[USER]

Holiday gifts: coffee is more than $5 a cup at most places I’m trying to find an alternative to teacher gifts we have a lot of school people to buy for, would scratch off lottery tickets be inappropriate? Looking for something consumable.

[Elle]

Lottery tickets are perfect!
No home made items/baked good/cups!

[Sheilah]

It is better to give non-food items to teachers. There could be allergies (skin or food (nuts, soy – most candy contains soy) etc), religious beliefs that don’t allow certain types of foods, wine – the person may be in recovery or it is a religious belief not to drink (I know wine was not brought up, I am just including it if that became an idea), vegetarian/vegan, coffees tea drinkers, etc.

Gift cards, scratch offs for personal gifts or items off their wish lists may be the best choices to give for classroom gifts.

Explore these too: What are some of your favorite frugal Mother’s Day gifts that don’t feel cheap, or childish?

[Julie]

I think Canadian teachers are paid a lot better than most of us.

[Amanda]

I am a teacher. I would love lottery tickets as a gift.

[Hannah]

As a teacher my favorite gifts I’ve gotten are things like handmade jewelry.

I’ve also really enjoyed a bag of my favorite candy and my favorite soda.

Both of those are nice surprises.

[Melissa]

I’m a teacher! A few of my faves have been things made by my kiddos. (I teach high school.) Couple homemade cookies, homemade hot cocoa mix, sugar scrub, little bag of candy.

I never expect anything but it always touches my heart something big when a smiling student comes with a sweet surprise.

[Amanda]

I buy fancy chocolate bars and put a $10 coffee card on them ($5 on the unassigned ones my kid can give to whoever he wants).

I think even a Hershey bar with a lotto ticket would be cute.

[Joan]

I given a new towel , dish cloth and $1 bottle of Dawn dish soap. The poem was something to the effect of a new washer and dryer.

[Sarah]

I would’ve loved a scratch off ticket when I was a teacher, it’s a bit of fun and gives you some hope lol, and if you don’t win anything, well, you haven’t lost anything either since it was a gift 🤣 idk if some people would be offended tho or how well you know their teachers.

[Amy]

Just give a card with a nice note from you and your child.
Most teachers never hear anything nice.

[Gloria]

A gift card somewhere that they could buy supplies for their rooms.

[Sarah]

I sent my son’s teachers a questionnaire that asks for favorites. Like snack, drink, chips, candy, sports teams, activities etc.

Then I use it to pick gifts and sometimes just randomly send like a snack or something.

I’m a teacher and I love little things like that.

[Thảo L.]

Don’t do homemade foods unless you really know the teacher. I would eat it but a lot are weary of ingredients, allergies, pet hair/smokers, and unfortunately cruel intentions in the older grades. Scented things and homemade scrubs also be weary of allergies. I always pass it to another teacher bc I have sensitivities. I love the effort but I would totally break out.

[Cindy]

Please refrain from giving homemade food as gifts. I’ve seen so many teachers toss this into the trash for various reasons.( like their precious opened the fudge and took a quick bite!).

Do the lottery ticket!!

[Arlynda]

I once made “breakfast baskets” for my kids’ teachers and driver. It had a dozen of our own eggs, plus a pack of bacon we made as well. There was also a jar of homemade pancake mix and syrup. I included a small bottle of champagne with orange juice for mimosas.

The kids made a card to go with it that included a wish for them to enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast!!

[Lisa]

We buy Christmas gift boxes at the end of the season on clearance. We then use them the following year. We make 4 kinds of homemade cookies, each batch is X 6. We refrigerator all the dough and bake it in increments, add cookies to zipper bags, and give as gifts.

They are pretty popular and cost-effective.

Also, check out: Has anyone started Christmas shopping yet?

[Theresa]

I’m a teacher and love notes of affirmation and thanks. It means a lot more than you can realize. Favorite gifts I’ve received: a knitted scarf, a box of teas and honey (my favorite), a bookmark made by a child of wildflowers and leaves, note cards and stationary, and a lifesaver one hungry late day – charcuterie in a cup. Homemade items are lovely – ornaments and, always, gift cards.

[Pam]

Buy school supplies that are grade appropriate (pens pencils crayons paper) things that they otherwise have to buy out of pocket.

[Della]

Last year Sam’s had.

Lots of festive sweets like cakepops. I found out how many staff members total we had.bought a couple large trays with lids and arranged all the goodies added in some candy as well also a card wishing the staff aMerry Christmas and thanking them for all they do. I spent under$50 and included everyone at the schools. I use to give Christmas ornaments. But we do have a lot of teachers now that my oldest is in middle school.

[Elizabeth]

Soup mix put together in a pretty mason jar. You could buy the ingredients in bulk and put it together with a little card on cooking instructions and your gratitude.

Could be pretty cost effective, especially if you already have jars.

Could even clean up sauce jars and paint the lids to save money/creative reuse.

[Author]

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