What do you give to your DC teachers at Christmas?

[LadyInPink]

There has been a big debate in the playground today about what will be given to the teacher for a Xmas present!

I was going to make some gingerbread with my DD and get her to decorate it and put it in a nice celophane bag as think that is quite a personal thoughtful present but some mums are saying they are going to buy Molten Brown stuff etc and i can't compete with that!

I do think it's lovely for the children to give their teacher something at xmas so definitely want to.

What do you give if anything?

Wine - it is the only way to go.

So far they have been well received every year.

The only exception would be a teacher who didn't drink (I get the DC to enquire prior to end of term if they prefer red or white?). Not sure what I would get them

Last year dd and I made mince meat filo parcels for her teacher and she loved them

This year we are thinking of something similar but with a twist to make it unique to dd

Someone said earlier Ragwort I think, that she does little personal notes expressing appreciation. I do that, and I get the impression it doesn't go down too well? Hmm.

This year I am sending in biscuits for staff room as I know most teachers do like that sort of thing, one teacher has said she cannot eat chocolate (sort of diplomatically like) so have eaten the ones I got for her and will get her some wine instead. I think the handmade crackers, gingerbread ideas etc are nice. If I was capable of shoving some paper together, let alone making a nice cracker, I'd do that!

In a big school, what do they do with all the chocolate? Do they put it in the staff room and try to get through it by Easter? !

I just buy chocolates that are on offer.

If I was a teacher I wouldn't eat anything "home-made". I would be touched by the effort but it would be binned straight away - all those germ infested hands - yuk!

I have made christmas pudding flavour vodka for my ds' teacher.

I will just get a tin of choccies for the assistants to share.

I once got given a bottle of homemade parsnip wine.

OMG the hnagover was dreadful

As a teacher I don't expect to be given anything and am always touched if a child has made a card or written a short and meaningful message inside. The school I've taught at for longest was in a very deprived area (think, condemned council blocks that are being torn down but used in the meantime for families who've just arrived in the country or who have been evicted for anti-social behaviour etc.) so any gifts that were given were much appreciated (including an out-of-date diary and half-used bubble bath). It is about the thought, not the gift. I'd be touched that a child wanted to bring me something; whether or not they actually did wouldn't matter.

As a parent I've never really done Christmas presents for school staff. If DD1 wants to get her adored teacher a pressie I'd probably encourage her to choose a book that can be added to the teacher's personal collection and can be written in by DD1. That way, when the teacher reads it to subsequent classes she'll be reminded of DD1's love for that topic.

We always give a decent bottle of wine to the class teacher and chocs to the assistants (M&S offer comes in handy for the purpose) plus home made card from dds.