kid had the words "things I like about Mrs ... " and then reasons that her DD gave her. Meant so much as it was personal.

I don't really hold with teacher presents, but DC like to give them, so I did a token each year. When I was organised enough I got DC to decorate a recycled plant pot with stickers and plant a hyacinth bulb at Oct half term. Those were the gifts that staff made a point of specifically thanking me for. I think because they can keep it in the classroom and throw it away when it's finished

Pictures, cards, handwritten notes always appreciated by the teachers I work with.

Mugs make their way to the staff room, to be used, accidentally dropped, roped in as a vessel for mixing papier-mâché glue…

Best gift I was ever given in school was a book token :)

Something consumable otherwise teachers homes would be overflowing with “best teacher” tat

Even if they don’t like chocolates/smellies/wine they’re easy to pass on.

Not a teacher or TA but it's my DD's first year at nursery this year, and there are 4 members of staff.

My plan is to write a nice card to them all thanking them for their support and helping her to settle in, and I was going to put a gift bag together of naice tea/coffee/biscuits/stollen/mince pies/posh crisps and take it in a couple of weeks before the end of term. Hopefully there'll be something in there they'll all like and can enjoy with a cuppa at lunch time, but nothing that will need taking home.

little gift cards - for a coffee, or a cake, or a plant, or anywhere that does small gift tokens, is fab. It doesn't have to be much monetary value at all - but the idea is lovely, a bit of a treat.

DH was a teacher and the best presents he got were personalised notebooks, genuinely nice mugs, bottles of wine and chocolates. Never got a gift card but would have loved it. Anything that had "best teacher" on it wasn't really to his taste thats putting it kindly.

The OP is asking teachers what they would like!!!

A student got me a Contigo mug which keeps my coffee hot and can lock so no risk of burning small people. It is one of my top five presents ever from anyone.

Wine and chocolate/sweets. If someone doesn't drink I'll trade them some of my choice for their wine . The gold standard is the class collection vouchers/gifts but they are a lot of work for someone

A plant or some flowers? When I was at primary school, I used to take flowers in and I remember my teacher (in her 60s, single) always loving them. This was in the summer though, not at Christmas.

Card with a message about what your child enjoys about being in my lessons is more than enough. The mugs go in the staffroom mug cupboard.

If you really wanted to give me a present then a gift card for Costa/Starbucks to the tune of £5 would be amazing for a solitary cup of coffee and piece of cake with no interruptions!

What about a personalised notebook? Bookmark? Pen?

I always get a Costa voucher. Even if they dont drink coffee, they can buy cake or tea or a sandwich if passing and you can't move round here for Costas

In an ideal world I'd get a voucher for the lovely independent "cakery" in town - but I dont think many of the staff live local to it so it's a faff. At least with Costa they are ten a penny.

Ooh I'd love a Costa voucher - gingerbread latte in peace while doing last minute shopping!

I buy my childrens key workes a voucher boots/ amazon etc so they can get something for their own taste and a box of chocolates for the rest of the room

I give Costa or Starbucks vouchers. They can always be passed on if the recipient won't use them

The things I've still got from my teaching days are cards and pictures from the kids. Some gifts I enjoyed, but don't still have, are a lovely scarf, a jewellery stand, a bag.

For my kids' teachers, I usually write a card, add a card from the child, and put a £10 book token in. Or I contribute to the class John Lewis vouchers, if that is happening.

(I don't drink wine, and I have kept none of the mugs! They all went into the staff room cupboard).

@sweeneytoddsrazor

I know its not popular on MN but we always did a class collection for my dcs teachers. Never did anything other than inform parents that x was doing the collection and if they wished to contribute could they do so by x date. Parents that wanted to give could then do so, whatever amount they felt comfortable with and we then got vouchers with the money. We tried as much as possible to get vouchers that we knew would be appreciated, so the teacher we knew that played a lot of sport got a sports shop voucher, another got a theatre voucher and so on.

This is the plan at DD1’s school and it’s so much better in my opinion.

I always write the staff a lovely personalised letter explaining with examples why I value them and follow it up with a similar email to the head.

I’m an ex secondary teacher so I got a few gifts. My favourites were always the one from older classes when they have clubbed together to buy me a bar of chocolate or small. It was the thought which was important not the gift.

Coffee shop vouchers are great. I always loved those.
Book tokens too.
Defo not mugs.

I'm a teacher. Nothing. I like nothing. Or a card with a nice note.
Otherwise nothing.
It stresses me out thinking of the wasted money, who I can palm stuff onto.
Honestly, a cute card with a squiggly little note inside. Easy to keep and I smile every time I look at them.