The Imperfect Community

Anthromomma

How do you decide who to buy for, and what to buy? Preschool was easy-- we just contributed to the teacher fund. But this year I don't know where to draw the line. S has:
- his teacher (a fantastic person who is also having open heart surgery next week, so I'd like to do something nice for her)
- classroom assistant
- his bus driver
- two gifted teachers
- music, art, gym, computers
- foreign language (he's in French right now, but he has four teachers)
(And he's in kindergarten, by the way)
I mean, geez-- I don't even know some of these people. What do I do? What do you do?

DietCokeHead · Queen of Imperfection Joined: 29 Apr 2002 Posts: 3805

I got something for Jack's classroom teacher that he is with for most of the day. I got a restaurant gift card. I will possibly pickup a Dunkin Donuts or McDs gift card for his bus driver. That is all I am doing!

When I was teaching I really, really really did not want any more "stuff" to bring home. Ornaments, candles, bath products, etc. It was just too much! Every single year I would have to make a trip to goodwill with pencil holders, apple shaped, things, etc that I just had no room for. I loved it when the parents would write a nice note saying how much they appreciated what I did, etc. That or gift cards! Everyone likes those... Smile

Petulant Pixie · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject:

In the past, I did gift everyone. My mom was a school librarian and nobody ever got her anything, so I felt bad for the specialist teachers.

I got them something edible. Figis has these nice gift box things for $5 apiece, (with a little cheese, a little sausage thing, cookies, chocolate, etc) and we'd order a bunch of those (kinda too late for that this year, though). Or, I have bought boxes of chocolates, which run about $5-6 apiece. I figure it's easier for them to give away things to eat (to their kids or spouse or whatever) than another candle or bubble bath bottle if they don't like it.

This year, Katie's just giving her classroom teacher an ornament. I just didn't have it in me to get everyone something or plan ahead, so it's an ornament Katie will choose. I'm going to guide her towards something the teacher could use as a future classroom decoration if she doesn't want to keep it at home.

Alex is old enough now (and has been for a few years) where it's not appropriate for him to be giving teachers a gift. Look forward to those years, they're on the way!

mammaX3_MOD · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:04 pm Post subject:

All throughout my grade school years, we never gave out teachrs Christmas gifts, but on the last day of school, my mom always gave us a bouquet of pink roses she cut from her garden for us to bring.
For my son's teachers (2 in preschool, and last year's K teacher) I just buy an oven mitt and stuff in to it a coordinating Christmas potholder and a wooden spoon. The I take a box of brownie mix and take the bag of mix out of the box, print out the recipe and directions onto a christmas-y paper and stuff them in the oven mitt, too. Finish with a fancy bow and it's done. Depending on what you buy it can cost $5.00 to 8.00.

DCH, I'm so glad to hear from an actual teacher, on what you like/dislike about teacher gifts! thumbup

Petulant Pixie · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:49 pm Post subject:

OK, no ornament. I found a pretty holiday bag of hot chocolate mix at Target. It's all dolled up, so I don't have to do anything else to it. If she hates it, she can re-gift it with ease, because it's the thought that counts, right?

The mail lady is getting an ornament. Those are the only two I'm giving to this year--the 3'd grade classroom teacher and our mail lady.

Anthromomma · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:02 am Post subject:

Thanks for your input, everybody. I think I'm going to go w/ a Target GC for Seamus's teacher and probably pick something up for his bus driver, too. I'd really like to do something for all of the specialist teachers as well-- but (1) I don't know all of them and (2) we're friggen broke. We just got back from Washington DC and I'm applying to grad schools this month, so the holiday budget is rather trim. I was talking to another parent this afternoon and apparently the PTO does a really big teacher appreciation week in May, so that alleviates some of my guilt. I can't really imagine sending S to school with a backpack full of gifts to distribute, anyway.

Scout · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:44 am Post subject:

Dammit, this is the second time I've posted to a thread and had it disappear in the last couple of days.

The short version of what I wrote is that I only buy for the main teachers because my kids have too many support classes, but I'll maybe get something for S's CLUE teacher this year because S loves her and talks about all the cool stuff they do in class all the time. I usually get them a little loaf cake from a well-loved local bakery, with hot chocolate or something.