What Do Teachers Really Want for Christmas?

When I was teaching preschool, I always loved gift certificates to bookstores, that way I could pick out something for myself or the classroom. It's nice to get to pick, and new materials for the classroom are often not covered in a teacher's budget.

Gift cards. No lotions etc. they end up giving that stuff away. Dublin Donuts
Or Starbucks gift cards always are very welcome.

If the teacher is young I get a gift card to Loft or Ulta. If not, or a man, i do Barnes & Noble. Usually for $20. Once I did a movie gift card and put it in a plastic popcorn container and packaged it with movie candy-that was a huge hit.
I always figure a teacher gets enough candles and mugs-with a GC they can pick something out they like. I try not to over-emphasize the sentiment that a teacher may have for my kid...is she really going to remember that a certain mug came from my son?

As a part of a teaching family.... steer away from mugs, apples, lotions, candles.... They get SO much of this stuff that they can't possible use it all.

VERY much appreciated items are gift cards to restaurants, school supply stores, movies, etc.

Many teachers spend their own money for supplies in the classroom and truly appreciate things for the classroom.

My daughter is now a senior and a few things we've done that were "hits" were..... giftcard for movies and snacks for 2, starbucks, Staples office supply, bookstores, a gift card to a favorite place.... Sonic is popular, other restaurants, etc.

I typically spend about $25 for teachers she really loves and who have helped her. This year, she had 4 teachers send rec letters to colleges for her and we gave them $20 giftcards and a handwritten thank you note for their help.

They love anything handmade by the student.

The teachers at our schools post a "wish list" outside of their room. It is extremely helpful! You should "suggest" that to your person in charge!

On that wish list is always stuff for the classroom such as cookie cutters, paint, glue, books, etc.

That being said, I would love a personal gift if I were a teacher - I would love a scentsy or candle or a gift card to get something for ME. Even a gift card to a place where she can get stuff for the classroom would be great. Some teachers reach into their own pocket to get classroom items, so it would save her money!

Honestly, what I would do is ask what she wants for the classroom, get her one item off of that list she names, then get her a personal gift such as a gift card to target or starbucks.

Thing about what you child "uses" during the day that might be purchased by the teacher... kleenex, stickers, "prize box items", hand sanitizer, paper towels, Dixie cups etc. Then either give her a gift card to Walmart, Target, Kmart where she can purchase those items or hit Sam's Club and buy them! Teachers have a set budget each year and purchase out-of-pocket (or have you send them in) when the initial items run out.

I LOVED when parents would send in packs of playing cards, art supplies or a new board game at the holidays (I was a school psychologist). I appreciated the fact that they appreciated and understood the work that I did with their child.

Skip lotions, mugs, candles or anything else that is taste-specific and go with "usable"!

Every year, I would get my daughter to sneakily ask her teacher where her favorite place to eat out was. Then we would go buy a gift card to that place. My daughter loved that little game, she thought she was a super spy, LOL. Anyway, as a former 2nd grade teacher (who is semi-retired to raise my kiddos), I agree, skip the lotions and candles. If you are going to spend your hard earned money, you want to know the teacher really enjoys it right? So, go for the gift card, even if it is $10 to Subway, that is one nice thirty minute break with a sandwhich that he/she didn't have to buy him/herself.

My husband isn't a teacher but often gets gift cards as gifts from sales people or vendors through his business. We love those "free" date night dinners :-)

realized I forgot to answer the how much question...we usually do $25 because most of the restaurants were Olive Garden, Outback, that kind of thing, so $25 seemed like enough to put a big dent in a two person night out :-)

A winning ticket to a large prize lottery would be nice!
But then I'd like one of those myself!

A vanilla scented candle.
A Starbucks gift card.
A really bright small LED flashlight is something that just always comes in handy.

My daughter taught elementary school for twelve years. She said she always received lots of little tchotchkes, which she appreciated (especially when a student made it) but didn't know where to put after a while. Lotions, candles, and soaps pile up, too, much as she appreciated them. She did enjoy gift cards for restaurants or coffee, because she could take out another friend or teacher.

What was most useful, she said, were gift cards to teacher supply stores. She was always looking for affordable things for her classroom, and appreciated the help in getting what she needed.

The gifts she was given were usually small - in the ten to fifteen dollar range at most. Once in a while all the parents would join together to give her something big she really needed. When her little camera gave up the ghost, her students' families surprised her with a new one.

Whatever you decide on, write a little note of appreciation, specifying one or two ways in which she is benefiting your child. Even better, ask your son to dictate the note to you, and he can sign it himself.

As a former preachool teacher myself, gifts really bothered me, to be honest. I felt that it was a show between the haves and the have not. f you get my meaning.

I didn't need more mugs, lotion and such, and i didn;t like them anyway. Also you might want to check the school policy about gift cards. Where I works, I couldn.t keep them for me, I had to give them to my boss to use for the center's needs.

Also, never really unerstood why parents felt tey had to give me a gift, I already had the giftof sharing their children!
Good luck.

As a teacher for 15 years, I would skip the Starbucks gift cards ~ many of us teachers don't like coffee!! Hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works is always useful ~most teachers in my school have a bottle on their desks. No teacher mugs or ornaments! We get LOTS of those!! I liked the idea of your child asking about favorite foods/resturants. Heck, even a Giant Eagle gift card, everyone needs groceries right? The amount is whatever you feel comfortable with, what you can afford. Nothing past $25 though.

My daughters class Mother asked our teacher what she liked and sent to list to the parents. What she really likes are Restaurant gift cards so that's what we are getting. My Mother was a retired teacher. She used to love ornaments with the kids name on it. She didn't keep the homemade things because that just took up room when storing. She also didn't eat food gifts. Hope this helps.

I usually like to buy something for the teacher herself, since she deserves something after teaching the kids all day. I like to do a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble, plus a homemade card from my son. If I have time, I will also bake something.

If you want to get something for the classroom, please consider looking at my Discovery Toys page. We have excellent educational toys and games that are perfect for school. Some of my recommendations for kindergarten:
Giant Pegboard
Bendy Beads
Touch Tec Bricks
Playful Patterns
Marbleworks
We also have a few really nice books: Nothing Like a Puffin, Library Lion, Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies
Check them all out at http://www.discoverytoys.com/karenchao

A vacation!! Haha!! I would say gift cards with a handmade card from your kiddo are always your best bet. :)

I'm a preschool teacher, but I think gift cards are nice. Starbucks can be tricky because not everyone likes coffee. I do like hand made things also. I have an ornament that was hand made about 10 years ago from a girl in my class. It's on my tree right now. I taught for 5 years before and then took a break to be with my kids and start up a photography business and now I'm also teaching again since my kids are both in school full time now. This is my first year back teaching and I really have no idea what to expect, so I'm not going to expect anything. If I do get anything from the parents, I will be very thankful and I would love anything because they took the time to think about me.

Giftcards!!
Starbucks,Safeway, oliver's, Etc. Good Luck!