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Original poster

Christmas presents for teachers - what did you do?

33 replies

SigmaPi26 · 15/12/2018 22:36

There was a class collection for the teacher and TA. Suggested amounts were £10 for the teacher and £5 for the TA. Of course it was not compulsory to contribute, so I chose not to, but to buy presents instead. However I think most parents contributed to the collection, but then I saw lots bring presents in, too. Is this what normally happens? Contribute to the collection AND buy presents? What did you do in terms of presents for teachers?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 15/12/2018 22:38

We've never had class collections. Just gave my own stuff - toiletries or wine normally

HolesinTheSoles · 16/12/2018 10:54

We had a class collection which went towards vouchers. Some parents did additional gifts - usually just a bottle or small box of posh chocolates.

MadameJosephine · 16/12/2018 11:05

I’ve never bought a Christmas present for a teacher but if I had it would have been a token one. Surely £10 per child would add up to quite a lot and would need to be declared to their professional body/HMRC? I’m a midwife and am not allowed to accept a high value gift

ginyogarepeat · 16/12/2018 11:24

DCs school has a policy of requesting no staff present, but asks for donations to nominated charity instead. This year it's a local food bank. Much better and it's a relief to be honest - probably for the teachers too!

wherethekestrelscall · 16/12/2018 19:26

Little bag of homemade cookies, made by the kids. Costs a couple of quid to do everyone, and it's a bit personal. Parents in our school used to do class collections but seem to have stopped in the last couple of years - I think partly because people are hard up, and partly because they're realising that teachers can actually get quite embarrassed by generous gifts.

PoutySprout · 16/12/2018 19:28

Little bag of homemade cookies, made by the kids. Costs a couple of quid to do everyone, and it's a bit personal.

And likely to be binned. No teacher I know eats anything that doesn’t come in a packet. They have no idea how hygienic the home is that it’s coming from.

neversleepagain · 16/12/2018 19:31

I gave a Emma Bridgewater Christmas mug and a small box of Charbonnel et Walker truffles.

MacarenaFerreiro · 16/12/2018 19:32

We have a mum in our class organising a present for the teacher. Suggested contribution was £5. Most people contribute, and definitely don't buy something else too.

missyB1 · 16/12/2018 19:38

There was a school in the news last week that banned presents for the teachers and said if people wanted to spend something they could contribute to a local charity. I'm all in favour of that idea, this gift giving for teaching staff has got out of hand.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 16/12/2018 19:41

I'm a teacher and I've never binned an offering of food! Teachers are the only people I know who will eagerly seize the dried up sandwiches i the staff room, which are lurking from last night's governors' meeting and eat them.

I'd be grateful for the home made biscuits, thanks.

ny20005 · 16/12/2018 19:43

I've made red velvet cupcakes for teachers & afterschool club this year

ginyogarepeat · 16/12/2018 20:46

Yes @missyB1, that's what I'd posted about too. My DC's school does exactly that. Such a better idea.

Pibplob · 16/12/2018 20:56

I worked in a school and also wouldn’t have eaten anything homemade. Sorry.

I’ve alwas bought a box of biscuits for the teachers but this year most of the class is contributing £10 for one of my child’s teachers. The other child’s class isn’t doing anything. I’m broke so this is the first year I won’t be contributing. Feel a bit bad but hey. I always contribute to the summer collections but think it’s a bit over the top for xmas too. Especially when one of my children has two teachers and two TA’s. The other has 1 of each so that’s 6 people to buy for. Even biscuits will add up this year.

wherethekestrelscall · 17/12/2018 07:27

What! Do people really do this?? I work in a school too (not a teacher) and I would happily hoover up any homemade food that came my way, as would the teachers I know. What do you think's going to happen to you from eating these terrible contaminated cookies?! There are much nastier things in some mass-produced food than there are in a home kitchen. Do your schools never do PTA bake sales?? Would you not allow your kids to eat a cupcake from something like that?

MacarenaFerreiro · 17/12/2018 07:47

People really do. I was boggled by this too. Lots of germphobic people who won't ever eat anything not prepared by themselves, or in a professional kitchen. Very odd.

LikeSilver · 17/12/2018 08:39

I’ve never organised or been asked to contribute to a class collection at my children’s school. Their teachers/TAs are getting a Costa gift card from us.

I’m a TA in a deprived area and don’t expect gifts although they are very much appreciated. We often get some chocolates to share.

MarchingFrogs · 17/12/2018 09:19

@MacarenaFerreiro - not in a school setting, but I used to work with someone who 'couldn't eat anything she hadn't prepared herself'. She seemed to be able to make an exception for M&S Millionaire Shortbread bites, however, should anyone provide them for a staff 'do'Hmm.

Original poster
SigmaPi26 · 17/12/2018 19:34

It's nice to hear that some schools have a policy of donating to charity instead. I think that's a great idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
SigmaPi26 · 17/12/2018 19:38

I've baked things for the teachers in the past. It never occurred to me that it might have just been thrown away.

OP posts:
MarchingFrogs · 17/12/2018 19:45

I've baked things for the teachers in the past. It never occurred to me that it might have just been thrown away.

I can't say that I / our DC ever have, but it wouldn't occur to me, either, that gifts might automatically meet this fate, unless the school specifically published a 'No homemade food' policy. In which case, of course, we wouldn't have anyway.

PoutySprout · 17/12/2018 21:03

Do your schools never do PTA bake sales?? Would you not allow your kids to eat a cupcake from something like that?

No, we don’t.

wherethekestrelscall · 17/12/2018 21:13

Don't worry marchingfrogs, if it didn't get eaten by the intended recipient it would certainly find a grateful home somewhere in the staffroom Grin.

fruitpastille · 17/12/2018 21:27

The only problem with homemade is that there is often lots of it at the end of term and it doesn't keep very well so it's sometimes hard to get it all eaten! I don't know anyone who turns it down due to hygiene.

HonestTeacher · 18/12/2018 10:19

My class has organised a collection for me which I realised when a child in my class tried to give me the £5 for his contribution (was meant to give it to another child to give to her mum). Although very grateful, I feel very uncomfortable with the whole thing. I live in a deprived area and honestly would prefer them to keep their money. I don't want parents to feel pressured into giving me things. The thing I love the most is a card with a personalised message in it and that would be more than enough.

I'm one of those who does not eat home made treats though- I have anxiety and worry a lot about hygiene.

HopeGarden · 18/12/2018 10:22

There was a collection organised for one of my DCs teachers but not the other.

So we contributed to the collection for teacher A and got a bottle of wine for teacher B.

I wouldn’t contribute to a collection for a teacher and then give the same teacher an individual present.