No More Coffee Cups or Christmas Ornaments

S.,

My 2 boys (4 mos and 2.5 years) go to KinderCare, too. We have 6 teachers, also plus the director. What I'm doing is a $25 gift card for each of the teachers and then I also sent a basket of Mrs. Fields cookies to the center. I know gift cards seem impersonal, but I've spent the past couple of weeks paying a little more attention to what the girls wear, if they drink coffee and what they do in their off time. I've also asked other teachers when they weren't around. So, the gift cards will (hopefully) be appropriate for each teacher. I HOPE! If not, I'm going to tell them all to trade with each other if they want.

T.

How much do you want to spend ? You can give them a $5 gift card to BlockBuster w/ Popcorn , Kohls has $5 slipper socks - put with a cute book or foot lotion , A Can of William SOnoma Mulling Spice $10 they will celo or wrap for free. You can make cider out of it or put it in a pot w/some water on the stove to fill up your whole house of a yummy scent. Mine is on daily. William SOnoma is also selling a box of gourmet carmel and toffe suckers. It is a cute box and it is only$7.50 - again they will gift wrap for free with a bow . Also Starbucks is giving away mini stocking holders for free when you purchase a gift card. You can give that to them with homemade goodies from your kids. They have wonderful hot chocolate and teas if they are not coffee drinkers.

I have the kids help me make a yummy treat and package it up. I also include a gift card to a local lunch place or starbucks. Another option is to bring in breakfast bagels and coffee or provide lunch for all the teachers in the center.

Coffee cups and Christmas ornaments are boring to some, but more importantly, a teacher has probably gotten tons and tons of them.

Take it from a teacher of over 10 years. Gift cards are a sure thing. Unless the person is so uptight that they would refuse or turn down what essentially is free money, they work out much better than items that require you know their personal taste - food, soaps/lotions, knick-knacks, etc. Even a $5 gift card to Starbucks since you have 6 teachers would be fine.

I have seven for my son to shop for (teachers/therapists/bus driver) This year I am doing body stuff. My next plan will be a gift card to a restaurant. They have to take lunch at the same time, and it could be handy one day to have food delivered to them.

As a teacher I always enjoy getting bookmarks with the childs or parents favorite book (it can even be the copy you already read with a note inside)
Or simple things like tea and coffee (no cups needed,I am sure they have cups already)
Lotions and antibacterial pumps are good, just add a cute saying about germs. And sometimes the ones that mean the most are just the card with a really nice note inside saying thanks for wathcing our little ones!

A similar request came through like this and I suggested Tastefully Simple - beer bread & soup, pound cake/sauce. I am a consultant and can offer a discount if you like. You could also head to Kohl's... you can find candles for $5 and under. Reed diffusers for $9.99 and under. If you are looking for $10 type items... you could just get gift cards to target (seem to always be a hit). :) Good luck!

I think Monica has it all covered!! Great ideas!

Starbucks or Target gift cards? I know Target also has several different little gift packages to choose from. They have a wrapped Starbucks package. Some have cocoa, others coffee, or candies...All between $5-$20 costs..That's what I did this year..

Hi S.!

How about a picture that your little one drew for your teacher and put it in a nice frame. It's really personalized and they can later use the frame again.

S.,
I love giving Christmas scented soap or shower gel from Bath & Body works. They always have great scents from Christmas, I love the cranberry antibacterial soap!! I think the antibacterial soaps are 3 for $10 typically. Another idea for gifts for teachers is the Choxie candy sets at Target. The chocolate truffles are great and they have gift boxes for $5.

Keep it cheap I would say...go to Dollar Tree. Get a Big Soup Bowl, Holiday Tea Towel and a wooden spoon...$3 add a soup mix $2-3, stick it in a gift bag. Done!

I asked my sister since she's a teacher what she would like to receive and she said that teachers love getting things they can use in their classroom since many times they are on their own to purchase these things. Things for bulletin boards or stickers for papers. The dollar store had teacher stickers they say Great Job, etc. a big pack of them for a buck! Maybe a few packs like that with ribbon around them or something!

I am not sure how much you are looking to spend on each teacher. What about doing a Iitalian charm bracelet for them. If there would be any way that you could get some pictures of the students in the class and have them turn into a charm. With other little things. We did this for many this year and I want to tell you they turned out awsome. My husband and daughters made me one for a early present and it has pictures of my girls and neice and nephew along with some other things. We had all 5 of our bracelets made by a company called Shannon's Custom Charms.

http://shannonscustomitaliancharms.com/

Her prices are awesome for 18 links which include what ever you want on each charm. The 9mm is 15.00 and the 13 mm which I recommend and what I ordered is 18.50. Check out the site they have many items. They do awsome work. I am actaually have 2 more made as we speak.

How about some baked goodies- a tin of homemade brownies, fudge, cookies, ect..?? If you are not the baker type..
Perhaps a g.c. for bath & Body works, or nearby mall certificate or to a nice restaurant, movie rentals for blockbuster, tickets to a show. Or even a cert.for Mario
Triccoli & she can have her own pampering service of her desire. Just a few ideas, hope it helps!