It’s that time of year again. Not only are you looking for the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday list, but you’re also searching for the best teacher gift to impress your child’s teacher. Let’s face it—during the holidays, teachers receive an abundance of gifts. That last holiday party before the break is essentially a shower of presents for the teachers. They get tons of candles, coffee mugs, “teacher-themed” gifts for their classrooms, bags, t-shirts, framed pictures, and personalized jewelry. Of course, there are also boxes and containers filled with homemade goodies and snacks from well-meaning parents and students.
Buying Christmas gifts for teachers can be tricky. Unless you really know the teacher, it’s hard to pick something they will truly use. Chances are, you’ve never been inside their home, you have no idea what they like to do on the weekends, and you don’t know what would be meaningful to them. Unless you’re the world’s biggest “kiss-up” trying to make up for your child’s behavior in class, you’re likely buying what I consider a “token gift.” A token gift is one you give because you feel you have to—because you worry that showing up at the Christmas party empty-handed would make you feel awkward. It’s a gift that doesn’t hold much meaning.
Here’s the thing: teachers do appreciate thoughtful gifts. If you were to ask them in an anonymous survey, nearly 98% of them would probably prefer a gift card or cash over handmade ornaments or baked goods. If you want to stay on the safe side and show your child’s teacher some holiday cheer, then cough up some money.
Things to Avoid Giving Teachers (Especially if You Don’t Know Them Well)
- Baked Goods – Why? Because the teacher has seen your child pick their nose and eat their boogers. When they open those cookies and hear, “I helped make these with mama,” all they’ll think about is your child’s boogers in the batter. Chances are, the baked goods will be tossed or given to the dog. Would you eat food from someone else’s kitchen that you didn’t know? Save yourself the trouble and either buy pre-wrapped treats like truffles or skip the junk food altogether.
- A Picture of Your Child – No matter how cute the frame, and no matter how much the teacher claims to love your child, they don’t want a lifetime photo they feel obligated to display. The teacher may not even like your child. And, honestly, they probably don’t want a shelf full of pictures of their students. A better idea would be to give them a pretty frame that’s empty, so they can fill it with pictures they actually want to display.
- Clothes – There’s one exception: If you KNOW your teacher has a specific love for a certain college team, then collegiate clothing is acceptable. But don’t try to pick out a sweater, dress, jacket, or shirt unless you’re sure. And, if you do buy collegiate clothing, make sure you’ve got the right size. Giving them a 2XL when they wear a large can lead to hurt feelings. (And keep the tags on so they can return it!) Accessories like costume jewelry or scarves are acceptable gifts.
- Coffee Mugs, Cups, Dishes – Every store sells “teacher” mugs with primary-colored crayons and stick figures. Sure, the teacher may teach kindergarten, but that doesn’t mean their life revolves around kindergarten-themed decorations. Plus, they probably have an entire shelf in the garage full of these gifts.
- Anything That Says, “World’s Best Teacher”
- Gifts Commenting on Personal Hygiene – Unless you know their favorite fragrance, giving a gift set with deodorant and bath salts is not a good idea. Most women, especially, are very particular about the scents they use.
- ‘Teacher’ T-Shirts
- Candles – Candles are the go-to gift when people can’t think of anything else. And seriously, how many candles can one teacher burn in a year? Guarantee that at the holiday party, at least 10 candles will be given to the teacher.
There are certainly more gifts teachers don’t want. One great idea for a teacher gift is to have parents collectively organize a fundraiser where each student contributes $5 to $10, and the teacher is presented with a large gift card or cash from the whole class. This way, she can use the money for things she truly wants or to cover the extra classroom supplies she often has to pay for out of pocket.
