Gift Ideas for Teachers/Teaching Assistants/Dinner Ladies

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  • phunkles
    phunkles Posts: 1,711 Forumite
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    I never said the teacher should organise the collection Im pretty sure I said if your a School Gate Mum then it wouldnt be too hard to organise something.
    Truthfully in my household (Mums a TA in primary, Im a secondary teacher so dont get anything anyway) anything thats homemade thats edible gets binned... yes its lovely and thoughtful but we dont know that your house is clean or that you dont have cats/dogs/animals in the kitchen... Its not a dig at you individually but question - would you let your child eat a homemade cake given on halloween from a total stranger?? Most would say no...
    Smelly sets are normally broken down if its by a decent make/shop thats not being a snob either ... so dove/nivea/small next sets etc would be used... asda brand showergels not so much
    Teddys - yes they may be cute and aww factor but 30 teddys multiplied by the number of years teaching = not so imaginative

    Sorry just my opinion you dont have to buy them anything... they get paid a wage... so yes its a small token gift... personally once I have children I will be buying teachers/nursery nurses/TA's presents at Xmas and end of year but they will be small token presents costing no more than £5 each, Theres loads of lovely small gifts you can get for £5 ie, wine glass and small wine bottle (most supermarkets) a lush secret santa gift £5, small boxes of chocs, most smelly sets in the boots 342,
    and if all else fails you could always buy them socks?!

    It used to be a box of Roses back in my school days every one remember that say thank you very much with roses advert :)
    Love is the answer. At least for most of the questions in my heart,
    Like why are we here? And where do we go?And how come it's so hard?
    It's not always easy,And sometimes life can be deceiving,
    I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together
  • annie_d
    annie_d Posts: 933 Forumite
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    As the wife of a primary school teacher...PLEEEEEEASSSSSSEEEEEEEE nothing home-made by the child. My husband actually likes a card with a message written by the child. No "TEACHER" gifts, not food, he doesn't drink so really....just a nice thankyou/Christmas card is the best bet.
  • mr_knight
    mr_knight Posts: 943 Forumite
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    benbenandme wrote: »
    I get your point Daisyflower, but I also don't like the idea of a teacher being given 30 lots of best teacher mug etc that gets binned / shoved in a cupboard etc, and at least this way someone benefits :)

    That is what I meant when I said I loved it. I'd rather have this than homemade cakes/mugs/wine etc that I won't use/consume and someone benefits. Much better plan in my teacher opinion. Wouldn't want OH to get me one but as a teacher from pupils I'd love it.
  • lindsaygalaxy
    lindsaygalaxy Posts: 2,067 Forumite
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    benbenandme wrote: »
    I always go for an oxfam / unicef education gift, this year I have gone for "provide a child with a years supply of pens, pencils, exercise books etc. It cost £9.50 and will be sent for the teacher / ta's together. The last two years ds has had jobshare teachers, so this worked out cheaper than trying to get individual gifts for them and the 2 ta's :)

    Its also easy for ds to carry (in an envelope), can't be recycled through the school fete and is good for the charity too :D

    I really like this idea, and think I will use it for my daughter's teachers/ta (job share and many ta's!).Think I will also give them some biscuits (currently on offer in Sainsburys) for them all to share or may recycle some of the bottles of wine I have gathered (i'm also a teacher!)
    £2 Savers club £0/£150
    1p a day £/
  • clairehi
    clairehi Posts: 1,352 Forumite
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    annie_d wrote: »
    As the wife of a primary school teacher...PLEEEEEEASSSSSSEEEEEEEE nothing home-made by the child. My husband actually likes a card with a message written by the child. No "TEACHER" gifts, not food, he doesn't drink so really....just a nice thankyou/Christmas card is the best bet.

    this is exactly why I buy an Oxfam unwrapped gift for the teachers and get the DCs to make a card every year.
    at least with the charity gift someone in need will benefit so i know it wont go to waste.
  • Triggles
    Triggles Posts: 2,281 Forumite
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    yes but we're not in america

    and like others say most home made cakes don't get eaten anyway. we do microbiology and grow their fingerprints and if you saw what grew on the washed hand plate you would be very careful about eating anything that child had had its sticky paws on

    Just because we're not in America, it doesn't mean that I am comfortable with it. I simply don't think alcohol belongs in schools. That's just my opinion and while it's most likely due to where I was raised, my opinion on that isn't going to change any time soon. Whether someone else gives the teacher alcohol as a gift is not my concern. But my children won't be doing that. *shrug* That's life.

    I'm not worried about home made cakes. There will always be people who will sniff and turn their noses up, but we've always had a good response from it (actually had a couple teachers when DD was younger asking if she was going to be bringing in the homemade holiday treat boxes as they were looking forward to them - she brought them in each year LOL). While the children always help, it's easy to keep the help clean and age appropriate. Washed hands, aprons, hair tied back, and certain cleanliness precautions (for example, DS2 can mash the bananas in a plastic bag with a rolling pin - no sticky hands on them).

    Personally, I find the whole "oh please not this..." and "I'd rather have this..." thing incredibly distasteful. I would expect someone to be grateful that the child and/or parents took the time to buy or make them a gift in the first place. Whatever happened to "it's the thought that counts?"
    MSE mum of DS(7), and DS(4) (and 2 adult DCs as well!)
    DFW Long haul supporters No 210
    :snow_grin Christmas 2013 is coming soon!!! :xmastree:
  • rinroo
    rinroo Posts: 945 Forumite
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    Personally I dont like the thought of giving the teacher a voucher no would I give them anything home-made for the reasons above.

    For the last few years, I put a mini bottle of wine, mini box (4 pack) of Ferrero Rocher, a sachet of foot soak or a face mask and a pair of warm bed socks in a gift bag with a tag saying "Christmas relaxation (or recovery) kit. Not expensive to do, less than £5 and always received well.

    This year, I'm not sure what to do might get them a personalised stamp as ds2's teacher seems to use them at every opportunity!

    Some parents in our school spend a fortune always competing for one -upmanship and its ridiculous, the teachers actually look embarrassed to receive expensive gifts!.
  • Nenen
    Nenen Posts: 2,379 Forumite
    edited 14 November 2010 at 1:00PM
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    DaisyFlower wrote: »
    I personally dont like the Oxfam gifts, I feel the charity is a personal thing and wouldnt like somebody to donate in my name to a charity I personally dont support. Plus I always feel charity gifts are about the person giving not the person receiving, which is wrong.

    I am so pleased you posted that DaisyFlower. I have harboured that thought secretly for the last three years after I was told a charity gift had been donated on my behalf. Somehow I felt it was uncharitable or miserly of me to feel that way. However, I would much rather receive nothing at all than a charity gift.

    In a way it's odd because what I've done for years is to take any perishable gifts I am given by the children I teach that I can't use myself (e.g. smellies and chocs) to the charity shop of my choice or make them into mini hampers which I add to and then donate to the local women's refuge. However, I do keep all the little ornaments and things children have given me, especially the ones they have made themselves. Many of these are on shelves and window ledges around my home and they continue to give me great pleasure. I also keep some in my special treasure box along with any cards from children or parents which have a special, personal message in.
    “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles.”
    (Tim Cahill)
  • Ojilli
    Ojilli Posts: 10 Forumite
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    I always get lush bathbombs - about £2 each.

    Wrap em up to look lovely - can't go wrong.
  • wallbash
    wallbash Posts: 17,775 Forumite
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    Personally, I find the whole "oh please not this..." and "I'd rather have this..." thing incredibly distasteful

    Interesting thread , on one hand we have the gift providers and on the other side the recipients. The overwhelming reply to the OP was honest and 'harsh' ?? but would you rather the teacher said on receiving the little token ..
    'wonderful , what I have always wanted , how kind ' :A
    I would hope all responsible teachers are so well mannered.
    AND then go home and chuck it in the draw full of the same stuff they have accumulated over the years??
    I ( only as a husband of a long serving teacher ) wish to stop the waste of time /money and effort on articles that are so swiftly discarded.
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