What your kids’ teacher doesn’t want for Christmas

It's only fair to share...

Hold the soaps and skip the choccies

There’s no disputing the fact that your kid’s teacher deserves a lovely little thank you for all of their hard work during the school year. But while presenting them with some choccies or scented soap certainly expresses your gratitude without busting your already stretched Christmas budget, stop and think for a moment. Do teachers really want all of these little gifts?

According to reliable source (an actual teacher who polled the staff room!), here’s a list of what NOT to give your child’s teacher. And you won’t believe what they actually love receiving most – read on to find out….

  1. Chocolates

Yep, believe it or not. Although these seem a safe bet (who doesn’t love chocolate?!), there’s only so many choccies one person can eat. And teachers usually get 10 times that amount.

  1. Lotions and potions

Again, a hand cream or bath bomb seems safe enough, right? But it’s pretty hard to know which varieties Teacher likes best, and chances are your gift is going to go to waste.

  1. Scented candles

Who doesn’t love a scented candle? Apparently teachers, once they’ve received the first 20 or so.

  1. Food your kids made

Sure, it’s the thought that counts. But given there’s no guarantees about what standards of personal hygiene Little Johnny maintained while baking those shortbread cookies, Teacher tends to feel a little apprehensive about eating them.

  1. Jewellery your kids made

So sweet and cute, and thanks for the effort and thought. But Teacher has probably seen enough of your kid’s creative efforts in this year’s arts and crafts lessons.

  1. Cheap aftershaves and perfumes

The fragrance a person wears is usually a pretty personal choice, so best to skip this one. And under no circumstances are supermarket fragrances a great gift idea.

  1. Coffee mugs

Trust us, there’s enough of these in the staff room already to keep your Teacher covered.

  1. Figurines and trinkets

Think paper weights, miniature desk clocks and statuettes – and then stop thinking about them as an option. There’s only so much room on a teacher’s desk.

  1. Soft toys

Just because their students are kids who love toys doesn’t mean teachers do too.

  1. Books

A great idea, but a risky choice. It’s just too hard to know which titles Teacher prefers or has already read.

So what do teachers want for Christmas?

Despite the above list, it goes without saying that Teacher will love any gift that you take the time and effort into giving them – it is indeed the thought that counts.

But the good news is – the gifts teachers love most cost the least of all!

  1. Group gift voucher
  • This just makes sense. Instead of each family coming up with a small token of their appreciation, invite everyone to make a small cash contribution to a gift voucher from the class.
  • You’ll spend less cash this way, and teacher will get something they really love!
  • There’s some great online group gift websites that make this process really easy – try Group Together and Group Prezzie.
  1. A thank you
  • It doesn’t cost you a cent, but receiving positive feedback from their students and their families is worth a million dollars to a teacher. It makes all their hard work and effort worthwhile.
  • Take the time to express your appreciation in a lovely hand-written note or card. Your words will likely mean more than you’ll ever know.