Presents for teachers

[attheendoftheday]

Can anyone help me with ideas for teacher's presents? I am wanting to get something small (£5 or so) for quite a few different teachers/TAs/group leaders. Last year I did chocs, the year before I did notebooks.

Any good ideas for this year?

Can you make Christmas gingerbread men or something like that?

At the end of term we made a bag of cookies for each teacher which seemed to go down well.

Scented candles always go down well imo, sainsbos do some nice ones reasonably priced.

My mum is a teacher, she says she is touched by gifts but they are unnecessary, if you are going to give something home made by the child is better than a box of thorntons or echo falls.

Last year she got a nice flannel reindeer filled with some soap, she really liked that.
thewhoot.com.au/whoot-news/crafty-corner/reindeer-wash-cloths

Could be easy/cheap enough to knock up a few for all the people you want, could easily get DC involved writing tags etc.

Maybe I was the world's grumpiest teacher but I would say don't buy presents. It's nice to be appreciated but a card does that and can be recycled. You don't end up with a culture of competitive giving with just cards because anyone can make one with a sheet of paper and they can be recycled after Christmas. You always end up with loads of candles, mugs, key rings, chocolate and stationery that you don't want but feel bad giving away.

I used to feel very sorry for the kids in class whose parents couldn't afford a present and the child clearly felt bad about it (even though I never wanted or expected a present). I wish schools would bring in a no present rule and have a charity donation pot instead.

attempting to make some Christmas tree decorations with white clay and biscuit cutters, though if the results are awful may have to think again!

Thank you for the replies and ideas.

I nearly didn't post this for fear of reawakening the 'should we give teachers presents' debate. I know it is tricky, but there's a culture of it at my dc's school and I don't want them to feel left out.

I always wonder about homemade things..I would be happy to do it, but mn threads have always led me to believe that most teachers would assume they were full of snot and dribble and not eat them.

I like the reindeer flannel, thanks for that.

Last year I bought each one a Christmas tree decoration.

I buy them a tin of biscuits to share with the TAs

I am seriously considering giving the whole thing up this year and just doing hm cards.

Our teachers have now taken to writing thank you notes to the children. It's really kind and the DC are thrilled, but the absolute last thing I want to do is impose extra work on the teachers! Plus I'm embarrassed as we only get them a little thing anyway, usually chosen or made by the child so they tend to be a bit random.

Linpin My mum loved all the homemade cards she got last year at christmas off the kids in her class (yr5).

I am an ex primary school teacher - presents are very unnecessary and a card is better. Homemade edibles are problematic - one year I got 36 cupcakes (all made by hygienic parents so no concerns about snot and pet hair), all very beautiful but just too many. An Xmas decoration is a lovely idea - I still have one from someone in my first class ever and when I hang it on the tree , I always wonder what the little girl is doing now (probably a mother with her own children)

curry Edibles were never an issue in our house, soon got hoovered up by the massive amounts of visitors we got over christmas

hair they would have been stale by Xmas and the freezer was chockablock

We all put our £5 together to get them something really nice. Theatre vouchers etc.

I'm sure they're all very touched at receiving things. But, really, who wants 30 cheap boxes of chocolates/notepads/bubble bath twice a a year? (Xmas and end of year)

It would drive me insane. As if the crap you get off the rellies isn't bad enough!

A think a handmade card/picture and accompanying letter from the child is much nicer.

I'll be getting ours those little Molton Brown Christmas baubles with shower gel in from boots on 3 for 2

curry be thankful you don't have my greedy brother to fend off any time any food comes in the house!

Can you make Christmas gingerbread men or something like that? At the end of term we made a bag of cookies for each teacher which seemed to go down well.

Sorry- many teachers don't eat homemade food- that is why they all have fat dogs. Love the snot and dog hair comment above.

When you sit and watch the darlings picking their noses and eating it all day, it must put you right off eating food coming from their house. Not that the parents are picking their noses (necessarily), but, still. 😖

How about a Christmas tree decoration or lottery tickets?

Ahh! Thankfully out of this one now, all Dcs at secondary school or beyond. Another milestone i don't regret. smug and unhelpful

If I'm honest I love getting little presents. I've had everything from a key ring to a huge bunch of flowers delivered to school and I loved them all equally!! I love the thought of a decoration, such a sweet idea!!! Don't ever be embarrassed about a small present no one thinks like that! And please don't worry about adding to work load I get kids a card n small gift anyway, most people I work with do too x x x

I'm a teacher and pretty much always post on these threads saying that it's unnecessary. We get paid, a card or a thank you is lovely but we really don't need presents.
This year I have been looking at the cafod/oxfam gifts with a difference
E.G. Buying chickens or a goat for somebody to improve living conditions.
So, my suggestion is if you want to buy something club together with a few others and buy one of these.

Obviously it is not necessary to buy presents. However, it is always nice to get a gift - I actually like Boots gift sets, chocolate and wine. If I don't like a gift or can't use it then I would pass it on to a family member/friend and thank the child as if it was one of my favourite presents.
I always write personal thank you notes to the children because I think if they have taken the time to choose something, I can take a few minutes to acknowledge and thank them.
If you have lots of staff you want to buy for, then boxes of chocs and biscuits for the staff room are nice and they keep so will brighten up January. Cupcakes are also appreciated but ideally not on the very last day as sometimes there is not time to eat them
I am in the "saving for later" camp with homemade food that hasn't been cooked - I always ask the child if they helped to make it. I used to run a cooking club...

Thanks for all the ideas. It's a minefield!

I will continue to steer clear of homemade food, I think. Sounds like an Xmas decoration might be they way to go.

Last year I got the young teacher glittery nail polish from Next as I hAd noticed she always wore polish, have bought plain baubles and DS decorated with glitter etc, little set of bath oil from Aromatherapy Associates another year,

This year - firs male teacher - any ideas ?