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?!

A card with a nice message and I always love when parents acknowledge something I've done specific for their child.

Don't knock the welcomeness of chocolates!

But also if you really want to get something my favourites have been a nice bookmark, some soft socks with foot cream and a hang up solar bug!

@daisyjgrey

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

If Boris answered mumsnet posts! 😆

Many years ago when he was in his final year of Primary School my son made his teacher Christmas in a Box. He got a small shoe box that he decorated and then made a mini cake, some ginger biscuits and a mini pud (he's now a chef!) added a bar of chocolate, a cracker and a party popper. I think I may have contributed a small bottle of wine. The teacher was thrilled with it, hunted me out quietly to tell me at the time how much she loved it. I bumped into her by chance many years later - she still remembers the gift. Based on that I think home made, however small is the way to go.

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

My favourite, favourite gift is one of those individual size bottles of Prosecco plus a couple of Lindt chocolates (you can get them at Sainsburys in a sort of pick and mix, and then divide them up between staff, 2/3 each).

Definitely no home made cakes or biscuits - they will be politely received but never eaten…

My favourite present was a planted pot of paper white daffodils, which bloom every Christmas

Pens, we got given personalised pens from one of our preschool leavers at the end of the summer. The 6 of us who work in the preschool were chuffed and the staff in babies and toddlers very envious, they clip to us and everything. All very happy with chocolate too. Some parents also give money towards drinks at our Christmas dinner which is much appreciated.

Personally I love chocolate! But not wine. I have been given many bottle of wine over the years. I know some of them have been quite nice bottles, too. But I don’t drink, so just pass them on. I have really liked homemade Christmas decorations.

@Caterinasballerinas

I have been considering a Christmas decoration. Small, can be tucked away and brought out yearly but still looks thoughtful. Can get something personalised/based on initials too

I'm a TA and I would love this! - obviously not from every child every year, but I agree that this is something that most people wouldn't think of, so would be unique.

I also agree about cards/pictures. I only kept one Christmas card from last year, because the child had written "and please don't eat any nuts because you're the best TA I've ever had" (I'm allergic) - I thought it was hilarious!

I love it when I get chocolate which doesn't say "may contain traces of nuts" because that means I can eat them, but also that they've thought and taken the time to choose something they know I can eat. One child last year gave me a bar of chocolate at the end of the year and said "I've looked and I hope it's okay, because it doesn't say it has nuts!". It did say "may contain", as it turned out, but the thought was there!

I've got a little collection of rubber ducks/novelty erasers/kinder egg toys on my desk, which I would love a contribution to!

My other favourites include a musical biscuit tin (contained shortbread which I ate that first year, and then I bring the tin out every year); and a mug with the class photo on (it was my first ever class!)

@Caterinasballerinas

I have been considering a Christmas decoration. Small, can be tucked away and brought out yearly but still looks thoughtful. Can get something personalised/based on initials too

That is similar to a framed picture of the child. The gift that every teacher wants

I always did Costa vouchers, been a while though as mine are grown

I'm a TA and never exepect presents. So many people can't afford it. If you ever want to show appreciation I'd just love a card or a note saying thankyou. Means more than anything.

Not too reassuring that I can't spell in previous post. 😆
Got a hand written note from an SEN kid last year thanking me. Knowing how hard he would have found it to write was priceless.

I say it again, wine. Or a Costa/Starbucks voucher card. Wine or coffee. Never stuff.

My absolute favourite would be a card and if someone wanted to give a present, definitely book tokens or another kind of voucher for somewhere like Costa or a local independent shop.
Never wine - people’s taste is too varied or they might not drink alcohol.

I still have Christmas decorations from children at school, I love them all.

The best presents for me are the ones that the children are involved in and can give to you themselves, so a card they have made fits the bill perfectly. Children love having something to give and it’s good for them to learn to say thank you to people that help them. Inexpensive things like chocolate, biscuits, candles are perfect.

We make small salt dough Christmas tree decorations that the children paint. I always think they can put them up at school if they don't want to keep them.

I always ask the other teacher/ ta in the class whether they'd prefer wine/ beer or chocolate.

I will say that I don't expect the teachers to be putting my children's decorations on the trees in 20 years time!

@PurpleDaisies

I don’t think many teachers would really want random Christmas decorations for their trees. I wouldn’t be keeping one and bringing it out every year. You’ve got to remember that there are thirty kids in every class you teach every year for decades. I think it’s good to be realistic about how meaningful that sort of thing is really going to be.

I would love tree decorations , home made or so bought. And even if they weren't used by me at home they would certainly be on my class tree!

Best ever present we got for a primary teacher was a y6 teacher. He played guitar and was a bit of a local rockstar as he was in a band C with a few other teachers. Wet night him a Crystal tankard with class "in" joke engraved on it and then filled it with personalised plectrums, a nice capo and some Beatles socks. He loved it so much he cried all over the TA 🤷🏼‍♀️

Just to add, since my kids are in Sept school/college now we take in a festive double dozen of krispy kreme donuts and a tub of chocolates for the staff room and they bit a small gift for their form teacher and their favourite teacher. Normally a candle or something similar. Last year they bought a nice boxed fountain pen and a note book each.

I always ask the other teacher/ ta in the class whether they'd prefer wine/ beer or chocolate.

I have an inside source as one of the long standing teachers at DD's school is also a fellow was brownie now guide mum. Always get the inside info on what wine they might like is red, rose, white or if they'd like beer. Never been informed yet that one doesn't appreciate alcohol 😆

@NerrSnerr

We make small salt dough Christmas tree decorations that the children paint. I always think they can put them up at school if they don't want to keep them.

I always ask the other teacher/ ta in the class whether they'd prefer wine/ beer or chocolate.

Would you like tree decorations made by your colleagues children as a gift?

I’d never buy wine as not everyone drinks nor mugs as they likely end up with many plus they wouldn’t likely match their home style etc

We’ve done Christmas decorations, coffee vouchers, Amazon vouchers or something personal the children have picked up on.