Decent Xmas presents for teachers

[QuaintPanda]

A friend and I are in charge of procuring the class Christmas presents for the teachers in our kids‘ class.

My friend wants to buy Best Teacher mugs and the like. I‘d like a present they could enjoy or benefit from.

Any teachers out there who could share what is really appreciated?

Two teachers for a class of 8-9yr olds. We don’t know them that well yet…

1. Male, early 30s, wicked sense of humour, due to get married soon. Specialist PE teacher
2. Female, late 20s, specialist English (as foreign language) teacher.

School is in Germany and we could probably stretch to €25-€30 (£20-25) per teacher. It’s a big class!

a week's subscription to hellofresh has always gone down a treat at our school :)

Vouchers? John Lewis, M&S, coffee shop or similar? They will have a best teacher mug, I promise!!!!

Vouchers only. Poor teachers just do not want or need the endless tat in their lives.

That’s why I started this thread ;-)

Im a teacher. 100% get vouchers (John lewis), and a card- maybe all the kids to write a message in it?

An email to their boss explaining why they're fab.

I don’t think John Lewis vouchers would be much use in Germany! Do you have a similar sort of shop, even a supermarket. Some companies offer vouchers you can use in a wide range of stores.

Failing that, something consumable that could also be regifted if they don’t like it (decent chocolates, wine, etc.).

I always put £5 costa voucher in DD teachers christmas cards (she has 2 main teachers and then 2 TAs that help alot).

I assume teachers always need coffee and there's 2 Costas close by the school.

We’ve got the Wunschgutschein, which is a voucher you can use at about 30 different places, including Amazon and the German version of Asos. I think that may be our answer!

No teacher in the world probably wants a 'Best Teacher' mug. Ask your friend what she would like to receive 30 of and suggests she buys that.

So no 'teacher tat' and also think carefully about consumables as likewise, no-one wants 30 boxes of biscuits and probably doesn't even want 30 bottles of wine, unless it's your favourite type and you have somewhere to store it, for example, I'd happily receive 30 bottles of cava, but 30 bottles of red wine would be me set for raffle prizes and tombola donations forever more.

A voucher and a nice card is probably the best choice and the Wunschgutschein sounds like a really flexible option. I always raise an eyebrow when people suggest John Lewis vouchers. I've never bought anything from there and not sure I know anyone who does. I find their shops really overwhelming and it would be a real chore to find something that I want from there and isn't cheaper and easier to obtain from elsewhere.

It’s one present from the whole class, so we should be ok! Will be going with the multi-retailer voucher.

Germany tends to be a lot more muted with Christmas presents. And the group present can’t exceed €50 for tax purposes. It’s a very different set up to the UK!

Other than I don’t think either of them would appreciate teacher tat. The male teacher has a coffee mug with ‘pupils’ tears, still warm’ on it…

Nobody wants a best teacher mug

Can I second the idea of an email to the headteacher extolling their virtues, as well as a voucher?

thanks @QuaintPanda I was a bit confused by the amount, as it did sound like you were organising a whole class present, but the amount seemed low if lots of people were contributing.

A 50 euro limit sounds much more sensible as parents can literally donate a euro or two, which will be affordable for most, and most people will be happy to do this rather than having to choose, buy and wrap a present, there will be no one-upmanship amongst the wealthy parents giving huge gifts, no-one will end up with 30 'world's best teacher' mugs and no-one will get their knickers in a knot about the collection adding up to hundreds of euros/pounds like it would here if everyone chucked in a fiver towards a voucher claiming it would be better if instead they got a great pile of cheap gifts worth the same amount of money but largely useless and unwanted.

Amazon vouchers so that can get something they want or need. No bloody mugs or chocolates etc.

I love the idea. I’ll consider it at Easter. For various reasons, it wouldn’t be good to contact the head right now.

It’s an extremely small school (head plus 7 teachers), total of 6 classes.

We’ve only had 6 weeks of teaching so far this academic year. One teacher is brand new. And parents don’t typically have contact with the teachers - there isn’t a school gate, kids walk themselves to school and back. I didn’t know what either teacher looked like until last week!

Imagine being that hardworking teacher rubbing their hands wondering what the gift from a whole class of parents is and some unimaginative PTA cunt decides it’s a ‘best teacher’ mug. 🙄

Well done on doing your research op. Sack your mate. Teachers deserve thoughtfulness.

Ex teacher of 30 years. Id say a voucher is definitely the answer. The FIRST time I had a mug I was chuffed😅

I would hate that

To anyone despairing at the no teacher tat comments- friend is a teacher and has shown us all the Christmas ornaments and mugs she has, laughingly saying she has never had to buy a mug and she loves them all and said she’s glad she was a teacher before people stared just giving out vouchers (although last year she did have fun buying books with a book voucher and then reading with the chocolates she got!)

What I‘d also like to do is make a Christmas card with a collage of all the kids on it. Then, the teachers will have a small, easy to store keepsake. With a lovely, appreciative message in, of course.

Friend thinks it might be too much hard work. But I‘ve won her over on the voucher - and think I‘ve dissuaded her from buying baubles and other tree ornaments to stick on the envelope.

You friend should have a browse around a charity shop and see the number of discarded best teacher mugs!

I must say I'm not a fan of mugs, but I do love all the Christmas ornaments I get from children. They come out every year to go on my tree, and it makes me think of the child when I hang them up!

Is hello fresh in Germany now??

The school is in Germany, as stated in the OP...