The what are you giving the teachers thread?

[3duracellbunnies]

My dc always want to make something for their teachers, so we usually opt out of the collective money in the pot and give them a christmas decoration and some truffles/biscuits. Usually well recieved. Decided would also be nice to give to the volunteers who run rainbows/brownies/playgroup. So have 15 teachers/TAs/preschool workers - about 5 per child, plus about another 10 volunteers.

Decided to make a combination of button snowmen/trees/ father christmases, and felty christmas trees. Can't decide now whether to give random selection across the different places or to e.g. Give button figures to rainbow/brownie/volunteers and felty trees to school etc so I can swop them over next year. Last year we made pipecleaner fairy/angels, but they were a bit fiddly and the dc did get bored. No doubt this year too I will end up finishing some of them off. Am I the only one thinking about it already?

[notactuallyme]

Cath kidston memo pads this year. Love ths secondary staff room tin of chocs - will nick that.

[2kidsintow]

I've just ordered my DDs teacher one of the memo notepads that is in the shape of an apple. My DD will make and decorate a little box to package it in.
As a teacher, I'm always using little notepads and the like, so hopefully it will go down well.

(I am in the don't-eat-it-if-you-don't-know-where-it's-from camp I'm afraid. Especially after tucking into a lovely looking cupcake from one of the lovely girls in my class to find that it was full of cat hair. Ew)

[mameulah]

I am a teacher and I have been really lucky and have received very many extremely generous gifts over the years. The gifts have varied from the homemade type to an individual giving me a £50 m and s voucher, to a collective £100 voucher from a whole class.

Honestly, the homemade food type gift generally always raises suspicion in the staffroom. I used to work somewhere that people referred to the food as being from a 'safe family' (hygiene wise) or not. Sorry, I know it is rude but it is what happened.

My absolute favourite thing to receive at school is always a thank you letter.

[Onadietcolabreak]

Last year DS wanted to make almost all the teachers, TAs and staff a little Decoration each, so we used cookie cutters and Fimo and got a little production line going finished them off with preety ribbon and a little bell and stamped on the year, cost less than £10 for around 6 teachers and had some left for his own tree and he had fun making them!

The Head was absolutely ecstatic with hers, she said every year it will go one the tree and she will remember DS, she sent him his own thank you note in the post, which he loved they were even mentioned in his end of year report

I gave his teacher a framed photo of the school Christmas play, because she was an extra special teacher she said she was so touched.

With all the thanks we got, Some other parents got a bit as they had spent a small fortune on wine and choccys and just got a quick thanks.

[mummytime]

My DD and some of her friends got their form tutor some baby gifts when she left for maternity leave in year 7. I have been known to donate chocolates (big tin) for the staff, with a nice card, and some flowers for the SENCO in secondary.
Primary we used to do home made, and may try again this year. We have done a cookie tree using cutters from Lakeland.

[kiwidreamer]

I've totally stolen your idea insanityscratching I found a seller on ebay flogging gold bells for £1.10 per 100, they might be slightly smaller than the one the blog refers to but we'll just put more bells on or make smaller wreaths.

I found ltd edition Lindor truffle boxes (jubilee) reduced at Waitrose yesterday, down to £1.49 from around £4 (tho they often go on special to £3ish). I will decant into xmassy bags with ribbon, include one of the wreaths we will start making during half term and some organic body wash & scrub for his teacher... I'm thinking about some funky socks I saw the other day maybe too :):)

[HappyAsEyeAm]

DS started recepetion this year, so I'm new to presents for the teacher. I can see that a collective gift from the whole class to the teacher is a good thing, and parents can decide if they'd like to contribute.

But how to go about organising this? DS is at a small private school and there are 10 other children in his class. The breakfast and after school clubs are well attended. I don't use either, and I have only met about 3 other reception class parents, so we don't all come into contact with each other.

There is a contact sheet, but not all parents' details are on the contact sheet.

[3duracellbunnies]

Still haven't started my 30 odd decorations, baby sitting sat pm so will try to get a move on along with a play mat for ds, toy penguin dd2 has specifically asked me to make (I have no specific skills in penguin making beyond having made a seal from a kit when I was 20; now she wants something to go with it!). Maybe the teachers will have to have a ping pong covered in bits of sheet music!

[Bethnick]

as a nursery nurse i would say a drum of celebrations to share ans a Christmas hug. chocolate always goes down well at the nurseries I have worked in we divvy out the chocks and bickies on the last day and I always think of the little uns on Christmas day. one mum gave me a book mark with a little photo on it as we are not allowed to take pictures (for obvious reasons) and i must say i treasure it its so cute.

[insanityscratching]

My older dd (secondary school) bought a little gift for the teachers she liked at Christmas. The Art teacher got a tacky Christmas tie that played music because he was somewhat eccentric. He was really chuffed and wore it to school. She bought her English teacher a notebook and made cupcakes for her form tutor.I think it's not expected but definitely appreciated.

[insanityscratching]

3duracell I got them here so really cheap delivered free within a fortnight. I think by the time I've costed in the wire and ribbon they will work out at less than £1 each.

[HSMM]

DD gave her yr7 teacher a small gift (because she was really fab) and was really chuffed to get a thank you note back.

[pigleychez]

Last xmas I had 7 nursery staff to buy for.
I made some homemade fudge and sweets which we put in little cellophane bags and each person had a little felt gingerbread man decoration with their initial on it.

They seemed to go down very well. :) pics here

This year I have the Nursery staff plus teacher and 2 TA's! so will be following this thread for ideas!

[3duracellbunnies]

They look good, but need loads of bells, are they expensive? The buttons have come, but didn't know there could be so many tiny red buttons! Can't use them for santa unless I give him two legs (instead of just one button) but that might be a bit fiddly. Maybe could use some of the little green ones (which can be used for top of trees too) and make red and green wreaths. Any other ideas for decorations with tiny (5mm) red buttons?

[insanityscratching]

Dd will make these and attach them to a Costa giftcard.

[deleted203]

Pourquoimoi It is (sadly) generally the norm. Although, to be fair, I've generally taught in fairly rough, challenging schools in my 20 odd years. Perhaps in lovely schools they give presents to teachers. I used to be a Y7 form tutor for several years in my last school and one year I did have about 4 kids give me a Christmas present - and I was really, really touched. You could ask other mums of Y7 kids, but honestly, I don't think his tutor will expect anything. My DD2 finished her GCSEs last summer and her form clubbed together and bought their form tutor a Kindle when they left!!!! A bloody Kindle. Sigh...I've taught in the wrong schools... (Although her form tutor was a very nice lady and apparently cried when they gave it to her, as she wasn't expecting anything).

[planestrainsautomobiles]

Earlier today, I bought a boden dotty scarf for the teacher & one for the TA.

My son just started reception and they both seem lovely and are slightly older so thought a dotty scarf would go down well.

[Pourquoimoi]

sowornout - I had wondered about that as DS has just gone into y7. Is the norm that no presents get given?

[DoubleMum]

Nothing - they have just introduced a no present policy. : (

[everydayaschoolday]

loubielou yes, thank you that was helpful. I take you point about kiddies cooking (a friend at work feels the same). I ordered a couple of nice notebooks today in M&S. .

[3duracellbunnies]

Though I love tablet and hate fudge, very different texture imho, think on second thoughts tablet might be too good for the teachers, wasted on them wonders if could make tablet without anyone else in family realising, then fast for a week to shift the calories

[Dosey]

Thank you I will look that recipe up

[deleted203]

Tablet is Scottish fudge. I would kill for homemade tablet

[Dosey]

What is tablet ?

[3duracellbunnies]

Our teachers don't seem to worry about the source of the food, or maybe they just trust me!! I tend to get the children more involved in the measuring and mixing than hands on stuff. Both girls have TAs in their class who have very happily munched on them before so I know they will hoover up any left overs!

Was wondering about a box of biscuits for preschool and then just a decoration for ds's keyworker. He's only recently started and still haven't worked out how many are there on his days, is at least 5 but may be 6 or 7. That's quite a few decorations, plus I forgot earlier about all the Godparents, so that adds another 6 to the list!! Nearly 40 or so ornaments might be a tall order depending on how long each button one takes to make.