Help me choose a present for a fab teacher

[KateF]

I really want to give dd2s teacher something to thank her for all the support she has given me and dd2 this year. We have had a tough time and she has been a rock for both of us, despite total lack of backup from the head. She is young (it's her first job), very outdoorsy, doesn't appear to be into clothes or makeup - any suggestions?

Thanks for those. She lives with her parents (local farmer's daughter) so better not buy housey things. Nice handcream is a good one as she does lots of gardening - can you recommend one as I have hand eczema so can't use lovely stuff .

if she's a gardener, what about a lovely trug

That's a great site bundle> I feel a garden theme coming on.....

How about some gardening gloves and some hand tools, like a fork, trowel etc, I'm sure you can get them with nice patterns on, but I don't know from where, sorry.

kidstone has nice gardening accessories in sale

Thanks-am also quite taken with movie vouchers idea from other teacher presents thread. Hurrah for Mumsnet

Working with teachers as a parent helper, I hear that what they really appreciate is a bottle of wine. I know what they mean but I dont like the thought of my 5 year old handing over booze, it doesnt seem right to me.

Get down Asda and get a helium silver foiled balloon with I love my Teacher on it.

You can beat the rush by getting the balloon now and keeping the receipt to return on day they leave school to have it filled with hellium.

mu mate who is a primary teacher says she likes getting champagne

(!)

she also likes gettign fancy posh notebooks and pens. not posh expensive mont blanc pens or whatever, but nice girly ones. and notebooks.

KNow nothing about wine as don't drink it myself. Would it have to be a particular sort of champagne to be acceptable or is the type stocked in Tesco/Waitrose etc ok? Might be nice for her to have a bottle of bubbly to celebrate surviving her first year lol.

tesco/waitrose would be fine kate

Hows about a nice teachers pen. I got myself one off ebay with a star on the end, so I can punch it on their reading record books for good reading. Cost about £6. They all love mine but wont buy them for themselves.

look here cgi.ebay.co.uk/Teacher-clix-pen-stamp-stampers-rubber-SMILEY-STAR_W0QQitemZ230151698296QQihZ0 13QQcategoryZ41258QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Speaking as a teacher, I can honestly say that if I am given a present (no matter what), it is really, really appreciated.

I have worked in schools in affluent areas, where the parents did seem to compete to buy the poshest presents - but they mean less in some way, than the presents I have had from the kids I teach in my current school - inner-city comp., high level of deprivation.

The nicest gift I have ever received was a box of home-made chocolate muffins - from a girl in my year 11 form when she left ... and do you know why? Because she knew I loved both muffins and chocolate ...

This endless ramble is coming to the point (eventually) to say that whatever present you get / make for your child's teacher will be really appreciated.

Copy and paste will you, I cant be arsed with this new way of doing it.

Typical it works now

Thanks for links.
ejt - absolutely take your point but I'm not in the business of competing with other parents and will be buying a tin of nice biscuits for the staffroom for dd1s teacher and TA but this particular teacher has gone above and beyond the call of duty for me and dd2 this year and I want to get something a bit more special.

Got to go to school now - thanks everyone

sorry to gatecrash but if you were going to buy the teacher a token where would it be from? DD's teacher has been average this year, but have to get her pressie so DD doesn't feel left out...she doesn't like choccy and not sure if she drinks wine - she's quite young and fashionable though (I'm not so hard to imagine where she shops!)

By the way, you can get chocolate gifts with messages written on them - posh cho shops and maybe Thornton's do them - got one for DS's teacher once and she was thrilled, it was a chocolate chest with DS's message on

small photo album for bag
notebook/address book
photo frame
pretty purse ( accesorize)

Kate - I really wasn't implying that you were trying to complete with other parents - I just wanted you to know that whatever you get, they will appreciate it!

If it's something special, why not get some gardening vouchers - they can then be spent at any garden centre ...