TEACHER GIFT IDEAS!

Dec 7

Wondering what you can get your kids’ teachers that is practical, affordable, and unique? Check out these simple ideas and take the guess work out of teacher gifts!

(Let me preface this post with this: if your child has ever had me for a teacher, or has me for a teacher, please do not take this as a direct letter to you! This was a conglomeration of teacher input, and I felt it could help some people out there that struggle like I do :) )

As parents, none of us want to waste money buying gifts that a teacher can’t use or doesn’t really enjoy. And as teachers, it’s hard to receive gifts that we can’t use or don’t really enjoy. To get a better picture of what teachers really love, I did something totally crazy . . . I asked teachers.

Hopefully you’ll find some helpful tips as you set out to appreciate the teachers in your lives.

GRAB A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS LIST HERE

STAY AWAY FROM

PINTEREST!! Don’t freak out, but unless you find pure joy in crafting and going crazy with out-of-this-world creative teacher gifts, forget about it. YES, for the clever ideas, NO for the Martha Stuart wrapping and vintage printed pun tag. No matter how cute it is, if it’s not practical, it’s a waste of your time and money.
- PLUS - It is UNANIMOUS - the best gifts, the ones WE ALL CHERISH, are the ones that YOUR KIDS MAKE THEMSELVES!! The cutesy Pinterest ideas are so fun, I know, but they do not hold a candle to a handmade card with a heartfelt note.
CANDY- I know it seems like an easy teacher gift. My own children have swept through the aisles of Walgreens acting as if their teachers are going to cherish a gigantic Hershey Kiss as much as they would. DO NOT GIVE IN! Sometimes candy is expensive - and I PROMISE you - we get way too much candy. Sometimes we get so much that we donate it to local nursing homes. Not to mention, many teachers are doing their best to stick to a health plan that is already facing a very big adversary known as the Teacher’s Lounge. When you’re around a bunch of crazy kids all day, your will power plummets. No matter how hard you try, when 2:30 rolls around that candy WILL get eaten whether you want it or not!
LOTIONS/PERFUMES- Let's face it, if Bath & Body Works comes out with some yummy seasonal scents in super cute packaging, all of a sudden everyone in the family and all acquaintances are getting some lotion or body spray or something. HOWEVER, this is tricky because everyone has different taste in scents, and sometimes things smell different on different people. It’s always best to err on the side of . . . never get these for your teachers. Candles tend to also fall into this category, but some teachers really do love them. If wanting to get a candle - just ask them what kind of scent they prefer (food, fresh, fruity, etc.).

CLASSROOM DECORATIONS- I know it’s cute to get a teacher stuff for their room (especially if they’re a new teacher), but if you’ve ever spent any time in a classroom, you’ll see that we don’t have a lot of room for super cute things. We just want things to be organized and not cluttered (although most of the time we can’t avoid that). As with most things, everyone has their own style. If you really want to get something, make sure you ask very specific questions about what they like so you don’t waste time and money.
CHEESY TEACHER THINGS LIKE APPLES AND RULERS AND 1980's CHALKBOARDS- This sounds crazy, but we get SO MANY of these.
STUFFED ANIMALS- No. N. O.

PRACTICAL

COLORED PENS/MARKERS (gel pens or felt tip are best) - We do a lot of grading, making notes, and signing things.. Good felt tip colored pens are always useful. Papermate or the Pentel Energel Pens are the best!

PERSONALIZED NOTE PAD - This is a VERY practical gift. We write a lot of notes and thank yous. Having a cute piece of paper to put it on makes it more special. Pair this with some colorful pens and you have a simple, useful gift!

THANK YOU CARDS/PAPER- It never fails - when you need a thank you note, you don't have one. Giving a teacher a back up set is much appreciated!

HAND SOAP- Sometimes we all share with each other and put them in the Teacher Bathroom so we can pretend we're at a spa when we're using the bathroom within 10 feet of 40 kids. Then our hands don't smell like school soap all day, every day. Keep it simple - Lemon, Fresh Smells . . .
PRAYER JOURNAL - if you have a teacher that you know would enjoy THIS, check out this simple journal on Amazon.

SURPRISE DRINKS- Surprise a teacher with her favorite drink from Sonic or Starbucks at the beginning or middle of day, and you are their BEST FRIEND. It seriously makes our day and means more than you know. Truly.

LUNCH or BREAKFAST SURPRISE- Surprising a teacher by bringing them lunch or breakfast is such a treat. Some tips - 1) email them a few days ahead to ask about a few of their favorite places & what they like 2) let them know what day you’re going to bring it, so they don’t bring a lunch from home 3) find out when they are off duty so they have time to enjoy it!
SOMETHING RELATED TO SELF CARE- massage gift card, nail salon gift card, maybe a day at TopGolf or some oils & a diffuser (IF they are into that kind of stuff - gotta know your teacher)
GIFT CARDS!!! I know they’re boring and seemingly not personal enough for some of you, but they are a fan-favorite. I know of teachers that use them when they’re waiting on their next paycheck or even to treat their family to a dinner out. THE AMOUNT DOES NOT MATTER - $5 is enough! Take the 2020 route and purchase and send Gift Cards electronically! Here is an incomplete list of practical places for Gift Cards : Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Amazon, Sonic, Starbucks, the Movies, VISA, their Favorite Restaurant, The Educators Mercantile

WHAT WE LIKE TO GIVE

SURVIVAL KITS - this is one of my favorite gifts to give my kids’ elementary teachers. If I was a millionaire, I would do this for all 6 of my kids’ middle/high school teachers, but the reality is I don’t have that kind of money. My goal for these is that a teacher could take this home on their last day and literally be able to start unwinding without having to go to the store.
- HOLIDAY VERSION: I usually include Holiday plates & napkins, a mug, some tea, a blanket, maybe a book, gift cards, card from my kid, homemade family Christmas crackers, & I put it in a basket they can use.
- SUMMER VERSION: Drink dispenser, summer drink mix & recipe, beach towel, sunglasses, sunscreen & bug spray minis, lip sunscreen, gift cards, card from my kid, maybe a magazine.
- EDUCATOR BOX FROM THE EDUCATORS MERCANTILE - these are full of cute stuff for teachers & there are several different boxes to choose from depending on your price point. Best of all, you can order and have them ship directly to your teacher OR you can have them ship to you so your kid can deliver themselves! Super easy & unique teacher gift!

THE NUMBER ONE GIFT THAT THE MAJORITY OF TEACHERS SAID MEANT THE MOST TO THEM WAS :

A handwritten note or card from a student or parent. I can attest to this - receiving a heart-warming and encouraging note is the best gift we can receive. When you know that you’re making a difference because someone took the time to let you know, that means more than any monetary gift a teacher could receive. Most teachers keep every single one throughout the years. When times are tough and it’s just been a rough year, those notes are the things that remind a teacher they are good and they are loved. DO NOT underestimate this extremely valuable gift - it is simply priceless.

I pray that you don't read this post and think "Wow - this chick has lost her mind - how ungrateful!". My intent in this post is to make public what we are asked every single year. Your kids are precious to us, and when we see that they've put thought into a gift and they come to us beaming with pride, well, I don't care what the gift is - the delivery and deliverer have done the job.

I'm a parent first, and I want my kids’ teachers to feel love on. I also WANT to give them a vacation to an extravagant spa and a weekend away with the love of their lives. I WANT to give them a huge Gift Card to enjoy a night out. But the reality of my life is that I can't always do the things I WANT to do for them.

So, I do what I CAN. I CAN let them know how much I appreciate them. I CAN speak words of life into them and let them know that I know they're tired, I know they're stressed, and I know they are doing the best they can. I CAN let them know that their work has not gone unnoticed and that my kid is better having had them in their life. Those are the things that every teacher needs . . . and every teacher deserves.