Let's start a thread about affordable teacher gifts. I have 8 to buy this year! (4 team teachers, the 2 TA's I share, the tutor I share, and my mentor.) I am not a cook, so cookies are out I got the idea to order mouse pads with their names on them, but I can't find them, believe it or not...they're all ugly or tacky. I thought about VistaPrint, but their free ones aren't so great. What ideas do you have?
Well, I think I know what NOT to get teachers anymore because they probably have tons of them already & are sick of getting them: - candles - Christmas ornaments - stationary or note sets - coffee mugs - hot beverage packets - soup mixes I know there's more, but I can't think of them at the moment.
My "go to" gift, which is my "I don't know if anyone's getting me something so I have some stock gifts with me just in case Ineed to reciprocate" is a bag of spiced tea... it's a old family recipe (not really sure where mom got the recipe from, but it's been a staple in my house since I can remember)... it's a dry mix of tang, lemonade mix, instant tea, and some spices. I give that out with the recipe... sometimes in a mug or cute container, sometimes without. My mom also has a "fireside coffee" that's a mixture of hot cocolate and coffee and creamer. I'm not a coffee drinker, but it's still pretty good. Samples of each with te recipes attached make a nice gift
We make that too. We call it Russian Tea. From the perspective of the gift-getter, I really enjoy anything that lets me know that you were thinking about me...so anything works! Some of my favorite gifts are home-made treats, Christmas tea towels, and bookmarks. I don't particularly enjoy candy canes and cheap, nasty chocolates from the dollar store. Last year I got everyone in my department a little Christmas kitchen towel/potholder/scrubber set.
I embroidery, so I give items that I made. This year it is kitchen towels. One year I gave cookie mix in a jar. Last year I personalized insulated mugs for everyone with embroideried initials.
I love the sand-art jar recipes for gifts... http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sand-Art-Brownies/Detail.aspx There was one on there for white chocolate cranberry cookies, but I can't find it right now. I've also seen hot chocolate jar mixes, too.
I usually make buddy basket bars from Longaberger Baskets, but this year, I'm going to give out sweet and salty mix that a former parent at our school was famous for. Her kids no longer go to our school, but we miss her mix! It's so good....and I got the recipe from her.
Of course by this time of the year, I just want some new, nice pens, and post its....as my supplies as just simply running out.
OOHH Me too! I would love a refresher of all the cute stuf i get at the beginning of the year. I am down to the school-issued ball points and yellow stickies. I know everyone is different, but I love a fun pen and pretty note pads. Or - a pre-holiday gift - a basket of fruit at the beginning of the month to help me stay away from the treats in the faculty room!
I like to give nice Thank you card sets since ours are all depleted after the Holidays I have also given photo ornaments, Kohl's sells them in sets of 3-4 for fairly cheap and then open the package and re-wrap!
I got a mouse pad from Vista print with my GS's photo on it. I also got a mug with a photo on it. I love them both.
Last year, I was on a TIGHT budget, and needed lots of school gifts. I bought candied almonds at Trader Joes, put about 1/4 of the bag in some saran wrap, and tied it up with pretty ribbon. Enough of a gift to show that I was thinking of the person, but affordable enough on a budget. It was nice, and I made a few extras, for the people that hand you something that you weren't expecting - "oh, and I have this for you!"
For a gift that doesn't cost anything--do someone's recess or bus duty for them, cover their class for a period and give them a surprise break, plan an activity that your classes can do together.
Can someone post the recipe for the spiced tea? Is it the same thing as a chai tea? A cute mug and some bath oils or a candle (I have a Yankee outlet near me) might be nice.
Omg, score!! I got another Vistaprint email, this time with free mouse pads. I wasn't going to get my principal anything but they have an adorable one with a cute image of our mascot!!! Should I order "Mrs. Lastname" or "Firstname Lastname?" I think Mrs. Lastname is best.... She's going to love it, she collects things with our mascot
Total score, lol! I just ordered one for my principal, with her name and school. Cost me $4 and change, including shipping!! Tonight I'll place more individual orders for everyone else (only 1 free at a time.) That means I can get everyone a really nice gift for about $35, totally in my budget!
This idea was posted here a few years ago. I took it and everyone loved it! In fact, I may use it again this year since I am at a new school. Bake a batch of brownies in pie plates. Depending on the size of the mix it can be one pan or two. When they are cooled, cut into triangle shaped pieces. 6 or 8 to a pan. Wrap them individually in saran wrap. I usually use a label on the back to secure it. The label says "Happy Holidays from the ____" and has holiday themed clip art. On the front, hot glue a red pom pom at the point that was the middle of the pan and two wiggle eyes. On the back, tape some antlers that you have made out of pipe cleaners. Walaa! A delicious brownie disguised as a reindeer!
This year I think I am just going to make lunch for my department one day. Something in the crock pot, a yummy dessert and somethign to drink. Not to hard.
I will try to remember my spiced tea recipe and the fireside hot cocoa recipe... my internet is down at home so I'll have to remember to bring them to school
One year a teacher bought cute felt ornaments, then hot glued pin backings on them. They made very cute Christmas themed pins. I treasure mine to this day, and they were inexpensive. I thought very clever.
We normally do secret santa...we give gifts for the whole two weeks prior to Christmas. It gets expensive, I do a lot of dollar gifts and then on the last day we do a $15 gift. It totals up to maybe $35 for that one person. Depending if you gift daily, I do I feel guilty if I dont. Some teachers are cheap and dont give until the last day. Its not fair though. I like it, but I dont...the rest of the teachers give each other a card and a candy cane. I would love to give each teacher, but at our school they complain if we are "too nice".
I host a get together at my house at the end of each trimester (and one falls right before Christmas break) for all the teachers in the SS department. This year the invitation will go out to all of the staff and administration. However, I am not sure If many will come outside of the History Department. I also get my secretary a good present because she is amazing and goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Instead of purchasing gifts for each other the teachers decide on a charity to give to. Each of us gives a set amount of money decided upon as a group and then we decide what worthy cause will receive our donation. Two years ago the money went to the local hospital to purchase a tv for the children's ward. Last year we donated to the town's food pantry. One year it went to a family in our town that had lost everything in a fire. The thank you notes we receive are the best gifts to each of us.
Give a donation in your school's name to Heifer International, you can donate a cow, flock of chics, or some other farm animal to help those who are less fortunate. Here's their link:http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQ...c&utm_term=heifer+international&utm_content=1
I have donated to Heifer Int. in the past at the holidays for several people. There are great infomational/gift cards you can print right from the Heifer site to give to the people whose name you are giving the donation in. When I purchased bees I attached the gift card to a bottle of honey and I bought soaps made from sheep's milk when I purchased part of a flock. My friends loved the gifts.
