# Creative End-of-Year Gifts for Teachers?



## MomOf2DisneyKids

Anyone have any good ideas for teacher gifts??? (In particular, I'm thinking elementary.)   I never know what to get...


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## PrincessNancy96

One year my kids got their teachers and the office staff (we are a little school) a small flower pot and we bagged some good soil  and gave them a pack of "forget-me-nots".. than they painted a big popcicle stick and wrote their names and year on one side and the other side "Forget-Me-Not".

The teachers adored it.. One office secretary sent them a card in the mail a few months later and showed them her beautiful flowers!!  

Another year we made our own chocolates for the teachers.  They enjoyed that too...


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## lewdyan1

We always try to do something fun for them.  Last year I got popcorn bowls at the dollar store and filled it with movie candy, microwave popcorn and a Blockbusters gift card.

The year before I got them a booklight, book mark and a gift card for a bookstore.

This year I got them each a mushy pillow and soft fleece blanket.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




I have also had lunch sent in for them one day.  I go in and ask what they would like for X restaurant and then tell them on a set day I would have lunch delivered!


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## scraphappy92

I just finished a scrapbook for DS's pre-K teacher.  Although it was a pretty big project I have also seen some that were not this involved.  For this album I did a dedication page, then a two pages with class pictures, followed by 2 pages on each student (11 kids total) and included a library card on each student that included some of their favorites (and I am enclosing a note that the back of the card is for her to mark her favorite memories of each child), then I did a section in the back of pictures from through the year broken into Fall, Winter and Spring.  I know she is going to love it.

I also made her an altered composition book for her use next year and a flower pot (I used thumbprints from each kid for the center of a flower or butterfly) with a beautiful gerber daisy in it.


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## graygables

We homeschool, so my experience is limited, but when I was a teacher, I was going to scream if I got one more coffee mug!   

That said, an empty quart paint can from Home Depot (sold by the painting trays) is a fun thing to alter with paper/stickers/ribbon and fill with pens, pencils, stickers, GCs to supply stores, etc.  Scrapbooking supplies are always welcome...lots of teachers scrap and if they don't, they can use them in their classrooms.  Any kind of altered item, composition books, journals, clipboard would be fun, too.


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## ddavis860

graygables said:
			
		

> We homeschool, so my experience is limited, but when I was a teacher, I was going to scream if I got one more coffee mug!
> 
> That said, an empty quart paint can from Home Depot (sold by the painting trays) is a fun thing to alter with paper/stickers/ribbon and fill with pens, pencils, stickers, GCs to supply stores, etc.  Scrapbooking supplies are always welcome...lots of teachers scrap and if they don't, they can use them in their classrooms.  Any kind of altered item, composition books, journals, clipboard would be fun, too.



I've heard that one before from teacher friends.  Guess it's a common theme.  

I've given things that teachers can use, gift cards to a speciality store, pencils wrapped up like a nosegay, markers, pens...One year I made them all bag bags, a fabric sleeve that has elastic on one end and a ribbon on the other.  It is used to hold empty plastic bags.  They could keep it or regift it.  That one was really popular.  It was before Walmart was selling them.

I have been told NO MAGNETS, MUGS, or anything that says #1 Teacher


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## liamandcaili

Last year, my DS's kindergarten class gave his teacher a ceramic flower pot that had all their handprints on it.  It said "Thanks for helping us grow."  The pot was filled with all sorts of gardening supplies.  His teacher was very moved.


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## ohMom

i usually get them something for their classroom, a game, SchoolHouse Rock DVD is a good one for upper elementary grades, or a Wally World gift card as i iknow they spend alot of their own money throughout the year.  

matter of fact in two short days i'll be at the Vera Bradley outlet sale, and will pick up a small gift for the 'specials' teachers (gym, music, art, library and dance teachers) as last year i gave them all cosmetic bags and the LOVED them.  one teacher even sent a postcard from China over the summer and told DD she had brought her bag there with her


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## MomOf2DisneyKids

lewdyan1 said:
			
		

> I have also had lunch sent in for them one day.  I go in and ask what they would like for X restaurant and then tell them on a set day I would have lunch delivered!




ooh, this might be good for teacher appreciation week!!!

Great ideas, everyone...keep 'em coming!!
(ps--so many teachers...specials...helpers...it's so hard to know what to do and who to do it for!)


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## Mellie0119

My DS is in Pre K and has 3 teachers, so I'm doing a children's book (for the classroom library) and a Starbucks GC for each teacher.  For his 4 bus drivers/aides we're just doing the GC's for Starbucks.


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## New England Eeyore

When my stepdaughters were younger we stuck to mainly food items, especially for Christmas. Those cookie mixes in a jar with all the dry ingredients are always a nice idea.

One year we made soaps (I had all the molds and supplies and stuff because I made them as my wedding favors) - holiday shapes at Christmas, seashells at the end of the year. That was fun because the girls had fun making them, it wasn't very expensive, and it was versatile enough that we could make them for everyone you could imagine (3-4 little soaps for the specialists, crossing guard, etc., and a larger basket full for the classroom teachers.) You figure everyone could use little hand soaps for a guest bathroom. 

My mom was a teacher, and every year when it was time to give my teachers gifts, we'd go to "the box" in the closet of stuff she had received and regift them.   It's inevitable that not every gift is perfect - it's the thought that counts.


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## abitjaded

A gift certificate to the closest  teacher's school supply store.

Carla


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## MomOf2DisneyKids

what about a bunch of little ideas.....to do one a day for teacher appreciation week?   anyone?


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## lewdyan1

I just found this older thread and thought they had very creative ideas!!!

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1083831&highlight=teacher+appreciation


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## soccerchick

I'm "gifted" out w/ DD's teachers this year. She in Kindergarten and the 5 (yes, FIVE) room mothers are out of control. We did something for each teacher's birthday, a baby shower for her male teacher in March right before his wife had baby #2, we were told how to "appreciate" the teachers for next week (this one really bugs me on principle ~ who tells people they need to appreciate someone else and then HOW to appreciate them...sheesh). Besides, I like MY idea better than the silly dictated ones from the room moms. I haven't decided if I'll play nice and go along or not. We also sent in very nice, imho, generous Christmas presents.

For the end of the year, I'm not spending any more $. I'm writing a letter (haven't decided if it will be emailed or printed) to the teacher w/copies to the principal and superintendent. DDs teacher is really good and we've been happy. I think, in the grand scheme, he'll like that better than the candy jar contents and flower and whatever else the room moms told me to send in next week. Sorry - this turned into a vent.


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## abitjaded

Wow, Soccerchick,

Your teachers are so lucky!  Sorry you are inundated by gift requests.  The school I work at is a bit of a different situation.  Most of the parents don't have a clue and it would never occur to them to even give a gift, let alone write a letter. And money is ALWAYS a problem. We have 750 students and about 70 teachers and support staff, yipes. I do think your letter idea is great.

So, to momof2disney kids,

This whole thing falls to me and the office secretary.  For teacher appreciation week, we do the same things for all teachers.  One day we have a coffee cart come, each teacher and staff member can chose a flavored coffee or the like.  Another day we have a massage therapist come to give neck massages.  One day we have Jamba Juice delivered.  And another day we do breakfast.  We do not have enough money for a caterer, so I'm going to get quiche at Costco, rolls and fruit.  We have a draw off for centerpieces, which I have no clue what they will be yet.  Last year I got bunnies and chicks made of feathers at the import clearance store nearby and filled cheap containers with lilacs.  But this year the lilacs bloomed early, so it just might be a rose for each from Costco!

Carla


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## katelynsmommy2001

We homeschool also!! Wonder if I will get a teacher's appreciation gift??!! HHHMMMM!!    Maybe it's time to start hinting!!   LOL!! 

We did a makeup kit for DD's teacher, because she was getting married over the summer!! She loved it!!!


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## MomOf2DisneyKids

I did a search for end of the year gifts, and found this thread that I started 2 years ago, LOL!   

ok, so I stillllllllllllllll never know what to get!   any new ideas this year??


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## BernardandMissBianca

nope......

I did paint cans one year, one had margarita mix and the other had gift cards and a candle or something.


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## aroyer

I was just telling my MIL this evening that I needed to start thinking about this one.  It seems like I have made just about everything (ok, not really, but I can't think of anything else!).


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## Disneynut71

A gift my DS and I made for one of his teachers is flower pens in a pot,

We took 6 pens (black, blue and red pens) silk flowers, Flower Pot, Dry Beans and I'm not sure what it's called but it's the green stuff you wrap flowers with (comes in a roll like tape)

Take a flower and with the green wrap attach to pen. 

Once you have all pens done, Put a piece of paper at the bottom of the pot and fill with beans. Stick the pens into the pot. 

My son's teacher loved it and years later still has it on her desk.

I think it cost less then $10 for the whole project.


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