teacher / ta presents again. which would you choose (if any)

[shelley72]

Three weekends of shopping in actual real shops has left me dazed and confused. Have one teacher and ta to buy for - probably late 40s. which should I get - wine (not sure if/what they drink), chocolates, pretty hand cream or something else?

Finding shopping so hard this year

I would get the wine, then hand cream or a small box from Lush. Teacher friends always seem to "complain" (I don't mean that in a bad way!) that they get too much chocolate.

I tend to steer clear of wine as i hate it personally and not everyone drinks. What are their tastes? Do they wear necklaces, scarves etc?

If going generic, i would say slim travel mugs with good sillicone lids are great as can be used in the classroom or playground duty (not normal mugs as staffroom must be heaving with them), nice pens, post its or reward stickers or a personalised stamp.

As someone who doesn't drink these days I am a bit unsure of buying wine. Teacher always seems to have nice accessories but from what I can see shops in joules, boden, white stuff. Which is a bit £££ for teacher gifts for us anyway.
Thank you for the replies

I'm grateful for any gifts - apart from wine!

A lot of people seem to assume that everybody drinks wine. I have a cupboard with at least 5 bottles waiting to be rehomed

Any of your other suggestions would be welcome

How about a nice Christmas decoration? M&s have some nice ones for about £5

Christmas decoration would be a good idea.

The usual suggestions seem to postulate that all staffrooms are entirely populated by BO-ridden alcoholics/chocoholics who live in smelly houses.

We have got DDs teacher a pint mug. It is white, so DD is going to decorate it with special pens.

I got it because she ( teacher) told me that all the children laugh at her current ' now you are 30' mug, but it was the only one which was big enough to hold her diet coke. I really like her!

I'm always happy to receive chocolate, smellies ( Lush, Body Shop, TK Maxx all do very acceptable smellies at good prices). I think scarves etc are more difficult as people have very personal tastes, so probably best avoided if you don't know them well. I also love stationery and pens, and pretty mugs ( but not "teacher" ones). Some pupils in my class made little packets of biscuits or sweets last year which were also very nice.
Also handmade card with lovely message - makes me feel all warm and christmassy!
Vouchers also nice - even £5 WHS voucher was much appreciated so I could choose a book or posh magazine!.

I got DS's teacher a sagaform Christmas candle holder a bit like this royaldesign.co.uk/viewitem.aspx?ID=77512. My Mum was a teacher and she said she liked little Christmassy things. When she got them out each year she would remember who gave them to her. She wasn't so keen on sweets, smelly stuff etc.

I am feeling a bit worried as a mother is trying to organise vouchers for the teacher and I have politely declined as DS had already chosen something. I haven't heard back from her so I think I have offended- and he is only in P1.

Am always grateful for anything I receive but if I was going to be honest.....
Things I'd be happy to receive:
-Lush bath bomb (just one would do)

• M&S biscuits or shortbread
• Wine (any, always gets drunk by someone)
• Chocolates (my kids eat them if not me)
• Nice pens
• Hand cream
• Some mittens for playground duty
• Whittards hot chocolate
• Any amount vouchers

Things I'd politefully receive but.....

• accessories esp jewellery (always feel obliged to wear it, prob not my style)
• Mugs
• Homemade baked goods (depends who from....!)
• Plants
• Personalised stamps (I prob wouldn't ever use them)
• Any 'teacher' branded things

Hope I dont sound too ungrateful. I'm only saying this from my online hiding place!

A mug printed with Michael Gove is a twat might be popular if the comments by my friends who are teachers are anything to go by! It'd take a braver person than me to buy it though.

Would love a card saying thanks - I'm secondary and so rarely happens. I bought amazon vouchers for my DDs nursery staff - can be used on almost anything on amazon. I also love mugs!

I sometimes think about getting secondary school teacher's gifts, I think it's just that there are so many teachers to buy for and the tutor hardly sees the children - my DD sees her for however long it takes to do the register twice a day and that is it so it's not like she's doing anything much for my DD. She clearly doesn't know what DD is like as a person given some of the things she has suggested to her on occasions - hell would freeze over before DD would do some of the stuff that has been suggested to her as DD considered it rude to do what was suggested.

That's my personal opinion of Michael Gove too, but can't tell what DS's teacher thinks of him. Suppose they could fight over it in the staff room!

Yes, could be difficult going down the Michael Gove route...I know one teacher who seems to think he is wonderful (she keeps close counsel on the subject) but anybody else I know in education hates him.
I have no idea what to get for my DC's teachers for Xmas.

There is a notebook on Amazon you can get called 'My Teaching Philosophy' or something like that. It pretends to be a proper book with 'inspirational chapters' but is really just blank pages.
I'd wet myself if one of my parents have me that!

Gave not have!

The head teacher at my DS's school has that book

I don't drink but I keep getting wine as a gift eventhough it's common knowledge at work that I don't drink .

So no, don't buy wine as they may end up passing it on to somebody else.

Try the dotcome gift shop for inspiration.

www.dotcomgiftshop.com/home-0