Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

I'd like to give a Christmas gift to the teachers of my children's schools. I'd like to express my gratitude for the attention they have given to helping them settle into school. Maybe a gift in the staff room?
I'm trying to think how best to do that.

Rosies? Quality street? Fudge? I feel it needs to be an English gift.

Any good ideas?

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

I always gave an individual tin/box of shortbread to their Elementary school teachers that we got from Costco or World Market. They were always well-received. It’s also the gift that we still give to neighbors and friends at Christmas and they have come to expect their tin!! I was reluctant to give chocolate to teachers as I have found people in the USA don’t have the same love for UK chocolate as people do from the UK.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

At the end of the school year I would give them a gift certificate to a local restaurant or to Michaels, the craft store.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

Personally I would stay clear of most British foods, irrespective of whether others report that they are "well received". .... It is a mystery even to me why Quality Street is still popular, or indeed why it ever was, even though my grandmother loved the stuff, the rest of the family only ever tolerated it and the traditional of a tin of QS at Christmas died with my grandmother.

The only exception I might make would be for cookies (biscuits) of some sort, like a quality shortbread, and even that might be considered too dry to be edible by Americans, as American cookies are mostly slightly soft if not actually moist. Or a quality chocolate, such as Terry's.

We usually send a gift card - teachers helpfully provide information on restaurants and stores they like! :rolleyes:

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

We are only allowed to give home made gifts, so I have made a spiced brandy concoction and bottled it for the teachers. I can get away with that sort of thing where I live, but don't advise it for much of the country.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

If you are wishing just to give a token gift to a teacher who has shown kindness to your child during their settling in period, you are free to do so. A small gift, whether homemade or store purchased, is fine.

Some schools have it set up that instead of individual gifts, a class mother from each class (lower level classes where the child does not change classrooms during the day) will collect a small cash donation from each student's parent. The combined total is used to purchase a gift card and is presented to the teacher as a gift from the students. Talk to a parent of another child to see if this is what they do.

Even if your school has adopted this way of gifting teachers, there is nothing to stop you from doing a little something extra just from your child.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

Another idea is to make a small donation to a charity that supports children/education, doesn't have to be a big amount, put the charity's acknowledgement in a handwritten Christmas card and tie a pretty ribbon around it. I used to do that for my children's teachers and they loved it.
Or to steal Rete's idea, collect from all the parents and make a bigger donation.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

:goodpost:

Oh I love this idea. If the teacher has a strong interest in a particular charity, i.e. animal rescue, make a wish foundation, etc. a small $20 donation in their name would be wonderful. The amount does not have to be shown on the receipt from the organization.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

Just be sure that the teacher is a drinker. I certainly would not appreciate such a gift and would either re-gift it or pour it down the toilet.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

Immediately after reading Pulaski's comment above this, I thought 'Teaching is hard, get them each a small bottle of Kahlua or something, and thought of Edna.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

I do not remember a teacher who did not drink, the pub by the School gates was full of them.

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

I still hang ornaments made by former pupils on my tree each year, the kits you find at craft stores I guess. I have a throw everything on tree, I haven't quite gotten to the echelons of coordination I see here. I have enjoyed whole class gift cards, and each time I use those items I think of that class. A student made card is lovely, as is a note. I have donated a lot of best teacher mugs and ornaments to the local thrift store 🤐

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

:goodpost:

Re: Christmas gifts for teachers?
 

I think giving them something edible and British like the shortbread (or a brand of tea not readily available in the US) would be well received.