letter from school

whatmichaelsays

Next week's outrage: "My local chip shop had a Christmas tips box on the counter!!!!"

fluffnutter

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

Next week's outrage: "My local chip shop had a Christmas tips box on the counter!!!!"

Maybe it is a fairly petty thing to get wound up about. But why are we becoming a society that just mindlessly showers gifts on everyone at every opportunity? It's greedy and wasteful. If you think about the amount of shit that everyone buys everyone else for Christmas, half of which doesn't make anyone any happier, it becomes depressing.

It's just everyone showing off all the time. Look how generous I am. Look what I can afford. Who cares that it will end up in landfill before the month is out? Who cares that you hate it?

Azari

fluffnutter wrote: »

Maybe it is a fairly petty thing to get wound up about. But why are we becoming a society that just mindlessly showers gifts on everyone at every opportunity? It's greedy and wasteful. If you think about the amount of shit that everyone buys everyone else for Christmas, half of which doesn't make anyone any happier, it becomes depressing.

I so agree.

After years of head scratching trying to work out what to get people, all the adult members of my family have formed a pact whereby each person gets something for just one other.

This has two advantages: Firstly, you only have to think of something for one person and we managed to do the allocations such that each person has a good idea of what to get for their recipient. Secondly, the budget for each present can be significantly more flexible which can make life easier.

soothyerboots

CHRISSYG wrote: »

i wasnt aware i was getting anything into a knot ! sorry i thought this was a vent board !!!

Apology accepted. x

WhiteHorse

CHRISSYG wrote: »

had a letter from school saying a teacher is leaving and "inviting" parents to send donations to pay for the gifts !!!

They are short of money, yet they sent all these letters out?

scheming_gypsy

where does it say they're short of money?

Bumpmakesfour

Where's the issue here??If you don't want to contribute...then don't..simple!
There is a teacher leaving my childrens school tomorrow who has been utterly awesome helping with my kids and we will miss her terribly.She's pregnant too and we've bought her a gift and a card to say thankyou.We've bought chocolates for each class teacher with a card and I gave out cards to others yesterday.Plus myself and two other mums have clubbed together and bought a present for a family support worker who has helped us all out loads.
I couldn't give a stuff if I'm seen as brown nosing or in competition to give the best presents or whatever crap tbh.Yes teachers get paid to do a job but the ones that go that extra mile get a thankyou from us.I don't look down on parents who choose NOT to contribute/give gifts and in return I don't expect to be judged for choosing to do so myself.

Bumpmakesfour

fluffnutter wrote: »

Maybe it is a fairly petty thing to get wound up about. But why are we becoming a society that just mindlessly showers gifts on everyone at every opportunity? It's greedy and wasteful. If you think about the amount of shit that everyone buys everyone else for Christmas, half of which doesn't make anyone any happier, it becomes depressing.

It's just everyone showing off all the time. Look how generous I am. Look what I can afford. Who cares that it will end up in landfill before the month is out? Who cares that you hate it?

Not always a case of showing off what you can afford tbh.Last year we sat for hours and made christmas flower bouquets out of tissue paper and pipe cleaners with thankyou tags on them to give to teachers.It cost us barely a fiver and they loved them.This year we've not had the time with me 38 weeks pregnant and DD1 in hospital so we resorted to chocolates etc.It's really no-one elses business anyway

Valli

CHRISSYG wrote: »

had a letter from school saying a teacher is leaving and "inviting" parents to send donations to pay for the gifts !!!
don't tell me teachers don't get enough to club together !:mad:

I have had these from my kids infant, junior and secondary schools - but probably because in some cases some parents have ASKED if there's to be a collection; often when a teacher is retiring after many years service in the same school. It's entirely up to you whether or not to give. I believe the letters have come from the school (certainly the comp) but just say something along th elines of 'if you wish to send a gift..' and then tell you how to.

Where I work some of the parents 'club' together to organise a collection for some teachers, - £50 shopping centre gift cards have been given (and no, I haven't ever had one) - this must be really awkward for parents who feel, quite rightly, that they would prefer not to give a gift, are on a budget or do not wish to be 'expected' to contribute a certain amount. It also means the child cannot then 'present' the teacher with a gift - and they love to do that! Sometimes people send in group gifts (also known as staffroom goodies) and this week we had miniature christmas tree cupcakes - made by a child (and mum I expect) - a lovely lesson to teach a child, that, to spend time making a gift for people. But we don't expect it. And one of our TA's writes a handwritten thank you note on our behalf for joint gifts we receive (her handwriting is superb) and I write a thank you note to every child from whom I receive a gift.

And yes, schools are short of money at the moment - at least mine is!

ThumbRemote

Maybe the OP could tell us the actual wording of the letter, so we can judge in what way it is inviting the donations.