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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

212 replies

Whosthecrazy · 20/10/2021 09:50

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?!

OP posts:
Booboosweet · 20/10/2021 13:50

A bottle of gin

beentoldcomputersaysno · 20/10/2021 14:16

@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.
We do this and then a fair number of kids write messages, give drawings to go with it.
PurpleDaisies · 20/10/2021 14:18

This Christmas is likely to be utterly shit for poor families. Maybe its because I’ve taught in deprived catchments for a long time but I don’t want anyone struggling to pay their gas bill to feel they need to throw a fiver in a collection so I can go to John Lewis.

liveforsummer · 20/10/2021 14:20

But what's that got to do with the OP, who presumably has the funds, asking for ideas?

PurpleDaisies · 20/10/2021 14:22

@liveforsummer

But what's that got to do with the OP, who presumably has the funds, asking for ideas?
Class collections (which was suggested here) put pressure on everyone to contribute.
liveforsummer · 20/10/2021 14:25

When I used to do them (far cheaper for me as a poor single parent as it was a couple of quid rather than 7 or 8 that you'd spend on the wine and chocolates etc) it was always no pressure. Put in what you want but don't feel you have to. Plenty people said they were doing their own thing or just didn't want to!

3scape · 20/10/2021 14:25

All these comments about cards and pictures. Clearly my children (or I) am a memory not wanted as all the cards and pictures were returned stuck in nursery "journey" logs. How depressing.

PurpleDaisies · 20/10/2021 14:26

it was always no pressure. Put in what you want but don't feel you have to.

That NEVER happens in real life. Especially when the card comes with a list of who put money in…

liveforsummer · 20/10/2021 14:28

That's also never happened - the card said 'from p3b' or whatever. And again plenty wanted to do their own thing so opted out with no issues

Getoutofbed25 · 20/10/2021 14:28

Wine, chocolates, a reusable water bottle, hand cream, nice soap as the school stuff is horrible. A gift for the class of books/ toys. Most of all a card.

takenforgrantednana · 20/10/2021 14:33

@WhatsUpDucky

Just a card with a personal message is the nicest thing I got It meant the world to me
i once got something really different and it went down well, it was a tea bag! just the one, but what happens is over the course of few days after being placed in hot water in a wine glass the tea bag opens up and becomes a beautiful tropical flower, this was put in a handmade card that my kids had wrote out and decorated themselves
Thatsplentyjack · 20/10/2021 14:36

I usually get my kids teachers a tree decoration for Christmas. Just a small simple one, and some chocolate. Now I'm thinking maybe that's a shit gift 🤣

SuziLikeSuziQ · 20/10/2021 14:39

I love cards with heartfelt messages. I always keep those. I wouldn't want a mug or tree decoration or box of chocolates where possible. A £2 Costa voucher would be much enjoyed if any parents ever got one for me!

The best presents I ever received were: a necklace with my initial, a warm blanket/throw and a pack of 'sticky ninjas' from Poundland. Each is treasured (although the ninjas are no longer sticky so they're in my memory box!). I use the blanket daily as it lives on my sofa.

As a teacher with a child at nursery, last year I took in a box of nice biscuits after the holiday in January for the staff to share, as by then usually all the biscuits and chocolates from Christmas are gone!

HeyFloof · 20/10/2021 14:39

@PurpleDaisies

it was always no pressure. Put in what you want but don't feel you have to.

That NEVER happens in real life. Especially when the card comes with a list of who put money in…

We don't do this. The card /gift comes from the whole class regardless of who contributes or not. Some did, some didn't.
Somethingsnappy · 20/10/2021 14:41

@daisyjgrey

So just to clarify, a nice mug, but never a mug. And wine, but not wine.
Grin
MamaTutu2 · 20/10/2021 14:42

@PurpleDaisies I don’t know a single teacher who doesn’t have a Christmas tree up in their classroom. I had a personalised decoration in my first year and it goes up on the tree in my classroom each year.

liveforsummer · 20/10/2021 14:43

Last year I knew DD's teacher liked coffee so got her one of the nice reusable travel mugs in a style I thought she'd like (shiny and a bit blingy). Dd said for the rest of the school year she used it every day on her desk. On top of that a mini bottle of sparkling rose wine and a mini pack of fererro rocher. Cost about a fiver.

Sadiequeenofscots · 20/10/2021 14:45

For a few years we gave teachers a voucher for coffee and a cake at a local cafe. But with the pandemic I stopped doing that.

Usually just a card and flowers at Xmas.

Class present in the summer

liveforsummer · 20/10/2021 14:46

@Thatsplentyjack

I usually get my kids teachers a tree decoration for Christmas. Just a small simple one, and some chocolate. Now I'm thinking maybe that's a shit gift 🤣
Personally I'd love a tree dec as my tree is full of 'special' ones that were picked up on trips in December etc. I guess if someone has one of the perfectly matching insta trees though they might not use it.
MoomaidAhoy · 20/10/2021 14:47

Ex teacher here. Many, many teacher friends.

We like cards that have been written with care. We like John Lewis vouchers and book tokens.

Some of us like wine, chocolates, flowers.

We do NOT want personalised mugs, ornaments, decorations, etc etc etc. We just don’t. If you give us a “thing” we will be polite and say “that’s lovely, thank you” and we will put it straight into the charity shop bag (or bin if it’s homemade).

There are rare exceptions, but the TAT teachers get given us overwhelming sometimes. Just say thank you. And get your children to school on time and help them stay on top of homework ;-)

2spaceranger · 20/10/2021 14:48

I've been teaching for nearly 15 years and I always appreciated the kind presents I was given but the gift that meant the most in all that time was one I got in my very first year- one of those 'send a child to school/ provide school equipment' giftcards from oxfam or similar charities. Some of those start from just a few pounds. They might not be everyone's cup of tea but I think they are a lovely gesture and show appreciation without more 'stuff'.

MoomaidAhoy · 20/10/2021 14:49

@MamaTutu2 secondary teachers don’t. And actually, a lot of primary teachers don’t either!

Groovee · 20/10/2021 14:50

Last year one of our children made all staff a Christmas decoration. It was so lovely. It went on my tree.

Pottedpalm · 20/10/2021 14:51

@MoomaidAhoy

Ex teacher here. Many, many teacher friends.

We like cards that have been written with care. We like John Lewis vouchers and book tokens.

Some of us like wine, chocolates, flowers.

We do NOT want personalised mugs, ornaments, decorations, etc etc etc. We just don’t. If you give us a “thing” we will be polite and say “that’s lovely, thank you” and we will put it straight into the charity shop bag (or bin if it’s homemade).

There are rare exceptions, but the TAT teachers get given us overwhelming sometimes. Just say thank you. And get your children to school on time and help them stay on top of homework ;-)

Teacher here too. Exactly this ^
Liverpoolgirl52 · 20/10/2021 14:53

Starbucks or costa gift card. Although they will really appreciate anything at all