christmas gift for teacher - cheap & cheerful

turroncin

I'm a teacher and feel a bit uncomfortable with presents as I know some can afford more than others and it gets a bit embarrassing when mums play who got me the biggest present in the playground on the last day. The nicest presents are the ones you get your kids to make, like a little plate they make and paint, or something they cooked especially (bear in mind I teach Yr 1). End of last summer I got no less than 9 pens - ! What I do appreciate though is a bottle of wine and I also got 21 bottles of red altogether last year which I have got through now My poor nephews and nieces however are getting pens this Christmas ....

madison-nyc

shoe*gal wrote: »

Last year my son had two teachers and three carers (he's disabled) as well as a classroom assistant. It does get very expensive at Christmas and end of term but we are in a well off area and everyone buys for teachers. You feel uncomfortable not doing it despite me not working because I can't get childcare for him and spend most of my life going up to school to get him when he's ill. I just wish I had the money the other mums do. Ah well there's always good old MSE to help out with a bargain so I don't look cheap.

I'm sure the teachers don't expect anything though , how about homemade cookies as a present , something cheap but very nice and thoughtful. Or a tin of biscuits between them? I do buy a little gift but no more than £2-3 , it's just to show a bit of appreciation no need to spend a lot. Although i know some parents do , purely to show off!

tanith

I think wine or maybe a few homemade mince pies always goes down well..

kristi

My mum is a teacher, so she gets tons of presents at christmas and the end of term. she passes anything she doesn't want or need for me to give to my DD's teachers.......so it doesn't cost me anything :-)

katskorner

Ha anyone thought of baking a gift for the teachers? I don't like to compete with presents either as I don't feel the peer pressure to get anything, yet alone the best. But a nice idea is a homemade Christmas tree or bauble shaped biscuit - shortbread is pretty easy to make and then get the kids to decorate with icing. Put it in a clear or cellophane bag with a ribbon to tie it and hey presto - a homemade present. Surely they are the best! Planning to do that with my kids this year as I now have two at school - they can eat the extra ones at home

andi2

I've just bought these for my little girl's teachers (2 teachers & 4 TA's - she's at a special school)

http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/christmas-rudolph-hand-towel-134034

at £1.99 they're cheaper than a box of chocs (& there are several designs to choose from).

turroncin

Like I said, something personal is always nice (unless your kid hates his/her teacher). For Xmas you could bring in some big cookies that your child writes a message in icing to the teacher, or some home made mince pies (although bear in mind what you would do with 30 boxes of mince pies as nice as they are). I don't think any teacher expects any presents from parents (not in my experience) although it is true that when I was wheeling a trolley with all my presents last Xmas I got many a jealous look from other teachers that had been given a satuma and soap on a rope from their classes..... clearly my sparkling personality and boyish good looks has an effect on the mums LOL

Emmarillo

I always buy a present for teachers and classroom assistants at christmas, but what I really object to is that the teachers open their presents in front of the class. My daughter was so excited that someone had bought the teacher the same M&S hamper that we'd bought for Grandma; but to be honest I just thought it was showing off. Some of the parents are really competitive and there's no way I can compete.

turroncin

wow M+S hamper they are competitive! You can't put a price on something your kid made

djbake

The_Hodges wrote: »

do teachers not get paid enough. I personally don't agree with all this buying of presents for people who already earn a good wage, i thought there was a recession on and most of the the time it's parents trying to buy the best present for the teacher, i feel sorry for those who can't afford it!! :mad:

Here here!!!!