Last Minute Gift Idea for a Teacher??

[jen6889]

Any ideas on a last minute gift idea for my daughter's teacher? I completely forgot to grab something for her. My mom says it depends on the teacher.. Wasn't much help was she??? LOL

I don't know this teacher very well, we've only been here two months. She's female and a Grandma, if age makes any difference in a gift idea. She really doesn't look old enough to be a Grandma but that's what everyone tells my mom too, so guess that doesn't mean much, eh?

I'm not looking to spend much between - $5 and $10. I thought of some Yankee Candle Votives, but what if she has allergies? I also thought of some dish towels, but is that cheesy?? This year I wouldn't mind getting dish towels myself because all mine have begun to wear out, but had I gotten them last year I probably would have been disappointed. I'm at a loss for anything else. I'll appreciate ANY ideas. Thanks!

[KewlDude]

Wish I could help you, but don't have kids. My sister always gives baked goodies with a GC for a restaurant or school supply store or book store added. Doesn't have to be much because every little bit is appreciated by her kids' teachers. She speaks very highly of them every year. Good luck.

[stking]

My sister, who teaches 4th grade, gave me this idea last year. My son's teacher loved it! I bought a coffee mug at the dollar store and did the following (I also included a Target giftcard but that depends on how much you want to spend):

Put all these things in a mug and attach the following note:

Teacher's Survival Kit

Tea Bag- To remind you that you're "TEA-RRIFIC"
Paper Clip- For keeping things organized
Rubber Band- A reminder to stay flexible
Bandaid- To mend hurt feelings
Tootsie Roll- To remind you how sweet you are
2 Pennies- So you have the "cents " to realize how valuable you are
Mint- To remind you that we're thankful for your commit"mint"
Crayon- To color your days cheerful and bright
Lifesavers- To remind you that you're appreciated a "hole" lot

Just put it all in a cellophane wrap in the mug. It's just a thought and kind of an unusual idea.





Don't know if you have the time to do this but I thought it was cute and wanted to share it.

[Ttulipss]

Originally posted by stking
Put all these things in a mug and attach the following note:

Teacher's Survival Kit

Tea Bag- To remind you that you're "TEA-RRIFIC"
Paper Clip- For keeping things organized
Rubber Band- A reminder to stay flexible
Bandaid- To mend hurt feelings
Tootsie Roll- To remind you how sweet you are
2 Pennies- So you have the "cents " to realize how valuable you are
Mint- To remind you that we're thankful for your commit"mint"
Crayon- To color your days cheerful and bright
Lifesavers- To remind you that you're appreciated a "hole" lot

Just put it all in a cellophane wrap in the mug. It's just a thought and kind of an unusual idea.

What a cute idea.....I am copying it to Word and printing it out for when my dd starts school next year! Thanks!!

[fiveforall]

I am a teacher and some of the bests gifts I've gotten have been...

1. gc to a restaurant(even fast food places are GREAT)
2. magazine subscription
3. baked goods(cookies, cakes, bread)
4. Christmas socks
5. gc to a school supply store

But the BEST gift ever was a heartfelt note from a mom thanking me for teaching her child...this I keep in my wallet.

Write a note and bake some cookies...I would appreciate that the most.

[buckeyemomma]

When my ds was in 3rd grade, I loved his teacher. At Christmas, I had him help me write a poem for her. She still has it. But I always loved buying things for her. I would go to dollar tree or where ever and get things like construction paper, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, paper, paint, brushes...any thing to help her with art projects. And of course, there are always kids that never bring paper or pencil to school. I even would go to local vocational school and they would donate some things.

so, yes, a gift cert. is very much appreciated. I even got her a beautiful throw about teachers being a best friend..I forget how it was worded, but I was always at school late, because I volunteered a lot and had boosters, so after she left, we hung it from the clips above the chalk board so she couldn't miss it. SHE CRIED! That has been 5 years ago and she still talks about it.

I also love stking's idea!

[Mouse7088]

I love the Survival Kit idea...I have made my fair share of teachers gifts so I too will also be saving this one! Since we make candles..hee hee..that's what the teachers this year will be getting also..we always give one at the beginning of the school, come open house they are always thanking us personally so we find out then if they have allergies to certain scents.

[aprilgail]

most classes around here all the parents chip in for one big gift cert for the teacher. My brother is a teacher and I swear we throw more mugs in the trash every year. Between the mugs and the cheesey "worlds best teacher" stuff...how many of those things can one person actually keep LOL....he always likes getting gift certificate, even just to blockbuster or something or candy, he always liked that!
A nice thing is getting a 5 or 10.00 gift cert to blockbuster and a bucket of popcorn, a candy bar, 20 ounce bottle of soda and put them all in the bucket of popcorn and its a cute moive night for the person!

[misha123]

Just a hint on teacher GC if you get a teacher a Borders GC they also get a 20% off

[mum23]

Gift certificates are always appreciated!!

[mccbridge]

I like to give the anti bacterial soaps from bath and body My daughters teacher is always washing her hands because of all the germs in class. She loves them. Bath and body usually has them on sale for 4 for x.xx . I buy 4 and give 1 to teacher,1 to day care provider , 1 to family exchange gift and an extra that I always use

[Mouse7088]

Originally posted by aprilgail
most classes around here all the parents chip in for one big gift cert for the teacher. My brother is a teacher and I swear we throw more mugs in the trash every year. Between the mugs and the cheesey "worlds best teacher" stuff...how many of those things can one person actually keep LOL....he always likes getting gift certificate, even just to blockbuster or something or candy, he always liked that!
A nice thing is getting a 5 or 10.00 gift cert to blockbuster and a bucket of popcorn, a candy bar, 20 ounce bottle of soda and put them all in the bucket of popcorn and its a cute moive night for the person!

I can certainly understand the many "teacher like" gifts teachers receive every year, BUT...I personally would not tell any of my kids he can't pick something out that said "World's Best Teacher"..if any of my kids say their teacher is just the greatest in their little world, then who I am I to tell them "what a cheesey thought"....it's breaking my heart now to think of some teacher out there referring to something my son may have given him/her as "meaningless", when this same person touched my child in a way that only a SPECIAL teacher can do.
GCs...well..those are NEVER a bad move and I do like the idea of it NOT being school related, such as a meal or movie rental. I also know the teachers put out a lot of their own money for classroom supplies..sooooooo...I would assume either one would be appreciated.

[jen6889]

Thanks everyone! These are all great ideas. My daughter tells me her teacher has a scented candle on her desk, so no allergies there! My daughter has apparently inherited her mother's Yankee Candle addiction (me? an addiction? No way... ) and has decided on a little Snowman Dish towel and two or three yummy smelling Yankee Candles. I really do like the Survival Kit idea and the Gift Certificates too. Good thoughts for next year! I really would have never thought of giving a teacher a gift certficate but it would be so perfect!

As for "Best Teacher" related sort of items, if that's what my kids pick out for their teacher, unless it was expensive, I couldn't tell them no, but I like to stay away from them if I can. I used to shop the Thift Stores often and I can't tell you how many of those mugs, plaques, t-shirts, etc. I've seen in there. Obviously there are a lot of teachers that don't care for Teacher related things. Sad to think of really, but I can understand.

Thanks again. I'm off to who knows where now. My DH actually remembered our anniversary this year and is taking me out. Kids are tagging along, but that's fine by me!

[buckeyemomma]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JEN..HAVE A GOOD EVENING!!

[aprilgail]

Originally posted by jen6889

I used to shop the Thift Stores often and I can't tell you how many of those mugs, plaques, t-shirts, etc. I've seen in there. Obviously there are a lot of teachers that don't care for Teacher related things. Sad to think of really, but I can understand.

I am sure it is not that they dont care for teacher related items....but think about it, year after year, how many kids in the class, how many teacher related gifts they get...how many #1 teacher mugs can one person use, how many #1 teacher plaques can they hang on their walls?? One year my brother got 10 teacher related mugs, what in the world would a single guy use 10 mugs for and then each year adding more and more to that collection.