Teachers don’t want Thank You Teacher gifts

[Graveltone]

Even though schools have 5-8 weeks of term left, the shops have various TYT gifts such as mugs, coasters, keyrings etc. Teachers do not want this crap! Charity shops near me have numerous TYT mugs and crap on sale!

My friend is a teacher and parents have been told not to give gifts. Teachers don’t want 30 mugs, boxes of chocolate, alcohol (that is embarrassing if teacher doesn’t drink for various reasons) etc. Nor want flowers - don’t have enough vases at home to house 30 bunches of flowers.

Friend’s school accepts cards and hm gifts.

Think before you spend your money on your DC’s teachers.

Teachers here and I’ve loved any presents I’ve been given-genuinely. I never expect anything and am very touched by cards, notes, a mug, flowers…all of it, it’s very very lovely!

*Teacher

I don't think there is any teacher who gets 30 mugs every year. I do know teachers love any gift of thanks from a card to chocolates to flowers.

I am sorry to read some snobbery of gifts on here.

On a positive suggestion: if you know what day the teachers will be in school over the holidays, and live close, drop off some Greggs yum yums, make or buy a cake; I've known people drop off their home grown produce, fresh eggs, homemade quiche and other lovely things. The little gestures always go a long way. I made a load of bacon sandwiches one day when they were setting up the classrooms for the terms theme - that what 3 years ago and they still talk about it! It's a tiny village school BTW.

Surely everyone likes their efforts recognised. It's the thought not the value of the gift. Chocolate or bottles can easily passed on, there will no doubt be someone on the staff who likes it, or given to school fundraising efforts.

Best teacher mugs probably less useful only because you wouldn't want more than 1 or 2.

I'm a teacher. I'm happy with a very heartfelt thank you.

However, if parents want to do something, club together a cash pot with other families (people put in as much or as little as they want).

As an example, £50 from a group of parents seems more sensible than £50s worth of mugs and keyring.

My mum used to be a teacher and still has numerous favourite mugs from children she taught and classes she fondly remembers.

I really advocate folks clubbing together. I don't know how well known it is as an idea.

Er i do! I’m a teacher and love chocolate 😂

For some schools a joint gift voucher will cause problems if it webs up being over £20 because it's the same as a cash gift and needs to be declared. To be honest I love the little gifts and cards. Cards are loveliest with messages but gifts are always very welcome and none of my colleagues have ever been sniffy about wine chocolates biscuits or flowers! Bring it on!

I think it's great.
I wish people had clubbed together to tip me.
I was very pleased with the occasional thing I got when they'd stopped being too busy being nearly dead to give presents but it would have been better if they'd been organised.

Have you thought about getting the kids' parents to swipe a QR code?

You sound quite unkind op. When parents/kids buy gifts, it is with good intentions. They mean well.

I have two DC still at primary. There's a collection in each class and then we give them vouchers - the ones you can spend at a variety of retailers. Surely no one would object to that?!

I think you are totally wrong OP. I’m a teacher and I absolutely love anything my students give me. I know other teacher friends feel exactly the same.

I'm really sorry but I am unsure if you agree with my post or you're being sarcastic. Apologies if it isn't the latter.

I am a bit unclear about the 'busy being nearly dead' part.

In fact OP, I think unless you’re a teacher with 30 mugs a year you can’t speak for all us teachers. All little gifts are precious and valued!

I also think some parents feel guilty if they don't purchase something and then perhaps 'grab' something from the shop. Absolutely with the best intentions but they're perhaps wasting money that could be spent on them as a family.

I obviously don't speak for all parents and all teachers but perhaps in those cases, it would be good for the parents or carers to truly know it is okay to not get a gift and a heartfelt thank you would be just as welcomed.

My friend is a TA and her class parents clubbed together and gave her a gift card for afternoon tea for 2 at the Ivy! It was very much appreciated (by me too as she took me 😁)

I'm reluctant to contribute to a joint class present, based on two past experiences:

• One time, the organiser ordered a framed print with the names of every child in the class. That probaby went straight in the bin.
• Another time, the organiser (who I later found out was a Forever Living "Ambassador/Mumpreneur") made a hamper with all her aloe vera shit in it for the teacher. Which probably also went straight in the bin.

I decided no more joint gifts from then on.

I'm a teacher and I think that you are looking at it from the completely wrong perspective OP.
The children's faces as they hand over a card that they wrote in, flowers they chose or something that they made is priceless.

What we don't want is people buying for the sake of buying, that is not what it is about.

(And I am another who has kept lots of cards over the years. I love them!)

Some fab ideas on this thread for teachers and T/A's and office staff too, especially the hamster lol. I can see some poor teacher getting 30 hamsters this summer😂sorry not sorry, dying laughing here.
Not a teacher myself but do work in an industry that gets a lot of thank you gifts and we are always so appreciative of them. Flowers, chocs, biscuits, booze of any variety, home baked goods and hampers are amazing.
Once I got a gift voucher as a thank you and it blew me away at how thoughtful the family were to think of me. My personal fav was a beautiful candle with a scent I love and as for the thank you cards, the ones to me personally are always kept and treasured.
I take them out sometimes and read them and they make me feel special and fuzzy inside, like, I did something nice for someone and they cared enough to say thank you. That means such a lot to me.

I especially love the spa day voucher idea, what a nice treat for a teacher to get. Or even a voucher for the local arts and crafts store as I know a lot of teachers spend their own money on supplies for their kids during the year.
The nice teas, coffees, drinking chocolate and biscuits are very well received I would think as well.

thequeenoftarts

I especially love the spa day voucher idea, what a nice treat for a teacher to get.

Ooh! I'd love that for doing my job too.

Or even a voucher for the local arts and crafts store as I know a lot of teachers spend their own money on supplies for their kids during the year.

Ah. No, we parents provided those things.
<brightens> Can we get a spa day?

<thinks> No. That wouldn't work, would it?

I hate these threads as they are so mean spirited. I'm a career teacher (25 years and counting)
These things are true in my experience

1. The absolute nicest thing is a really heartfelt written card and a nice email to the head about you.
2. We appreciate all presents. I have never once heard a colleague moaning about a gift
3. I don't drink and have received many bottles of wine. I simply regift/take to parties etc
4. If any child or parent is kind enough to get me a gift, I appreciate it. My desk has lots of little trinkets on that I have been given

5.. Mugs are great you can put pens in, or paperclips, our staffroom has loads of them, that we can all share.

Nothing about this should be competitive or judgey. It's heen a hard time recently for teachers so presents and cards are always welcome but the smallest and cheapest of things are great.

That's why I buy them essentials, like pens, paperclips, prit stick, sticky notes etc... things they can actually use!

I would be so chuffed if I had 30 boxes of chocolates 🍫

I always thought gift cards were a nice way to say "thank you", along with a heartfelt note of things one appreciates a teacher for doing.

Cards are lovely. Chocolate is good and alcohol if you drink it.

I wouldn’t want anything that I had to keep like mugs/ teddies. Imagine having to find space for 30 gifts.

Id say a gift card is the best gift, £5 for Costa etc. Or a joint gift card from the class.