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Original poster

To all the teachers who spend their hard-earned cash on little gifts for the children...

44 replies

HoneyandHaycorns · 22/12/2011 00:21

...thank you, your gifts are truly appreciated by your small charges, but really, you do enough all year, and you really don't have to give them presents on top.

DD is in year 2, and for the third year running, she has received a thoughtful little gift, carefully wrapped, from her beloved teacher. I'm sure that these gifts are paid for by the teachers from their own pockets, and they must spend ages wrapping them all. DD was thrilled to receive something this year, and she really does cherish these items because they have come from her teachers. However, I worry that this becomes almost an expectation, and I wonder if some teachers feel under pressure to conform, just as some parents might also feel obliged to buy gifts for the teachers that they can't really afford.

But thank you, you really are kind. And fwiw, I still have the card that my reception class teacher gave to me at Christmas, 33 years on, so you will not be forgotten!

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RhondaGotStuckInTheChimneyRoo · 22/12/2011 00:26

Last year my DD came home with a little bag of treats - Haribo, a fancy pencil, little note-book and a gorgeous bauble.

The bauble is now part of our 'special' set of Christmas decorations (along with 'Baby's First Christmas' and a tree decoration my mum brought back from Prague - the first decoration I bought for my first ever 'grown-up' tree etc).

It was very much appreciated and I did wonder at the cost to the poor teacher! I always make sure that DD's gifts to teacher are well thought through, I can't afford anything fancy but for example this year she got some bubble bath, a small christmas pud, some sweets and a handmade card. Makes a change from chocolates and wine (although I'd be ok with 10 bottles of wine/tins of sweets....Grin )

Orchidskeepdying · 22/12/2011 09:57

I always get a little pressie for each of my year 1 class... Yes with my own money...I work in a
Deprived area and know some children wont get much... The school also pays
for whole class pressies (games to play at lunch time) which are delivered by 'santa'. It is a lovely time to be a teacher!

whatstheetiquette · 22/12/2011 09:59

One of my children came home with a little paper bag containing a nice tree decoration with the date and class name on it and a choc coin. He was really, really happy with it and the dec will be kept and hung on tree every year.

aries12 · 22/12/2011 10:12

I too would like to say that my Dd came home with a present from her teacher and the TA. It was very much appreciated and I know how busy teachers are with plays/assemblies/shows e.t.c.
It takes a long time to wrap and personalise 30 little presents and it's a very kind gesture. The TA also gave each child a present and that really is not expected. Young children love those little wrapped things ...no matter what is in them...and thank you to all those taechers and TA's who are so kind and caring.

FrothingBeserker · 22/12/2011 10:16

I would like to add my thanks.

dd2 came home with a present (sitting under the tree waiting for the big day) and some chocolate. BUT she is dairy allergic, and her teacher had bothered to source dairy free chocolate for her which really made me well up (pregnant hormones emoticon)

Runoutofideas · 22/12/2011 13:00

My dd came home with a little santa lolly which she was very pleased with, but I was even more impressed when dd said "It is dairy free, gluten free, egg free, nut free, gelatine free and celery free - so no-one was left out and we all had the same" They must have been hard to find!

LoopyLoopsWoopDeWoops · 22/12/2011 13:05

:)

hocuspontas · 22/12/2011 13:16

For each child I wrap up 3 chocolate santas in red cellophane, tie it up with fancy ribbon and attach a handmade label, usually a holly leaf or christmas tree made out of green card . Every year I think, do parents think I'm cheap? (I'm a TA). Reading this thread has made me feel better! It takes me ages but I can't afford to spend more on a 'decent' present!

IndigoBell · 22/12/2011 14:01

do parents think I'm cheap? - No. We really don't expect presents from the teachers, and certainly not from the TAs.

Anything we get is considered above and beyond the call of duty. If my kids got nothing from anyone I wouldn't think badly of them at all.

I now only give to the teachers who are good, and to the TAs who particularly help my children. I certainly don't expect presents from their TAs and teachers.

Nor do I expect the teachers and TAs to think badly of me if I don't give them a present - though in a few cases I hope they realise why they haven't been given anything.

nowwearefour · 22/12/2011 14:10

both my dds this year got a card signed from every single member of staff in the school too (in addition to the individually wrapped gifts they both received). It was mind blowing- i cannot express my thanks enough either. both are totally treasuring their gifts.

jubilee10 · 23/12/2011 09:03

Ds3 got a little parcel from his teacher with some sweets and stickers and a card with two chocolate Santas from the TA. He was delighted and so was I.

Bibbob · 23/12/2011 09:06

My son's teacher hand knitted each child an animal finger puppet. My DS got a peacock, others got turtles, lizards with babies, snakes....Amazing. There are 30 children!

jamdonut · 23/12/2011 09:42

I gave the children in my class a chocolate Santa lolly and a christmas card. (I'm a TA). The teacher gave a card and a mini chocolate bar. Children seemed thrilled. It is a pleasure to give them all something. I usually do something at Easter too. Xmas Smile

suzamazanne · 23/12/2011 23:05

My ds came home on party day with a wrapped selection box 'from santa'. Then on the last day of term came out of school with a decorated bag (which they had used in school as an advent calendar) containing sweets, biscuits and pencils. He also had a gift from his teachers. As ds is as impatient as me he opened it as soon as we got home. It was a hardback story book that was relevant to the topic that they had done last term. I kind of felt guilty when I had sent in a tin of chocolates, which ds later informed me that the teachers had shared with the children!!
I am eternally grateful of these gifts but must now get my thinking cap on for something unique and individual for the end of the year! (Ds will be moving class after being in a mixed R/Y1 class for 2 years!!)

unreasonablemuch · 23/12/2011 23:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueElephant90 · 24/12/2011 17:14

Where do you all live? I'll move to where ever you are.
My ds gave a present to every single teacher, TA, helper,...he didn't get even a thank you card:( His teachers gave them the smallest Xmas cards on the planet!!! Please let me know where you are all hiding...

BlueElephant90 · 24/12/2011 17:17

I think a teacher who goes out of her way to wrap up little presents for 30 children must be a very caring and a wonderful teacher. I am sure she'll go the extra mile in her teaching as well. Thank you for doing that wherever you are.

somedayillbesaturdaynite · 24/12/2011 17:20

My dd's reception teacher even handmade candycane decorations for each child in her class!!! Am in awe :)

Fraidylady · 24/12/2011 18:00

I am astounded by all this, and am wondering what teacher has time to knit 30 finger puppets and run a class at the same time at the end of the Christmas Term. Shock
I hate to spoil the fluffy thread, but why should teachers buy presents for their pupils from their own money? Surely it's beyond the call of professional duty!
What are they achieving by doing this?

aleene · 24/12/2011 18:09

Fraidylady i think you will find that teachers are experts in time management! I expect that teacher did her knitting in her spare time (teachers are allowed to have some Xmas Wink ) or started very early in the year. And we do it in the spirit of giving. Teachers pay for many things for their class or classroom from their own pockets and this is one of those things.

Fraidylady · 24/12/2011 18:15

But teaching is a profession.... not a child-minding service! Teachers work hard and earn a salary. I don't see why they should spend any of that money on Christmas presents for the children. It's almost like buying favour judging by some of the posts.

mrz · 24/12/2011 18:22

I bought all my class a book because as many don't have books at home and I want them to be able to read for pleasure (not just reading scheme books) ... so entirely selfish on my part

petersham · 24/12/2011 18:22

Last year, the GTP trainee (who was apparently not doing very well and had been quite indifferent towards the children all term ) really went overboard with the presents. DD recd around seven different items (some of them quite big) plus handmade cards and home made cupcakes. They still failed her Xmas Sad though.

snowball3 · 24/12/2011 18:29

We spend 6 hours a day, 190 days a year with our children ( and I have taught my current class in Reception, Year 1, year 3, year 5 and now year 6) and they do become that "OUR" children. (Quite honestly I see more of my "school" children than I do my own children some days!) So whilst it is a profession, it is also a caring profession and for many teachers that means sharing and giving not just our time but tokens of our care too. It's not a case of buying favour (who would I be buying it from?) but of giving some children a visible sign that we are there for them and are thinking about them.

Fraidylady · 24/12/2011 18:43

I think this is one of the reasons teachers aren't taken seriously. ON one hand they're striking for more money and proper pensions and on the other, they're using their own money to buy presents for the children. What other professional people will do this?

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