Don't forget about the teachers this time of year! They would really appreciate a big Christmas thank you. You don't have to spend a bunch of money to make someone feel special - I promise. I've got some simple ideas for you today that would make any teacher so happy at the holidays. I did option 1, 3 and 4 for my kid's teachers this year.
1. Add them to your Christmas card list and include and handwritten note about specific things you appreciate them doing for your child. They will appreciate your kind words so much! Honestly, I still have a file full of the nicest notes parents wrote me when I was teaching. They are treasures to me!
2. Find out their favorite restaurant or place to shop and buy them a gift card there. Our school publishes a list of teacher favorites. Our last school kept a list of teacher favorites in the office. Or ask your child for help in this department.
3. Our teachers also have ongoing classroom Amazon wish lists. You can buy things from the list at anytime throughout the year to donate to their classroom. This is a great way to know specific things that your child's teacher needs or wants for their classroom. Amazon gives you the option to add a gift message to the teacher or to give your gift anonymously. Then the gifts ship directly to the school.
3. Grab some festive Christmas kitchen towels and put together a Christmas bundle! We did this option. My friend Justine shared these darling Target kitchen towels when they were on super sale for $2/each a few weeks ago. I grabbed a set of 3 for each teacher plus a Be Merry Christmas spatula for each teacher. I also grabbed some sweet wooden ornaments for our teachers - initials and these stars. I rolled up the three towels together and put a bow on them.
4. Pay attention to allergies in the classroom or allergies for the teacher when you're planning edible gifts. We had to work around a peanut allergy when planning our gifts. I opted to do simmer pots for classrooms with allergies and then baked cookies for Fletcher's teachers. I wrote his teachers at the beginning of the year and told them that I have a bakery and any baked goods I send in are bakery quality - no little hands helped make them. That way they'd know they were made with extra care.
What is your favorite teacher gift to give at the holidays?
Such fun ideas! As you know I haven’t had to do many teacher gifts through the years but when I was a classroom teacher a million years ago I loved the handwritten notes so much. Several times I was given ornaments that are still in my tree all these years later. The Starbucks cards were a treat too. I KNOW those teachers love your yummy baked goods!
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