As the holiday season is upon us, teachers, caregivers and other important people in your life are sometimes the hardest people to shop for. How much money should I spend? What would they like?
I’ve been teaching for almost 20 years, so I have a lot of experience on the receiving end. A few years ago, when my older son started school, it was my time to start stressing about teacher gifts. What I remember most about my favorite gifts aren’t how expensive they were, but rather how much thought was put into it. When I polled my colleagues, they agreed, it really is the thought that counts. Here are some teacher favorites:
Gift Cards
These are great! You could do Amazon (almost everything can be bought there!), a coffee shop (just try to figure out, if you can, the teacher’s java joint of choice), or even to a grocery store. One of my truly crafty coworkers still talks about her best gift card ever…to Home Depot! Teacher Tip: It’s all about the presentation. Something simple to do is filling a small mason jar with holiday candies and putting the gift cards on top.
Wine
This is a lot of people’s favorite thing to give and to receive. A really good bottle can be pricey, but there are plenty of choices that are good for a reasonable budget. Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations, if you’re like me, and you only drink causally. Teacher Tip: Chocolate goes nicely with wine.
Personalized Gifts
Some people are all about the monogrammed mug, stationary, water bottle, clipboard, basically anything that can be used in the classroom. One of my recent favorites was a giant tote bag that I use for work. Teacher Tip: Teachers are always writing thank you cards.
Unique Gifts
If you want to step outside the box in gift giving, here are some ideas that are fun and easy to find. A nice piece of jewelry; there are so many choices on etsy or pretty much anywhere these days. Teachers love the extra thought and students love when we wear the pieces they picked out. Even fun holiday themed jewelry or trendy bracelets are nice. Gloves and scarves are especially appreciated, too. I know I like to have spares everywhere. Teacher Tip: Amazon has the texting gloves for less than $10!
Whatever you decide to do for the special people in your childrens’ lives, please encourage them to write and/or draw a special note to accompany the gift. I actually have a drawer dedicated to past notes from students. It’s fun to read through them on a bad day or to have to show when former students return to say hello.
