End of the year teacher gifts?

kpips20

I have to admit this never occurred to me until a friend asked me what I was doing for the preschool teachers...what are typical end of the year gifts??

DoughGirl

Whenevere DS has moved on to another classroom, we buy the teachers flowers or a flowering plant and make a "Thank you for helping me to grow" card. They've always loved it. 

 

WestCoastMommy

I'm a gift card person. I did Starbucks gift cards for Xmas and Teacher Appreciation week next week. For their good bye gift I will be doing a Gift Card to a restaurant. My Cousin and my BF are teachers and both told me they prefer gift cards rather then crafts so that's what I do.

AgrippaRidesAgain

When I was teaching I got about a billion Starbucks cards, which kind of sucked, because I don't drink coffee.  I still have maybe 20 that haven't been used. 

My absolute favorite gift was from my class of gifted students my last year of teaching.  One of the moms got all of the kids to write thank you cards.  A lot of them are generic "Thanks for teaching us.  You're a great teacher" cards, but a few were filled with sincere words that I adore reading.  As a high school teacher, that sort of thing was hard to come by.  :-)

Otherwise, I always really appreciated gift cards to Borders.  Obviously, they don't exist any more, so I'm probably going to do Amazon gift cards and handmade cards with a pic of DS for each of his two teachers.

cmh06

AgrippaRidesAgain:

When I was teaching I got about a billion Starbucks cards, which kind of sucked, because I don't drink coffee.  I still have maybe 20 that haven't been used. 

I always get Starbucks cards too and I don't drink coffee either.  I had about $90 in SB cards at one point.  I love getting gift cards to Target, Michaels, AC Moore, or a local teacher store.  Places I can use it to buy school supplies are great. 

Nygirl76

I plan on doing Barnes & Noble gift cards and a note/card from my daughter to each of her teachers.  She has 9 teachers, so it is a pricey endeavor, but they treated her well all year and deserve it.

kpips20

Thanks for the feedback! I actually asked a teacher friend and she said gift card as well. Now here's the tacky follow up question...how much? He has 3 teachers.

UsedToBeGoldie

i was a teacher and can say almost all teachers prefer gift cards... you can only deal with so many candles, candies, etc.... all gifts are nice- but the best tangible gift is always a gift card. My faorite was a BnN gift card saying they knew how much money i spent on books for the class and hoped I'd buy myself something with it - that meant a lot, that they recognized how much I put into the class, etc.

a note of thanks for all they do is ALWAYS the most important - even if that's all you give- that is enough.

the_jackpot

I really don't get the logic against getting a gc to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but there are tons of other things to get from there.

I teach and I would like a gc to anyplace really. I can figure out something to get. I got a gc this week to DSW and it is the best because I really will only get something for me. You can't go wrong with gc in my opinion. 

CareBear0607

I am going to write a thank you card and have DD do a picture and sign her name.  I will also do a gift card.  As a former teacher, I have to say that gift cards and personal notes/letters were my favorite.  I try not to get Starbucks unless I know the teacher drinks coffee.  Like Agrippa, I would get tons of Starbucks cards and give them away because I don't drink coffee.  For Christmas I did Panera gift cards for DD's teachers.  Haven't thought about what I will do this time around.  

Some of my favorites were restaurants, mall, movie theater, book stores, local nail salon...that's all I can think of right now

SpartanGirl

Last year we did a little gift card booklet for DD's teachers.  The book was called "What will Mrs. X do this summer?" and then each page had a drawing with a  little gift card.  One page was "eat ice cream" with a $5 GC to Dairy Queen, one page was "read a good book" with a B&N GC, one was "see a movie" with a movie pass, etc.  I wrote a thank you note on the back and tied it all together with ribbon.  It turned out cute and the teachers really loved it.

KL777

I think I'm going to do a gift card this year.  I just did a creative daily gift for teacher appreciation week a week ago and next week is his last week of preschool.

jlw2505

I have done gift cards for Starbucks or Target (Target with the mind set that they can buy items for their classroom for the next year or use it for themself).  I have sometimes put that into a cute little basket with candy.

SeasideBride06

I always go with gift cards. 

Also saw this on Pinterest today and LOVE it:

https://gigglesgalorenmore.blogspot.com/2011/05/thanks-for-helping-me-grow-teacher.html?showComment=1306709970422#c4231543378653305358

 

WestCoastMommy

the_jackpot:

I really don't get the logic against getting a gc to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but there are tons of other things to get from there.

I teach and I would like a gc to anyplace really. I can figure out something to get. I got a gc this week to DSW and it is the best because I really will only get something for me. You can't go wrong with gc in my opinion. 

I agree. They have breakfast, lunch even baby food now along with kids drinks, Tea, smoothies. How could you not use a gift card to Starbucks? Weird.

AgrippaRidesAgain

WestCoastMommy:

the_jackpot:

I really don't get the logic against getting a gc to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but there are tons of other things to get from there.

I teach and I would like a gc to anyplace really. I can figure out something to get. I got a gc this week to DSW and it is the best because I really will only get something for me. You can't go wrong with gc in my opinion. 

I agree. They have breakfast, lunch even baby food now along with kids drinks, Tea, smoothies. How could you not use a gift card to Starbucks? Weird.

Because they are out of the way and don't have all that spectacular food. I don't have a coffee addiction, so I never thought to drive the extra miles to go to one.

PhilsWife07

the_jackpot:

I really don't get the logic against getting a gc to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but there are tons of other things to get from there.

Like what? A coffee cup? A coffee maker? A pastry? I can see where a gift card to a place the teacher shops at would be a 100 times more useful. You really can't?

lucylea

I'm on the board of directors for our preschool so they know me well enough that I feel comfortable making a small batch of brownies for each teacher and the director (4 total) with a nice note from DD.  We are also making an extra payment to the preschool to be used to benefit the classroom as a whole.  

CubbyMama

I teach elementary school.  We definitely get a lot of bath & body products, candles, and mugs.  Everything is appreciated, but what means the most is a hand-written card from the student and/or parents saying what they liked or appreciated about me or my class.  Gift cards are great, because there are only so many monograms made of crayons or apple-themed knick knacks one person has space for but not necessary.  I'd say most years, I might get one or two really generous $50 or $25 gift cards, but most are more like $10.

For my own DD, we're giving each of her teachers a $10 Cold Stone Creamery gift card, with a nice card colored by DD and a message from her, plus one from us.  Costco sells 4-packs of CSC gift cards for $27.99, so you get $40 for under $30, which is a great deal!

I also don't drink coffee, but I still love Starbucks GC's because I can get hot chocolate, creme frappucinos, or breakfast/lunch there.