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What awesome ideas ... thanks so much to the teachers for their input ... SO VERY APPRECIATED!! I know now what gifts to make ... and what not to make!!
__________________ "I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be, but most people are unaware that I am so much more than what they see."
I will also be making some ricotta cookies and putting them in a little pail that I got in the dollar bin at Target, stacked in a cello bag, with a pretty tag with the recipe on it attached. I was inspired by this project on Countryliving.com.
I made a woven basket out of cardstock and filled it with 3x3 notecards that say "A Note From the Teacher". They have SU's "Tart and Tangy" apple stamped on it. The sentiment on the basket is computer-generated using Lettering Delight's "Modern Cursive" font. The apple image on the basket is done with the chalkboard technique. I coudln't figure out how to link to the post on my blog, but if you click on "Santa's Workshop" on my blog index it will pull it up.
I've made decorated candles for my granddaughters' teachers in the past and they seemed to go over well, but now I'm rethinking this based on several posts from current and former teachers! I took an inexpensive Glade candle, used S/U rub-ons and it makes a nice 'thinking-of-you' type gift. Hmmmm....
Although I'm diabetic and don't trust myself to do much baking, maybe I'll make a cookie tray for their teachers this year instead......
__________________ "Be Still and Know That I Am God" Ps. 46:10
As a retired high school teacher, I just want to add that we were thrilled with anything we received from our students because high school teachers aren't usually remembered on holidays. So... as a plug for secondary teachers, we'll take anything and be excited -- I promise!!!!
LOL- I second that for high school teachers! My mom was a part time teacher's aid in a kindergarden class and came home with a car load of gifts at christmas and year end while, as a high school teacher that year I got a pretty hand made flower ornament and a snowman soup! (oh and she had 17 students and I had over 90!). So for Highschool teacher's, ANYTHING=AWESOME!
This is a great thread...it's always nice to get feedback from teachers.
I think I'll go with monogram cards and homemade cookies this year.
One thing about the sugar/salt scrubs. I am not a soapmaker or anything like that but I am a former licensed massage therapist and I have to let you know that our skin is the largest organ in our body and anything in the skin that can be absorbed, will be absorbed in our body. The best oil to use on our body is jojoba oil because it's the closest oil to the one we already have in our own body.
Another thing I remember about sugar scrubs...be very careful! They will make your shower super slippery! You'll probably have to wash down the shower or tub after you use it. My sister makes lots of handmade soaps and scrubs. The oil in these scrubs will get all over the shower and tub floor, and well, oil and water just don't mix! ;) Wouldn't want anyone to end up in the emergency room thanks to a sugar scrub!
When I taught faith formation I received a bag of air popped popcorn (so it wasn't greasy and messy) in a clear bag that also contained a movie theater gift card - very cute idea. I make many kinds of candy for Christmas (peanut brittle, molded chocolates, chocolate dipped pretzels, etc.), so for my kids teachers they each received an assortment of candies. They love anything homemade and always raved about our gifts. I still make the candy and give it as gifts to family, neighbors, friends, and coworkers for Christmas. It's a lot of work but ends up being cheaper in the long run and usually more appreciated!
My son's preschool teacher asked that we not give the teachers gifts, but rather she published a wish list of games and toys (or gift cards to purchase things) for the classroom. Last year, I decorated a clip board and "clipped" the gift card to it (that way, the class got something, and she got a little something too). This year, I'm planning to decorate a journal and stick the gift card in it.
As a teacher too, I echo the earlier posts about mugs and such. I have lots of 'em! I have lots of ornaments too, but I really love them. I have quite an extensive collection from my 23 years of teaching. Most of them I still remember who gave them to me...but I really think it's helpful if the giver attaches a label of some sort to tell who the ornament is from and when it was given.
__________________ Always behave like a duck...remain calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like mad underneath! Jackie J.~Proud SU demo since 1996 My lil' quack-tastic gallery
I'm a teacher and I will echo the no mugs sentiment! The thought is always appreciated and I do believe it is good for a child to give something no matter how insignificant or inexpensive to show appreciation for what a teacher does.
Here are some of my favorite gifts:
1. A loaf of homemade banana bread with a seasonal towel tied around it.
2. I like the Bath and Body, but I know a lot don't.
3. CD's of Christmas music
4. Those fleece Christmas throws that Wal-mart has for $5 all rolled up--one of my very favorites
5. Gift certificates are always good--book store, gas card, Starbucks, Pizza Hut etc.
6. My hubby likes the chocolates :-) So do I, but I always share
7. I like to scrapbook and one year I had my Creative Memories consultant's nephew. His mom went together with a friend or two and gave me a gift certificate.
[QUOTE=JJ ! I have lots of ornaments too, but I really love them. I have quite an extensive collection from my 23 years of teaching. Most of them I still remember who gave them to me...but I really think it's helpful if the giver attaches a label of some sort to tell who the ornament is from and when it was given.[/QUOTE]
I enjoy decorating my tree with ornaments from students I've had in the past. I usually remember the child who gave it to me.
A teacher friend keeps the ornaments in a box and uses them to decorate her tree at school.
I don't know a teacher on earth that wouldn't love this!!
What a great gift idea. I personally would have no room on my desk for this but want to make one for my friend who is graduating from teachers college this spring.
Some of my fav gifts were gifts cards (gas, Starbucks, book stores) or things that I would have bought for myself. I'm fortunate that my students are old enough to help their parents with ideas or to pick it out themselves. The best place to start with ideas is your child. Ask questions about the teachers favorite colours or habits or routines. I always love the gifts that reflect something about my personality because I know that they were thinking of me as an individual when they bought/made the gift.
Another thing to consider with edible gifts are allergies. My own rule out a lot of the treats mentioned so far. As a rule, I do not bring home foods I'm allergic to or if I can't read an ingredient list. If you do make homemade goodies, attaching a pretty recipe card is a great idea.
My dd's second-grade teacher does a science unit on the life cycle of the butterfly every year, and the students really get into it, so I'm considering making a hand-stitched felt butterfly mobile for her classroom. My daughter can help design it and pick out the colors. I was thinking of having a leaf with an egg on it for the top, then have a caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly hanging from it.
All of the teachers have wish lists from SU! on record with a demo, so for my ds's kindergarten teacher, I ordered something from her wish list. I'm going to include some blank cards as well.
__________________ Marcy Wolf Creek Crafting
I just love the smell of Stazon in the morning!
I made gifts in a jar to go along with a starbucks card. I get the recipes off free recipes | Christmas Recipes | Hannukah recipes . I ordered stadium blankets this year. $10 bucks on Amazon and I was thinking about doing jars again only with a sugar scrub or bath salts.
OH MY GOSH -- I would LOVE to get this and I'm not even a teacher. Maybe I'll become a teacher just in case someone wanted to give me this! So cute!!
Oh, I second that!!! Very Cute. Maybe I will do that instead of the cookies in a jar. My stadium blankets arrive and are awesome. I wish I had ordered more. They were the deal of the day on Amazon.
S'mores jars with peeps are a good idea. I am also a teacher and generally do not eat home made gifts, because I have not seen the kitchens (nor the little hands) with which these were made. I have received lots of mugs also, but would not mind one containing brownie mix! Gift certificates for anything are nice (if I can't use it I can pass it on).
__________________ ~Vee
It's not who you know-it's whom you know.
I'm a teacher, have been for 24 years.... My favorite gifts of all time are the "letters" from parents and children thanking me.
Up here in Canada we are encouraged to keep professional portfolios and this is always my favorite section to read...
Love love love some of the gifts mentioned here.
Last year I found a "tree seedling" store and gave every teacher a small pine tree in a Christmas container. They loved it.
Oh and the sugar scrubs, they are great to use on your hands. So if you didn't want to make your tub a danger zone then simply use them as a hand scrub.
I have to say I love the "goody box" idea. My sister's husband is a machinist & machinist supply distributor and my sister is the Admin person. The office is decidely NOT feminine so I'm thinking I can make her abox like this with pretty stuff in it.
As far as the scrub and tubs go this is what I did. I bought a long handled scrunchy scrubber from the Dollar Tree and made a bead tag for it that says "tubby scrubby" It hangs in the tub all the time and I use it to clean the tub. Whenever I use something that leaves residue such as a scrub I just squirt a little body soap onto the scrubby and use it to clean out the tub. Works like a charm!
__________________ Shellie G
Aspire to be a better person than you were yesterday
I don't know how much you want to spend or how elaborate you want to be. I had a family that bought me 25 clipboards. I got 5 in September, 5 at Christmas, 5 at Valentine's Day, 5 for Teacher Appreciation Day and 5 for the end of the year. By the end of the year, I had a class set that we could use for outdoor classes, field trips, etc. It got to be a bit funny since all the kids knew what I was getting but was so appreciated. One of them was painted and decorated with my name. The rest had big numbers painted on the back so that each child would know which one they had borrowed. I love the flexibility they give us in being able to work outside on a sunny day.
The other gift I loved was the year each child brought me a book from home, told me why they had chosen it and then added it to the class library. I had each kid sign their book and I think of them each time they are used in the room. (A mommy in the room organized it.)
A third gift I loved was a garden paving stone. A parent had each student bring in a special rock, bead, button or other similar item. A parent then took each item and made the the paving stone and each child signed their name on the back where their rock/bead is on the front. It has a place of honour in my garden.
To be honest, some of the simpliest gifts I've loved are homemade cards with a Starbucks card with just enough for a pick-me-up at the end of the day. Some days the little treat of a quiet coffee before picking up my own kids is so appreciated.
:)
