Looking for Great Gift Ideas for My Sons Kindergarten Teachers.....

I'm a teacher and a mom who is also on a budget. From a teacher's perspective, we love just reading cards/notes from families. It really means a lot to read messages that aren't complaints. If you'd like to buy a small gift just to give, what about lotion that the teacher can keep in the class to use or scented hand sanitizer? Starbucks is also great!

I'm a teacher and a Starbucks gift card, even $10, is always a welcome gift. The caramel corn is a sweet and touching addition.

A day at a spa? Or how about stuff for their classroom that usually comes out of their pocket; ie;kleenex, pencils, new sharpener, rulers, crayolas, colored pencils, or math games? They have parent/teacher stores that have a bunch of neat ideas. I work in an office supply store and many come in to buy pencil sharpeners on a regular basis because their kids ruin theirs by shoving other items into their sharpeners. Staplers too!
V. (Staples The Office Superstore, palmdale Ca.)

How about a gift certificate for a hair cut, or wash and blow dry? Or some cards with hair care tips?

There was an article in parents magazine that did a poll on what teachers like to get and what they dont like to get. Gift cards were number one on the like list. The do not like list was coffee mugs and candy. Hope it helps

HI A., This is C. J. In Corona Ca.
I am making sugar cookies in the shape of apples. I am putting them on round popsicle sticks before baking, no the paper does not turn brown. You can use varying length's of sticks. Decorate with royal icing, you can find a ton of recipes on the internet. Wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a coffee mug from the dollar store. Home made, cheep, and very very yummy.
Good luck!
C.J. ____@____.com ta ta for now.

My dad was a school teacher for many years and he really loved getting gift cards.....as a matter of fact last week he said that was something he missed about teaching. Hope this helps!

I'm a first grade teacher...and STARBUCKS CARDS are AWESOME!

The caramel corn is a great idea. You could dress it up by putting it into popcorn bags or boxes - available at Target - then add a Blockbuster gift card. Even $5 goes a long way towards renting a movie. Or you can find relatively inexpensive DVDs at Target or other stores to go with the popcorn. Good luck! It's very sweet of you to buy gifts for your children's teachers.

I like making snowmen out of clay pots with a wooden ball for the head. You turn the pot upside down and glue a wooden ball (proportioned to the pot)to it. After its dry, I paint the whole thing white, and you can either paint the face or glue buttons for the eyes, partial toothpick painted orange for the nose, and painted mouth. If you have any mismatched color kid's socks, you can make a beanie and a scarf out of it and glue them on, or if you have yarn, you can make two small pom-poms and make ear muffs for your snowman. They are pretty inexpensive, and are very cute. The possibilities are endless when it comes to embellishing them. Let me know if you need more details.

Hi A., i dont know how old your kids teachers are. My childrens teachers are fairly young, so i am getting them each a music CD. Im doing Alicia Keys and Celine Dions new CD's, i know i cant go wrong with either one of those artists. Another thing, if music is not of your interest, i would do a candle, you cant go wrong with candles. I was at a school holiday botique the other night, there was a woman selling these beautiful candles next to our booth. They were very enexpensive too. Here is thier website,
www.goldcanyoncandle.com her phone number is ###-###-####
her email address is ____@____.com
Her name is Andrea, her stuff is very beautiful.

I have a huge 43,000sq.ft showroom filled with furniture and accessories rated "Best of LA"by Los Angeles Magazine. We have small gift items as well. We are a wholesaler but for the holidays and for a Mamasource member I will extend 50% discount. For the teachers, I have given them in the past nice unique Christmas trimmings, candles, shawls, tea sets, jewelry, jewelry box and lots of nice little gift pieces. I can give pieces at inexpensive price. Or, if you a bake cookies, I have some nice holiday boxes for that as well. When you have a chance come and visit. Let me know when you're coming so I can help you select pieces and pieces that is not in the showroom but in our warehouse, and also provide an extra discount as my sales manager and sales may not give the same discount as we have a minimum.

Showroom: Out of Asia www.outofasia.com
3249 S. LaCienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016 tel ###-###-####

Maybe one of the little lotions from the Body shop or Bath and Body works with a lip gloss wrapped in a little clear cellophane treat bag with a nice ribbon and a candy cane for decoration.

I have 2 daughters, sister and friends that are teachers and volunteer countless hours in schools. The teachers don't need bobbles, photos albums etc... no matter how cute they are.
Gift cards to a coffee or local sandwich place are the best, but you have a talent so why not offer a free haircut/styling, or free hair cut for their children, special hairstyle for going out, hair care products, can you get a discount on a nail appointment? Find out her favorites and buy or make her a nice lunch one day.

A radio DJ I was listening to advised giving your children's teachers something made by your children that expresses why they like their teacher or what they like about school. Something handmade is more personal and will touch their hearts. If you are uncomfortable with that find out what their teachers collect. I bought my sons teacher a nutcracker one year because she collects them.

I have children and four teachers to buy gifts for. What I did was buy a gift back and split it up among two of the teachers. It had different flavors of hot chocolate and two coffee mugs. I also put little holiday scented candles in the package. Those aren't too expensive.

I love homemade Christmas ornaments - when I was a kid we made snowflakes with pipe cleaner and beads. Cut the pipe cleaners in half. Use white thread to bind three halves together at their centers. Thread beads on the pipe cleaners, using craft glue to affix the last one on the end of each spoke (be sure to glue a loop of thread on one of the spokes as a hanger right before you place that last bead on). The final step is to glue "paddle beads" over the threads tying the spokes together and then a faceted round bead in the well of the paddle beads.

Another neat gift for a teacher (maybe at the end of the year) would be to get an apron and put the children's (painted) hand prints on it. (I received this gift after volunteering for the third time with the same two kindergarten teacher - I treasure it! - and always thought it would be a wonderful gift for the teacher)

Whatever you do, have fun!
B.

p.s.
as I look over other response, someone said that a Starbucks gift card is great if you know she'll use it, but I hate coffee, and I still love Starbucks - they have yummy treats and good music that one can buy with a gift card - and it's so easy to find one . . .!

Here is an idea. Take a pic of his whole class and put it on A T-shirt for her with the date. And a caption. Like worlds best teacher. Hope this helps Krissy

My wise mother in law gave gift cards, gift certificates, etc. Especially ones that didn't have the teacher's name on them. So if the teacher didn't like, say, coffee, she could regift it and save herself the cost of a gift.

Movie passes have been popular, in my experience.

Another present you can give is to write a letter to the principal and tell him/her how great this teacher is, in detail!

Teachers love gift certificates to places they really shop at. How about a coffee place (if she/he drinks coffee) or a certificate for a manicure/pedicure at a place in the city she lives (NOT next to the school) or a gift certificate to a grocery store. Teachers are practical people; think practical and useful. We hate to get perfume, candles, candy (because we eat too much of it at once), and Christmas decorations (personal tastes differ so much).

Honestly, we toss home baked goods because
we have been sick toooooo many times from those good intentions. (Fridge space is limited on campus.) Hope this helps.

Lots of people love Starbucks cards, so it's not like that's a bad idea. If you want to do something personal, though, you could have your son help you make Christmas cards or (if you're really ambitious) short homemade books for them. The personal touch makes it extra-special!

My sister taught kinder and 1st grade for a few yrs now, and she said the teachers always love gift cards. I was going to do the starbucks gift card also, but I picked up a Starbucks basket from costco for my son's kinder teacher. Then I'm going to go the Rocky mountain chocolate factory and get a fancy candy apple to add to it...sort of like an apple for the teacher! They have fancy ones at Bloomies, but the ones at rocky mountain are less than $7, and they'll individually wrap them for .50 more. So I'll probably do that for all daughter's preschool teachers too.

How about a Christmas ornament?

As a teacher, I can tell you that the most valuable thing I ever get from my students is a letter or card telling me how much they enjoy my class, or how much they have learned or that I have made some kind of difference in their lives. (I teach middle school) That means so much more to me than any gift.
Since your son probably isn't writing much yet, a note from you telling that teacher how much you appreciate her would make a great gift. But, you know, gift cards are nice too. Or you could go in with another mom or two and get a gift certificate for a facial or pedicure or some other pampering type thing. But absolutely NO candy and NO mugs! :)

Hi A.,
My sister had been a teacher for 30 years so you can imagine all the stuff she has collected by now! What she really appreciates is gift cards or certificates like you mentioned. Movie tickets are good, she loves Starbucks and Jamba Juice, a book store gift card is good, or if there is a store where teachers buy educational accessories, that is appreciated too. She also always appreciates things that she knows the children made themselves. Hope this helps.
C. B

Hi A.,
Your caramel corn is a great idea, and Starbucks cards are always useable. I have a friend who is a teacher, and she got so many little presents each year that she would end up giving things away.... think about it, year after year of 30 little presents... things piling up. The caramel corn will be shared with family and friends at a holiday gathering, and the Peppermint Mocha will give her the strength to get through the next report card period;) You are doing just fine in the gift giving dept!

Don't know how much you are looking to spend, but my sons' teachers have loved things like gift certificates to a nice restaurant or for a massage/spa treatment. Maybe you could get together with other parents and pitch in? We've done that too.

How about a warm scarf, its perfect for this time of year. Plus, a scarf is considered warm and caring. Just a thought.

From experience, teachers love gifts they can actually use. Despite what a lot of people think, teachers don't actually decorate their homes in "teacher" decor. Gift cards are always nice. Last year I got a nice coffee mug at $.99 store and put the gift card inside it. I noticed this year when I went back to visit she was actually using it. I know VONS has a ton of gift cards for all different places. Maybe let your son help you pick out what gift card to give?
Best of luck!

I was an elementary teacher for 10 years, and I always loved receiving gift certificates for book stores! You can give a gift certificate to Amazon.com, where they sell almost anything now. Also, never underestimate the power of good treats. Your caramel corn sounds really yummy and thoughtful, too, since you took the time to make it. How sweet of you to put such thought into this. Your son's teachers are lucky to have your support! Merry Christmas!
A.

I'm a teacher, so I speak from experience. Starbucks is GREAT! Gift certificates to a bookstore are better.

Honestly, it doesn't matter to me if I get gifts from my students. The favorite gift I got last year was from a child who came up to me and said, "I wasn't able to buy you a present, so for Christmas I'm going to give you a hug."

This year we are getting my daughter's two teachers silver chains for their keys (they wear them around their necks and they look like a long necklace). These chains have a decorative clip on them for clipping on keys...the clips either have a decorative inscription or a frame for a picture. They run about $17 and I am buying them at a local boutique. Good luck!

Hi A.,

I'm a mom and a parenting writer. I hope I can help with an article I wrote on holiday teacher gifts. The suggestions come from other moms and from teachers, too. I have posted it on my blog, Parent Talk Today, at the link below. Hope it's helpful!

Best,

K. Sena
http://parenttalk.typepad.com/parenttalk/2007/11/terrific...

Lakeshore Learning Center and some art supply stores sell inexpensive blank kid-size books. When my older son was in Kindergarten I used to have him make a book for each of his teachers as a Christmas or end-of-year gift. He would draw a picture on each page and tell me what he wanted it to say (what he liked about the teacher, some fun things that happened during the year, etc). We also glued in photos and used stickers to decorate. I usually cut out some of the blank pages and just made the books about 12 pages long. The teachers always loved this gift idea and still talk about it when I see them. My only tip would be to start early and do a few pages at a time - you don't want to be under pressure to get it done in a hurry if your son has a typical 5-year-old's attention span :-)

Good luck!

I am a teacher and I think a Starbucks card would be perfect. It is very thoughtful of you to think of them this time of year:-)

I am a preschool teacher and know first hand what all teachers love and that is more help. Give her a hand-made gift certificate for X number of hours of your help. You can attach like a $10 Starbucks gift card if you want but offering your help on a special project or just spending a day with her helping where you can will be more valuable than anything you could purchase.

As a former preschool teacher, my favorite gifts were the big gift cards to the spa that my class would all pitch in to get me. Everyone only put in $10, but that added up to a great trip to the spa for me! If you can get a few of the other moms in class on board, that is the way to go!

C. : )

As a retired teacher, I can tell you what were some of my FAVOURITE GIFTS:

1. A class gift for a "spa day" over the holidays. The kids all put in a few doallars and I got a $275 day at the spa, WOO HOO! Teachers usually can't afford that.

2. A basket of stickers, pencils and other stuff she would buy with her own money for the students. (A gift certificate to a teacher's store is good too, but then she still has to go shopping...buy things your child will like and they will make great classroom give-aways (trust me $10 spent at the dollar store is better than $10 at Starbucks - which by the way is a bad example for the kids anyways...very unhealthy. Help her set a good example for her students.)

3. Volunteer time in the classroom. Do bulletin boards, cut outs, prepare craft projects, offer to come in with other moms to teach the kids how to do some interesting craft or science project. In short, offer her some time. But please, don't make it more work for her. Make sure whatever you have planned is COMPLETELY self-sustained, she doesn't have to do anything other than "be there".

PLEASE DON'T GET TEACHERS
coffee mugs
ornaments
candles - no matter how pretty youthink they smell
collectables
food (unless you know 100% for sure it is something they like and not something they were "polite" about the last time.
anything cute your child picks out.

We LOVE your children, but every year we have 20 to 200 students (I taught junior high also) and to get even 2 "Worlds Greatest Teacher mugs" is 2 too many. Just walk into any teachers staff room and open the cupboard and see the "gifts of christmas' past"

As for the food/coffee gift certificates, please, even if your teacher may be addicted to the stuff, you need to set a better example for your kids. Find a healthier way to show how much you appreciate your teacher.

Happy Holiday!

B. B.A.;B.Ed.
www.HeyYouGetReal.com

A.,
How about a "gift certificate" for a shampoo/blow-dry/style or a cut. Or trade services with another professional and donate your side of the trade to one of them. If you're swaping a haircut for a manicure, arrange to give the manicure to the teacher. Gift certificates are lovely. Maybe your room mom could take up a collection from members of the class who would be willing to donate(2-5 dollars per family) and get one bigger gift card to a restaurant or whatever. That way, no one spends a lot of money but the end result is still a nice gift to give. Teachers get overwhelmed with things so it's better to give them something they can use to pamper themselves.

As a hairstylist, have you thought of offering your services to them? You could make a nice gift certificate for them for a free appointment. It won't cost you anything, but offers a pretty substantial gift to them.

Hi A., For my sons teacher I have gotten things like a coffe mug with a pack of coffee, gift card to the book store, or local teachers store, or fast food place. we have also make a large mixture of homemade bake goodies.
I hope this helps.

usually the schools have a teacher's wish list to review.i also read that teachers love to just get a thank you card letting them know how much u enjoy them and how they have made a difference in your child's life.maybe u cld. let your child make a picture or help him write a thank you letter.i think homemade gifts r the best!!

I think starbucks is a great idea. It surely gets me going in the morning. Or, how about a day at the spa. I know you are on a budget but i once went to burke williams in torrance and i believe its about $50 just to go in and relax at the facility. This may be a little pricey. Movie tix are always good, or maybe a gift certificate to a local nail shop. Or maybe a key chain with her named engraved and a special saying of how great a teacher she is. These are just some random ideas.

A.,

In my opinion as a teacher, if you are going to give presents, gift cards are GREAT! Baked goods are also super. The last thing that teachers want to do is go home and bake or cook anything! So starbucks, grocery stores, whatever.... Quite honestly, it is really hard to buy an object for a teacher and they probably don't need another mug or ornament that says "great teacher"... I say play it safe!

But in ALL honesty- after 12 years of teaching, I can't really remember any gift cards and rarely a memorable present, but I did keep the heartfelt notes from parents... In the end, the reason we teach is to make a difference and hearing appreciation from parents truly is an INCREDIBLE gift.

Happy Holidays!
K.

I had a student years ago whose mother was a landscaper. For every gift giving occasion she would give her son's teachers a potted plant with a care label and the offer to help plant it or re-pot it. It was a wonderful gift since I not only got lovely plants but I leaned a great deal about how to take care of them and re-plant them.

Why don't you put your talents to work and offer your son's teachers a blowout or a haircut? You and your son could work together to make a "gift certificate." That, with your homemade carmel corn, would be a much appreciated gift. Starbucks cards are also good since everyone needs a coffee break from time to time, but as you said much less personal.

My sister and mother-in-law are both elementary school teachers and say they would love gift cards or a group gift. They said that they are sick of candy, candles, soap, and lotions.

Why not give them a gift certificate for a free haircut with you? I know I would love that as a gift! Another idea is for all the parents to group together and get a class gift, like a gift certificate for a book store or something. That is what we did for my son's kindergarten teacher last year. Hope that helps! All the best, C.

Well, I know some teachers love gifts they can spend on themselves. But also, they love things for their classrooms. for instance, some good books. If you are interested in some more specific ideas, let me know. I sell Discovery Toys and there are some awesome gifts that you can get for your kids great teachers!!! (toys, games, books, music)!
I would love to give you some ideas and a little discount.

Good luck,
B.

Starbucks cards are a great gift, if you know that the teacher will use them. (Most do!) Movie passes are a good idea, too.
I'm a teacher and a mom. Some of the greatest gifts I've received and given were group efforts. You could pool money and get a gift card for a manicure or pedicure, Barnes & Noble card, etc.
One year, I secretly notified all the parents in my daughter's class, had them send contributions in envelopes with my name on them to class on a day when I was volunteering, and we were able to give the teacher a microwave oven and large supply of popcorn. While the kids were at P.E., I pulled them aside and had them add their personal touch to a card that was presented with the gift.
Whatever you do, adding a note that tells the teacher how much you appreciate all she does for her son, is the best! I've used many gift cards and forgotten about them, but I hang on to a collection of cards and notes that will always be great memories of students and classes!
Hope these ideas are helpful!

Hi A.!

Of course this a plug for my business, but I have really darling cinnamon bun candles! The smell just like the real thing! I retail them for $8.95 + tax. I also have votive with a votive holder in many wonderful flavors here in stock, and my candles are 90% soot free! They're made of soy and vegetable wax, and very fragrant! I sell those at 3 for $8.00 and a votive holder is an extra $1.50. You can check out my website to look at the products at www.yourwicks.com, and look under products and if you like what you see, give me a call! I have many teachers that are buying, and have been bought for and are very happy with the product! Thanks! L. B.

Personally, I think aromatherapy products are great gifts for all women. Particularly salt scrubs and lotions, unwind bath salts, herbal tea, things that women love but don't buy for themselves. Little gifts sometimes make a big impact. You can try shopping at Your Healthy Lifestyle for gifts!

(http://www.yourhealthylifestyle.myarbonne.com/)

I know that it's a bit late..but for future reference...i am a third grade teacher. My favorite gift this year was a handmade snowman that one of my kids' mothers made. Too cute ! I also love getting any Christmas decorations. I always write the kids' names on them with Sharpies so that I can remember them every Christmas :) Also, gift cards are a fabulous idea! Keep in mind that teachers do spend a lot of their own money on school supplies, but some schools provide a lot of stuff like pencils, crayons, paper etc. already. You might want to ask him/her what he/she pays for. As a teacher, I enjoy getting for the classroom; tissues, hand sanitizer, stickers, craft items,and things along those lines. I thought that a note written to the principal about how great of a job that teacher is doing would be a tremendous gift.(or even directly to the teacher) .Also, any thing handmade from a child is definately treasured. I hope that this helps in the future :) C.

Hi A.

I have been reading the responses and really like the idea of you offering your hair styling skills to your son's teacher. My daughter is in kindergarten also. We overheard the teacher saying she had forgotten her camera and that the class doesn't have one of its own. I organized to mom's to chip in $5 to $10 each and we are planning to buy a fairly inexpensive digital camera for the classroom.

I will also have my daughter give the teachers (she has several, yes even in kindergarten!) a card that she has signed herself.

I say keep it simple, and when possible keep it personal. I used to be a nanny and would give my boss's coupons for free babysitting. They always appreciated this and it was something no-one else could give them.

Hope this helps.

M.

I taught Kindergarten for 6 years and I always appreciated it when the parents bought things I needed for the class...glue sticks, markers, crayons, etc. If you would like to get something special just for the teacher, an ornament is a great gift. I still cherish all of the ornaments my students gave me and put them on my tree every year. Hope this helps!

I agree with the gift cards. Some people may think that a gift card is impersonal I tend to like it. However I have a Internet Franchise business and we have a Ribbon Gift Card program. If you want to give her a nice gift card and let her choose from a selection please check out www.ordermygift.com They come in numerous denominations $25 to start (variety). I personally love a gift card especially for something that I won't buy myself (cause I am too busy concentrating on the kids)..

Hi A.,
My aunt is a kindergarten teacher and she LOVES getting Starbucks giftcards -- it is a very thoughtful gift. Maybe accompany it with a little hand-drawn card from your son to make it personal. Over the years, my aunt has been given so many little things, and after 20-plus years of teaching that's a lot of stuff. She is also trying to keep the weight off, so getting lots of cookies and treats around the holidays can be challenging for her to stay on track with her diet.
Happy Holidays!

Find out what the teachers' interests are and then get something appropriate. Example, a couple of years ago one of my son's teacher's loved the theatre so we got her a ticket to the Moonlight Amphitheatre - inexpensive lawn seat. Another loved to read so she got a B&N gift card. That sort of thing.

i am not sure if anyone else has though of this but this idea might work, if you have a local teachers store ( a store where teachers are able to buy the school supplies at a dicount rate) get her a gift certificate for that, this way thats a little bit less that she has to buy out of her own pocket for her class room. or how about you can have your child find out the name of her favorite reastraunt and get a gift card for that restraunt.

The starbucks card is cool or you could also get a small wicker basket and fill it with various items such as a few votive candles, a fuzzy pair of socks, the carmel corn, lotions, a cheap xmas cd - stuff like that. Just some random little goodies.

Teachers are on very tight budgets so gift cards for teacher supply stores are always a winner!

Two words... gift cards! For any store, or any brand (Amex, Mastercard, Visa, etc). They will use any denomination for all kinds of good things.

I have a friend who's a teacher and all the gifts at xmas make her crazy. She's got 35 kids in her class, so imagine lugging home 35 gifts!!!! She gives most of it away, I've gotten a few. She wishes they'd give her one big gift, but they never do because they're all trying to outdo each other in her neighborhood. She's a coffee drinker, so she says her favorites are coffee or gift cards. I have also done the school supply gift cards for my teachers and they always appreciate them! Hope this helps.

Hi A.,
My sister did this last year for her son's teacher and she loved it. She cut out a strip of contruction paper- the size of a book mark- let her son color on it, placed his school picture (any cute picture of your child will work) at the bottom. She then had it laminated and put a string through the top and made a very cute book mark. She then purchased a gift card from Borders. I remember my nephew came home after giving it to her and he was so excited because she loved it =) It was very cute and your child gets to add some of their creativity to it =).... Hope this helps! Happy Holidays! =)
-H.

How about something just for her? There are so many great deals right now Spa treatments I'm sure you could find something in your price range. whether it be a mini facial, or a pedicure I'm sure the teacher would enjoy the pampering. You could even take it one step further and see if any other mom's in the class would like to go in on a group gift, such as a day at the spa. If you had enough participants it would be minimal cost for each mom involved, and the teacher would get the much deserved pampering I'm sure she needs!!

Good Luck!

I have freinds who are teachers and although they appreciate the home baked items, most are health conscious and some are dieting and what my friends really love is gift cards to the teachers supply store.

I know Im late in responding to this but I just got this in my email box today!

It was titled:
Holiday Gifts Teachers Like Best

What not to give:

LAVISH, EXPENSIVE. Avoid any appearance that a gift is payment for services rendered. This of course rules out the $100 gift card, expensive jewelry and the like, no matter how well-intentioned. Even if they are allowed by the administration, expensive gifts make teachers feel uncomfortable.

COLOGNE. This comes from a wide range of teachers—both male and female: Please no more fragrance or dusting powder.

KNICK-KNACKS. Unless it’s a handmade treasure signed by your child, forget the knick-knacks. Paddywhacks and coffee mugs, too.

What teachers really want:

GIFTS FOR CLASSROOM. Schools everywhere these days are suffering from budget cuts, leaving classrooms in need of basic tools and supplies—and teachers dipping into their own wallets. If you are not aware of the specific needs in your child’s class, ask the teacher what the classroom can really use. Any gift from a new book to arts and craft supplies will be gratefully received. Make sure you involve the child in the decision and the gifting.

KID-MADE CRAFTS. A special craft item that can be used by the teacher in the classroom (a box to hold paperclips or pushpins for example) made by the child is a great idea. It makes the child feel proud when the gift can really be used by the teacher.

A SIMPLE THANK YOU. One teacher told me about the album he’s been filling with letters of thanks from students and parents for more than 20 years. These heartfelt expressions are priceless gifts that will last for a lifetime, and encourage him every time he reads them.

CONSUMABLE GOODIES. Teachers often don’t have time to bake, so they love to receive wonderful homemade goodies around the holidays. Put them on a decorative plate or in a fun holiday container and wrap with cellophane and pretty ribbon. Always attach a handwritten note from the child.

GIVE TO CHARITY. If you know of a non-profit charitable cause that holds special meaning for the teacher (a community project, world relief, an animal shelter, etc.) make a donation in the teacher’s name. Write a note from you and your child announcing this gift.

STARBUCKS AND MOVIES. I would be remiss if I did not pass along the sentiments of so many teachers I’ve heard from: Please tell parents and students that we really love Starbucks gift cards in any denomination, and movie tickets, too!

There you go, all you need to know to show your appreciation for the teachers in your family’s life in ways that will be enjoyed and budget-friendly, too.

***I dont personally believe in giving money as a gift, a little "thanks" goes a long way!
I personally dont like/care for StarBucks nor do I have a whole lot of time to go drive to a theater and sit there for 2 hrs but then thats me :-) . I once had someone make an actual Bread basket...yes, made from bread! It was too beautiful to eat and I wish Id had a way to preserve it. We had fun eating the goodies that she'd put in it and kept it as long as we could for "looks!" Classroom supplies are always needed (you usually get a long list when school starts) but paper (all colors), crayons, pencils, are welcomed and even stickers for the kids "well done" homework is great too!***

There's an article in the current Family Fun issue about christmas gift ideas for teachers. The other mamasource moms' suggestions are right on. The restaurant ideas and love the craft supply gift card as well.

Find out from the director of the school or child what the teacher likes for food.

Or a simple thank you note..they appreciate that very much too.

I thought of an idea recently to write...A...for appreciation B for believing in you and C for compliment. etc and an extra letter T for a big thank you.

Hi A.,
I am a mom with 2 boys and I am a consultant with Jockey Person to Person. Everything we sell from our catalog has been designed for women. If your son's teachers are women I know I have some choices for you. All of my kids teachers always get Jockey products and they have just loved them. Don't think underwear, we have some great cozy blankets, shawls, pashminas. Last year many of my teachers received the blankets and shawls...this year, they are getting something from the activewear line. I can offer you a good "mom" discount to help you with the finances. You can look at the catalog online at www.myjockeyp2p.com/C.. This entire line is not sold in stores or on the internet so it's nice to know there is no way they could have one of our pieces (unless of course they have already been to a party). Please do let me know if I can help. If you order soon, it will be here before school breaks for the holiday. Sincerely, C.