Christmas is around the corner. It is time to think of gifts for those that enrich our lives. Teachers not only teach our children, but they also help build our future. Finding a thoughtful gift for the teacher can be difficult. You want the holiday gift to be well received as well as inexpensive. You will love these ideas for Christmas gifts for teachers.
Easy gifts like Christmas ornaments and the world’s best teacher plaques are usually already used. There are other teacher Christmas gifts that are inexpensive and useful. When buying a meaningful gift, remember to think about the person who will be receiving the gift. Most parents don’t know their child’s teacher very well. So choose the very best gift that is not too trendy or specific.
Every year parents around the country face the same dilemma. What do we buy our children’s teachers for Christmas? While it is definitely not required, most parents and children want to give their teachers a small token of appreciation.
It can be difficult to come up with new and creative teacher gift ideas year after year so often parents rely on the standard presents of Christmas ornaments, “#1 Teacher” items, and cute figurines and collectibles. The following are some easy ways to wow the teachers in your lives this Christmas with something they will appreciate and be able to use.
Coffee Gift Idea
A coffee break is the perfect present. Most teachers drink coffee and/or hot cocoa. A lot of teachers usually keep an old coffee mug at school.
A nice mug, a package of hot cocoa, and a small package of cookies make the perfect gift. If you know they have a favorite football team, buy one with the team’s logo. If they are Disney fans, buy a Disney mug. The Disney Store usually puts coffee mugs on sale for $6-$9 before Christmas.
Start looking now and you can find a great deal. Most retail stores sell seasonal mugs for under $5. This is a good idea and a great gift because it is small and useful. A careful shopper can spend less than $7 for a mug, cocoa, and cookies.
You can also give a gift of a cute travel mug with a coffee shop gift card inside. I’ve purchased an inexpensive travel mug, cut their name out in vinyl, and put a Starbucks gift card inside the mug.
Short on time? Purchase a coffee gift card, put it in one of the To Go cups from that coffee shop, and add a note. I’ve done this when I’ve needed a last minute gift and it is adorable.
Favorite Snacks
If you have ever walked the halls of your child’s school, you know teachers like to snack. Chances are your child knows their teacher’s favorite snack.
Buy a small wicker gift basket at the dollar store, the kind used to hold the bread. Then fill it with small individual-sized snacks. This works great when there is more than one teacher that needs a gift.
Popcorn, chips, candy, and small snack cakes are all great ideas. The great thing about this gift is, unused snacks can be used for your child’s lunchbox. A savvy shopper can assemble this gift for under $8.
Classroom Supplies
Supplies for the class make great practical gifts. Teachers spend a lot of their own money on classroom supplies. They would greatly appreciate a gift for the classroom.
You and your child can pick out an age-appropriate book for the entire class. I have done this in the past. The teacher loves to receive the book, and the kids love to read it.
Other ideas include reams of paper, pens, pencils, and art supplies. $10 of school supplies can go a long way as a gift for the teacher.
A Pot of Pens
Most teachers have a container of pens on their desks for the whole class. The pens usually disappear on a daily basis. Make a flower pot full of pens with silk flowers at the top. You can find complete directions at The Cheeky Homemaker.
Make a dozen pens. Buy a small flower pot and Styrofoam. Cut the foam to fit the pot. Place the foam in the pot and then stick the pens into the foam. You can add a nice bow if desired. This is easy, inexpensive, and pretty. It is so easy for the kids can help. When students borrow a pen, the teacher will know who to get the pen back from.
Personalized Notepads
Different colors of notepads are a great personalized gift. If you are looking to spend a little more money, personalized notepads are great. Depending on where you buy them, prices range from $12-$15 for one notepad. Sets of notepads start at $20. Most office supply stores, with printing services, will print notepads. Their prices are more affordable than online services, and there is no shipping cost. If you have a computer and printer, you can print your own letterhead.
Set the layout for 2 columns. Type the message at the top, and add clip art if desired. Print the desired number of copies out. Then use a paper cutter, or scissors, to cut the pages in half. Tie it with a ribbon and place it in a box. These are just as nice as “printed” notepads. The only drawback is they are loose leaves. Again, this is a great gift for teachers because it is affordable and useful.
Gift Cards
We all know teachers spend a lot of their own money on items for the classroom so why not give them a gift card to a local teacher store or a bookstore? Movie theater gift cards are also a great option. What teacher wouldn’t enjoy a relaxing night at the movies with their family or friends? Restaurant gift cards are also appreciated. Everyone loves to go out to eat so treat your teachers to a meal at a great local restaurant.
You could also give them a gift card to your local mall or even an Amazon gift card which would let them buy themselves a treat from any store that they want. Office supply stores are also a place where teachers could use a gift card for classroom supplies they might otherwise buy themselves. If you really wanted to treat a special teacher, a spa gift certificate allowing a teacher to get a massage or a pedicure or manicure would be appreciated as well.
A Donation
You can make a donation in their name to a cause that you know they support. If your child’s teacher is an animal lover, you could donate to a local animal shelter or the ASPCA. If they are a nature lover, you could donate to an environmental organization like the Environmental Defense Fund or the The Nature Conservatory or to a local organization that is working to improve your local community.
Other organizations could include the USO, local food banks, and charities supporting medical research. For a music or art teacher, you could donate to an organization supporting their field. Also, you could donate to a local or national scholarship organization in their name. This is just a sampling of the many worthy organizations you could choose from.
Recipe Mixes
A homemade cookie, bar, or drink mix are excellent Christmas gifts. There are cookbooks devoted just to mixes that make a pretty and delicious useful present for anyone. The best thing about this idea of homemade gifts is you can involve your children for a little help. The cookie and bar mixes look beautifully layered ingredient by ingredient in a mason jar and are easy to decorate with some ribbon and fabric. Hot chocolate mixes are easy to make and can be put in a decorative bag and paired with a nice coffee cup or mug.
If your teacher just had a baby or has a young child, the salt dough ornament mix is a fun gift idea.
Teachers get many gifts over the holiday season, so why not make yours memorable? Hopefully, my suggestions for the best teacher gifts will get you thinking of even more creative ideas for inexpensive Christmas gifts and ways to show your appreciation for educators.
The best Christmas gifts for the teacher do not need to be expensive. They are tokens of appreciation for all the hard work they do in helping to mold and educate our children. If the truth were told, they would appreciate a heartfelt letter of appreciation over any store-bought gift.