Teachers - can I ask what your favourite end of yr presents were?

[ssd]

assuming you got the usual things from the kids, what were your favourites?

looking for ideas for next yr, wasn't too inspired this yr (chocs!!)

[IkeaSnake]

no bloody photo frames candles, etc
i LIKE mugs as I am always losing mine.
Do like wine, chocs. I once got a leather handbag years ago.

[IkeaSnake]

male teachers - cinema tokens, wagamamas vouchers, amazon evouchers, itunes cards.

[IkeaSnake]

AGree cava( posh) or champagne is nice. Or just a letter from the kid tbh. Means a lot.

[stealthsquiggle]

Deal done with DS. He is going to make cards, thus satisfying his requirement for "homemade" and I am going to buy wine, thus satisfying my feeling that his teachers deserve a large drink

[Northumberlandlass]

Could I sound you out about my idea for a pressie then....I was debating getting one of the Oxfam Unwrapped. I could get 8 books for £8 and then give a bottle of wine and a card..what do you think ??

[londonone]

Best present ever was a card with a 20 pound note slipped in with and instruction to go out and have a few drinks as I deserved it! (they werea partciularly challenging group). Also wine good and nice chocolates and smellies. Once got alcohol free wine, v disappointing!! TBH I never really expected any gifts, I work in very deprived areas and therefore anything at all is received gratefully as I know there is very litlle spare money around. Have to admit being a little bit envious of friends who work at posh prep schools and get pashminas, champagne, jo malone and in one case a fortnum and mason hamper!

One cautionary tale though a friend opened her end of term gift from one child and it turned out to be a very large bag of weed! She then had to explain to the parents that it wasn't really appropriate and she couldn't accept it, they were really put out and kept telling her it was their best stuff!!!

[MamaHobgoblin]

When my mum taught at an infant school, we'd end up with about a dozen little boxes of bloody Ferrero Rocher at the end of each term! Nobody liked them at home - I think they all went to the fete. It was the early 80's and I think Ferrero Rocher had a certain 'cachet'.

Am at the bag of weed! What very ... generous parents!

[pointydog]

good choice stealth, on both counts

[asdx2]

My son wrote in a card for his teacher "the lessons were fun, the games were great, the jokes and the ties were awful" teacher loved it and remembered it years later when he met him again socially.

[foofi]

Wine, chocolates or flowers.
Nothing edible and made by child - most teachers think they will have been made with snotty fingers and put them straight in the bin.
Something non-edible made by child is fine, eg name plaque for classroom door
No soaps etc - the teacher rarely has the same tastes as you and may even be allergic.
Things which are personally relevant are good, eg if you know they like gardening, something for the garden.

[ItsAllaBitNoisy]

My DDs teacher got a Man U mug, a box of chocolates ('coz he always shares them with the class) and... a bunch of bananas.

DD was adamant about the bananas - reckons he loves them.

[piscesmoon]

Wine, flowers and chocolates, mugs.
One of my nicest was a very narrow notepad with flowers on the front that I used for shopping lists. Smellies are a bit too difficult-they can be lovely and just right-or something I would never use.
A handmade card or letter by the DC.

[GooseyLoosey]

Can I just check - each year, the dcs and I make gooey chocolate chip cookies and pick a big bunch of flowers from the garden and make a card. Somehow I have always felt that the gift should express the dcs' thanks as well as mine. Is this OK or would you really all prefer wine and the card (would certainly save me time).

[piscesmoon]

It would depend on the mother and the DC GooseyLoosey-some I would think -'delicious' and some I would rather not try! (sorry-a very unPC answer-but the truth!).

[foofi]

Goosey - flowers yes, biscuits no - sorry.
And not EVERY teacher likes mugs - personally I don't drink any hot drinks but have a huge collection of 'favourite teacher' mugs.

[GooseyLoosey]

Thanks pisces - its better to know! Do you notice who does not give you things? Not at all happy with one of the dcs' teachers and wonder if they would notice if nothing came from them.

[Umlellala]

Am assuming this is private schools? We haven't broken up yet!

Rarely get owt in secondary but I am a sucker for a bit of tat from the pound shop chosen thoughtfully by the child, accompanied by a handwritten card, 'miss, you have teached us good this year'**not that 'good', obviously

[GooseyLoosey]

Umlellala - not private schools, mainly state primary school I think. Must say it was new to me, we never did it when I was at school.

[piscesmoon]

I do tend to notice who doesn't GooseyLoosey-but that is purely because I write little thank you notes. I don't hold it against them!! It is a nice thing for parents to do but not something that should be taken as the norm-it has grown over my years of teaching and when I was in school we didn't do it at all, although I remember clubbing together in yr 6 to get a present, but it was child led.
No one should feel obliged, and quite honestly a little handwritten letter or card from the DC is the nicest thing I get.

[foofi]

I think this is a lovely present - (haven't received this as a teacher myself, but dd's class have given it to theirs):

Class rep hands out coloured card (postcard size) to each child/parent, then child writes a message on the card about what they have enjoyed this year, then card is returned to class with a photo of the child, and they are compiled into a book with the messages next to the pictures. Would love it if somebody did that for me.

[bigTillyMint]

A moth-eaten seal ornament, bought by a little girl at a jumble sale out of her own money. She was such a sweet child, living with her daddy, and it was my first year of teaching.....

Other than that, I would love vouchers!

[MayorNaze]

dh is a teacher. he likes alcohol

but what he really does love is notes from children, they make him happy for days and he keeps them all