Christmas Gifts

I love the idea of the cookie tray which keeps it safe as far as religion goes. Another great idea I did when my daughter was in kindergarten/elementary (she only had 1 or 2 teachers until 5th grade), I waited for a sale at AC Moore or Michael's (or they offer 40% coupons) and bought 1 stamp and stamp pad for each teacher/aide. I put them in small gift bags (from the dollar store). I looked for stars, smiley faces, anything they could use when they graded papers. It was something different and definitely something they could use. Good luck shopping!

When I was a Preschool teacher, the most precious presents I ever received were homemade ones. I have a separate, small christmas tree I still use to hold all the ornaments I received, and I haven't worked for 4 years. I suggest something as simple as those plain wooden ornaments at the craftstore, and maybe some paint and glitter glue! You have fun with the art project and if you get enough, you can make presents for the entire family!

I'm not sure of the protocol for gift giving, my son just started preschool this year. But, last Christmas I gave gifts to my sons' Early Intervention therapists and caseworkers. I think I'm giving the same thing to his teachers this year.

I purchased those really tall christmas mugs from the dollar store and made chocolate covered pretzel rods to put in them. I dipped some in white chocolate and rolled them in crushed up candy canes and did others in milk chocolate and drizzled red and green chocolate over them or rolled them in nuts. I also added a couple of packets of either hot chocolate and cappuccino. You could also add plastic spoons dipped in chocolate, some biscotti, tea and honey stirring sticks, etc. I saw a cute idea I think I'm going to add. You take 2 large marshmallows and put them on a skewer. Then you dip them in white chocolate and after they are set you draw a snowman face on them with icing.

I used to work in a daycare/preschool. The children that I received gifts from were the ones that were in my classroom on a daily basis. I don't think a lot of parents gave anything to the owners/administrators. I think parents that had a good relationship with the owner/administrators were the ones who gave them gifts.

If it's not in your budget, you shouldn't worry about anyone but the teacher(s) who spend their day with your child. My favorite gifts were always candles or special little things for the classroom (like a fancy hole punch... something that I could use from year to year). Good luck.

S. what I have done when there are multiple staff members is to send a large cookie tray or something similar early the last week of care before the holiday break. i figured this out after spending a small fortine the first couple of years buying everyone a gift. Another idea is to bring lunch for the staff ............ANd no it is not too early to begin thinking about Christmas, I ahve bought a few gifts already.
R. S

dear S., i used to be a preschool teacher and here is my advice. i would say just the teacher in your sons classroom and the owner/administrator would be up to you. do you interact a lot with them where you fill they spent enough time with you or your son? as for any suggestions - do you know how long she/he is been teaching? here are some of the gifts that i loved getting: teacher related magnets (with poems on them like 100 years from now...), special soaps/lotions, candles, little potpourri's.i got one jar filled with potpourri and little chain of Christmas lights in it. they closed it with a little doily and a little bottle of scented oil. i still treasure that one every time i turn it on. hope this gives you some ideas, here one more that just came to me: cakes/cookies in a jar. good luck, Y. h.

I like to get a gift certificate for either a restaurant or Blockbuster. It's really nice if you buy a little popcorn bowl, fill it with a bag of popcorn, some movie candy and the g.c. to Blockbuster.

when i was teaching I loved getting letters or cards of appreciation. Last year for my sons preschool teachers, I bought inexpensive wooden frames (on sale at Micheals for $2) and had my little one draw a picture or they could finger paint if they can't draw yet and typed up a little personalized thank you for all the fun things we've done at school listing the specific things he liked and then slipped that in the frame. It was more of an end of school gift but you could adapt it for christmas. IMO that gift was personal but yet practical because they could replace his drawing with their own picture and use the frame. Its also fun to buy the acrylic refrigerator frames and decorate them with stickers around the edges and slip in a picture of your child. Guess that's hard to visualize, if you aren't crafty.
A donation to a charity in their name is nice too.
oh and i like giving the little packets of fancy tissues, with holiday themes and maybe some hand sanitzer or Bath and Body soaps.
Personally, I didn't like getting cookie trays etc. Just imagine having 12 kids in a class and getting even 6 trays of cookies. I'd rather bake or buy the kind of cookies that i like, anyways. Going in together to provide lunch or breakfast bagels is a nice idea though.
I also didn't really care for mugs or knicknacks, unless they were super cute. But i'm not the kind of person who can throw out stuff that a child has given to me for a gift even if it was not to my personal taste to put it politely, so i have some stuff that i wouldn't display in my home just sitting in a box.
What about Coffee gift certificates??
Last thought here, Since you have a couple of months, why don't you try getting to know your child's teacher on a more personal level, like asking about their hobbies etc. If you find out what they really love to do when they are away from work, i bet you'll be able to find something affordable and special that means alot to them.

Oh and while it's nice to include even one in the whole school, I"m voting for the people who actually interact with your child day in day out. Ask his head teacher to be sure there isn't a helper that comes in for the middle part of the day or something like that. It stinks to be over looked because you aren't there when the kids are being picked up or dropped off even though you've spend the majority of the day with them.

Hi S.. I am with you I can't believe christmas is right around the corner!!! I just wanted to make a suggestion I am a consultant with Arbonne and a great gift idea is out mini salt scrubs which I gave my daughter's teachers last year. They loved them.....they are part of our aromatherapy line, botanically based and made with pure and safe ingredients. If you would like more info just email me. (____@____.com) I am offering free shipping for the month of September. You can visit our site www.arbonne.com and you can also save 35% off everything when you order thru me. Good luck....L.

L.

I don't think it is too early to start thinking about Christmas. I always start this time of year so I don't feel so rushed in November and December. I would suggest only giving presents to the staff who work with your child. I worked in a daycare center for a brief time and they had a cook on site to prepare meals. Many parents gave her a gift too for all of her hard work, keeping an eye on the children with food allergies, etc. Some ideas are homebaked cookies, holiday ornaments, gifts in a jar (soup mixes, cookie mixes - you can find books with ideas at bookstores or search for ideas online), hand lotion, stationary sets, jars filled with potpourri. Whatever you choose, perhaps your son can help measure, mix, decorate, fill, wrap, etc.

Last year for my daughter's pre school we made homemade bath salts.Everyone loved them(she had 3 teachers but we made for all 4 of them.)Now personally i would only do teachers and not get into giving to everyone unless you'd make a cookie tray or meat/cheese tray.But i have only done teachers and no one else.

J.

Hi S.,

First of all, I don't think it's too early to start thinking about Christmas - only three months away from today!

As far as preschool teachers go, I guess it depends on where you are. My son went to the Grove City College Preschool and not only was the regular teacher there, but there were several student teachers/field experience teachers present all the time. To top it off, the teacher sent a letter home stating that instead of purchasing gifts for the teacher(s), they would like you to purchase books for the classroom.

What we ended up doing was purchasing a gift certificate for the outlet mall at the end of the year, and for Christmas we purchased books for the classroom - to honour their wishes.

I would recommend some gift items for the teacher that are a little uncommon. Not that the apple gifts aren't appreciated, because I am sure that they definately are. But I think it is nice to give gifts maybe from Bath and Body Works. These gifts can be inexpensive, they smell really good, and the teacher can possibly use them in the classroom (hand-soap). Plus you would be able to afford them for the extra staff if you wanted to.

At our daycare/preschool it's happened different ways. Most of the time 1 or 2 moms take on the task of getting together a joint gift program - talk to the directors, get a list of families, put up flyers and info in children's folders letting everyone know that they're collecting for holiday gifts. In the letter it includes some info about being grateful for all the staff - including the cook and the floaters who cover lunches and other needs in the rooms. It suggests a minimum contribution, but it's up to each family to decide. The money is collected, and then divided among all the staff, in the form of individual gift cards along with a card listing all of the families that participated. Some families also choose to get gifts forthe primary teachers, and some get gifts instead of joining in the group effort. It really depends on the family - but I believe the staff appreciates the gift cards. I would maybe start by asking other parents who have been at that center for a while, or the director.

I too used to work in before and after schhol care. I recieved gift certificates (Blockbuster, Restaurants, The Gap, etc..), homemade goodies, chocolates (oh my gosh did I get chocolate), ornaments. Last year for my son's caregivers at the local Y I gave them these really cute popcorn tins with 4 different falvors of popcorn in them. Around the holidays these things are cheap ($5). I found these really great holigraphic ones at KMart and the ladies totally loved them and wanted to go get some for gifts too. I just suggest either something from the heart or something "out of the box". Good luck and you are one step ahead of me!

It depends on how your daycare is set up. For ours, all of the "teachers" interact with all of the kids, because they rotate what rooms they are in. Now, our center isn't very big, I think there are less than 40 kids enrolled there. Last year, I got little metal buckets from the dollar bins at Target that had cute Christmas themes on them, and baked cookies to put in them. It was something for each person, and it was prett inexpensive.

Hope the idea helped!

Hi S.!
I had this same problem with my son who is now 6. He would come home from pre-K talking about all these people. I just had to draw the line somewhere. I only bought for the teachers in his classroom who taught him everyday. I usually would try to get them all basically the same thing. I have a suggestion. I sell AVON and there are some great buys for small gifts. For example, scented hand sanitizers, lip balms, candles. These would be great in a little gift bag! I know from experience these kinds of things are very appreciated! Check out my website, www.youravon.com/htack, you can browse and shop right on it! Hope this was helpful!

Hello S. K.

Is never early for Christmas,belive o not I m already star thinking in that. You can give it to you Teachers'son a Gif Certificate, they are always very welcome, and for the other teacher
a nice candles,lotion, candys o chocolates. You can find a lot of this presents ready to go. Good Look

S.-
You're in lucky here :) I actually work in a daycare as an assistant teacher. Normally, parents will buy gifts for the teachers who work in the room their child is in. On occassion, depending upon the relationship they have with the owner/director/administrators, a gift for them as well. If your child is in more than one room each day, and there are several teachers to consider, many parents will send in a platter of cookies for the staff to share or we have even had parents buy lunch- pizza or subs- for the staff. As far as individual gift ideas go, over the years, I have recieved things like home made ornaments, candles, bath and body baskets, gift cards for restaurants or even the local Wawa. Hope this helps some; just keep in mind that we do not expect gifts- you as a parent have already given us the biggest gift you could in trusting us to care for your child. Anything you feel the need to do above and beyond that is appreciated but never required. M.