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Monday, December 7, 2009

Gifts I Think Are Good for Teachers

It's easy enough to give a great gift if you are willing to spend a bunch. Those snowman mugs with candy that I wrote about disparagingly come in at about $1.50 each. Are there any better gifts for the cheapwad parent?



How about a bunch of pencils, sharpened and tied with a ribbon?

How about some tea?

Sadly, I can't think of anything else. Gift giving is not my strong area. I still think a nice note is best.

Any other suggestions?

7 comments:

freddy-may said...

I like the tea idea a lot. We used to do the mug thing (I know, terrible) but one thing I do think was nice was including with whatever cider/tea/hot chocolate stuff a couple of cinnamon sticks. Later we started giving them Christmas cassettes and CDs, also lame, but I would write individual notes to my teachers.

The gift-card-to-a-bookstore is kind of cliche, maybe, but I know *I* (am not a teacher) would appreciate one - how do you/other teachers feel about that?

Frugal Scholar said...

@freddy-may--Of course that's a great gift! Those cups were examples of incredibly cheap gifts, however, of which there are not too many that are good. I'd love to get some gift cards to bookstores.

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

Being as my mom is a teacher, I am down with anything food or drink related.

As her daughter, I get to sample anything that comes her way via students ;)

But some of her students knew exactly what would make her interested, and bought her these awesome carved bowls with animals hanging off the side.

She uses them daily... and loves them!

But generally speaking, just a thank you is good enough for her.

(As her kid, I vote for chocolate. In a box. Those Ferroro Rocher ones are my favourite.. fyi.. to all those students out there. :P)

Over the Cubicle Wall said...

It seemed like we always bought our teacher a really cheap box of chocolate when I was a kid. I honestly don't remember anything else.

Duchesse said...

If you know teacher drinks coffee or tea, and which he or she prefers, that's a nice gift.

Teachers are always losing pens so a good rollerball (noting fancy but not an office supply store one) is a nice gift, or a group gift.

Teaching is hard physical work, so the pampering gifts: Peppermint foot cream; a gift card for a manicure.

I also make candied nuts that people find irresistible.

Rob said...

I am a former teacher and have six teachers in my immediate family. One of the best ideas I have heard about is if the room mother for the class can organize it and each child can give just $1 or $2 dollars you can give the teacher a gift card to a book store, Walmart, etc. That way the teacher can get something really useful instead of a lot of candy, candles, etc. More than the money or gifts teachers really do appreciate a nice letter of appreciation. I have kept some of those letters even though I am no longer teaching because they meant so much to me. I honestly can't remember any of the gifts, but I do remember the notes.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Duchesse--I'll take the nuts. Good ideas, from the Duchess of Great Gifts.

@Rob--Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for the comment about how meaningful notes are to teachers.