Gifts for year 13 leavers

[FritataPatate]

I don't normally do this but I have a lovely year 13 English class and I would like to give them a token gift each when they leave next week. Obviously I can't spend too much, but I'd love to get them something sweet/ jokey/ personalised. I thought of a Mr Men or Little Miss book each matched to their personality with a personal message written in or a mini cactus plant with a personalised pot. But I bet there's some much better ideas out there!

My chemistry teacher made us one of those
Penny so you’re never skint
Bean so you never go hungry
Rubber band for when you’re really stretched
Balloon when all you need is a party
Matchsticks to prop your eyes open
Marbles so you never lose yours
Type things, and it was completely and utterly naff but we all cried and loved them. So I’d recommend one like that, lots on the internet

Hmmm.. I used to dot his but now with class sizes of 25 , it's become too costly!

But when I did, I used to get them a chocolate bar that matched their personality. And they liked that.

Hi Piggy - can you give me some examples of chocolate bars which match personality? I'm intrigued and sounds like a great idea.

Well, Curly Wurly for anyone with curly hair. Aero if they're a bit ditsy; Snickers for a comedian ; Boost for someone who keeps us all cheerful ; Smarties for the clever one; Minstrels for a singer; Lovehearts for the Romeo . It's all taken in good humour !

I love this idea! Thank you so much.

My lit teacher gave us each a penguin classic book - I think they were a £1 then, not sure how much now. Still got mine - dh Lawrence, the rainbow.

I love that idea, Piggy! I am just not that creative.
What would you do for a really thoughtful person and a truly universal genius?

Magic Stars !

Duh! Thank you!

DS1s form teacher wrote a poem that had a bit in it about all of them - including funny things that had happened in the past 5 years. He loved it.

I've given a charity shop book each in the the past...?

I like the book idea, but it's a language (not lit) class so at the moment I'm sticking with the choc/ sweeties idea. I'd welcome suggestions! Ideally I'd like a couple more. So far I have:
smarties
whispa gold
magic stars
boost
minstrels
love hearts
skittles
lion bar
milky bar
Ritter sport
Starbar
milky way
buttons and
twirl

Got anyone a bit 'flake' y??

probably, but I'm trying to choose ones that are complimentary , if I can. But I can add your earlier curly-wurly suggestion to my list. Thanks again for the idea .

I bought some Rolos and everyone decided who they would give their last Rolo to.

I’ve done key rings from Etsy (couple of quid but personalised) with things from shows they’ve done, cards from moonpig with photos from their time at school and theatre tokens in the past. Drama teacher though and never had more than 9 in a class. The things that went down best were the key rings and the moonpig cards - easy to find photos from their school productions on KS3 for maximum embarrassment.

I print out a separate personal quote for each student in my class on card, which they love and keep. Cheap too! ‘She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails’ (can’t remember author) ‘You are your best thing’ (Toni Morrison) type stuff. I have loads of them and I re use every year but always try hard to match the quote to an appropriate person.

My son received a book from his two English teachers, they had gone to the effort of choosing a charity shop book specifically for each student. He was delighted.

Aldi do a Titan and a Wacko bar (could also add it to a nicer chocolate so they don't feel they've been given the 'rubbish' Aldi chocs)

Little Gems could be a nice one to give.

There's also:
Cadbury Mellos - for the laid back student
Kinder Happy Hippos - for the cheerful one.
Kinder Suprise or Worther's Original - for the student experience that always has the most unusual, and sometimes bizarre, interpretations.
Harino Star Mix or Cadbury Starbar or a packet of Star Burst sweets - star student
Kellogg's Fruit Winders- for the class joker; the one that winds everyone up