X-mas Ideas for Daycare Teachers

A plant they can have in the house and then plant out in the spring - it lasts - and you can get a great one for less than $20.

I think a gift certificate for a spa pedicure or manicure would be great, in CA they go for $13-$18 with a cute pair of soft snuggly sock or gloves... you could find for them for a few dollars. You might be able to find a cute poem online to attach...let me see if i can find something...

Your hands have helped to pave the way.
They’ve given love and care each day.
No matter the tasks they have to do,
They’re tender, caring, strong like you.
They’ve healed, lifted, hugged and touched,
And in return you’re loved so much.

You can even package up a nice hand cream with this attached and get away less expensive.

As a former daycare teacher, I really liked the Starbuck's giftcards, $5 is a perfect amount! I also liked the small lotions from Bath & Body Works (my hands were always soooo dry from washing them so much at work). Even just a handmade gift is really sweet. Or a $10 gift card to a movie theater. As much as I love homemade cookies and sweets, I got a lot of that, and usually didn't even get to eat it all, so I would steer away from that.

One gift I will never forget was a neck massager (one of the memory foam ones that wraps around the neck). One night I had slept wrong and my neck hurt so bad I was in tears, and ended up going home (still not sure exactly what I did to it!). Anyway, that was a few weeks before Christmas. Well, one little girl in my class (she was 4) gave me the neck massager as a Christmas gift so my neck wouldn't hurt anymore:-) I thought that was so sweet b/c she was being so thoughtful!! Her dad said she insisted on that gift.

$5 or $10 gift cards to Panera or Starbucks.

Having been a preschool teacher and a public school teacher I think I can say that you DO NOT want to give them a mug! And to be honest, if they've been teaching awhile, they already have a ton of "teacher" mugs they don't use. An ornament (if they celebrate Christmas) is an idea. A picture frame or photo album for holiday photos. Once again, I'd try to stay away from the "A+ teacher" ornaments. Gift card to the book store so they can either get books for the class or for themselves. The bath and body works idea is good, but you can never be sure about someones preferences. I love bath and body works, but certain scents from there make me feel sick. Home made cookies, and breads = YUM! Movie passes? Do they have any pets? Maybe something cat or dog themed? This year, I contacted all the other parents and suggested we pool our money together so each teacher could have a substantial amount in a gift card for their favorite store. Some parents had already gotten a gift, but others were willing to participate. Then I spoke to other teachers about our teachers to find out where they liked to shop best. Turns out, Target is the place. Good luck. I think it's really great that you're acknowledging the people who care so much for your children. Have a great holiday D.!

I am not sure either, I thought about maybe making snack bags for my son's teachers...maybe cookies and candy?? that would be cheaper than $20 a piece...

I dont know if this idea helps, but this is my thought.

This year my daughter is in a daycare center w/ four teachers throughout the day (in the past she was at a home daycare w/ just one provider). Additionally, she regularly interacts w/ the owner, director, and director's DIL who is an assistant. Additionally, when she first started she was in a different room and was really close to those teachers in the short time she was in there. One of those two is still there so I felt a small gift for all 8 were appropriate so I am in the same boat but with one child.

I recently found a 4pk of individually wrapped nice coffee mugs w/ hot chocolate and a small assortment of quality candy including chocolates (can't remember the spelling of the name but I know it starts w/ a G). I found them at Sam's Club for just $20 (works out to $5 each). I bought two...mission accomplished.

I usually do a $5 gift card to somewhere like Target, Dunkin, Starbucks, Borders, B&N and I make home made fudge and put in tins (dollar store) or christmas containers (cheaper at Wal Mart). It's a super easy recipe...

Line the bottom of an 8x8 metal pan with wax paper

In a med. saucepan add, 18 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. Melt on med heat, constantly stirring to prevent it from sticking to bottom of pan. When all melted remove from heat, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and stir well. Spread in lined pan and refridgerate for 3 hours. Pop from the pan, remove wax paper and cut in squares. Store in an airtight container. My daughters teachers LOVE this!

Wow, 7 gifts...one word...BAKE!

That will be your most bang for your buck for that many gifts. You can try this great cookie recipe for dried fruit cookies. They are so pretty and tasty too! You can make them in a big batch and freeze them and then just defrost in the refrigerator overnight and slice and bake as needed.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/dried-fruit...

To personalize it you could get a little personalized tote with the teachers initial on it. Try the Christmas Tree Shop, they sell lots of cute little bags at really reasonable prices.

Another great idea is a personalized item. Check out Etsy, it is a great site for crafty people (not me) to sell their goods. I have bought some great little totes and high chair covers from this site at much cheaper prices than retail. I found these cute personalized cosmetic bags for only $10.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62775454/personalized-cosmeti...

VillageMom
www.ittakesavillagedallas.com

You can go to the dollar store and get those cute holiday platters and put some cookies on it or bake banana bread. They also have cute containers that I would fill with chocolate kisses and attach a cute picture of your child on a small card too it. Also Bath & Body Works has a coupon out that if you buy one $10 item you get another item free (up to $13). I stock up when they have this coupon out for those little gifts you need throughout the year!!

Nothing like a cup of Joe to help a daycare teacher make it through the day! Starbucks or Caribou gift cards can NEVER go wrong! I taught at a daycare for 3 years, and the caffeine really helped keep me happy from 3-5 pm :)

I am going with the $10 Dunkin Donuts/Starbucks giftcards this year. Can't go wrong with coffee and danishes! Happy Holidays!

I don't think you can go wrong with food based gifts...I usually do something small and a gift card - doesn't have to be a huge $ amount...usually just 10.00 (you could even do 5.00 for those who aren't the main teachers) and I do it for someplace where they can get cups of coffee or tea or something like that. Something else is Tastefully Simple...you can usually buy the value packs of things and break it down and put it into something nice - for instance the bread mixes and a soup mix.. there you go..a cute little gift pack and a quick meal during the weeknight. I wouldn't do that for the younger girls though - they'd probably dislike me greatly for a boring gift - hahahah! The younger girls I'd get maybe an itunes gift card...5 or 10 dollars for that and they get several songs...not bad!

an alternative is:
instead of getting a gift for each individual... get a gift for the Daycare Teachers as a group.
ie: a basket of stuff... useful stuff for the Daycare etc. things they can use...and along with that, add a hand-written note, of how you appreciate them and all that they do. And with a photo of your family.

That, cuts down on costs.... per a gift.
That is what I do and many of my friends.

OR, along with other parents, all chip-in a certain amount, then get them a gift. From everyone. And still, give them a nice hand-written Christmas card/note, of how you appreciate them all.

all the best,
Susan

What I have done in the past is make gifts. For example I bake cheesecakes so I started making each teacher a cheesecake and then another year I had made wreaths and swags for my house and one of my son's teachers whom I am very friendly with saw my swag on my mantle and fell in love with it so I made her 2, one for each side of her mantle. The cheesecakes cost me about $10 and the swags about $12. Also I bought a book about Holiday Gifts from a Jar (www. pilcookbooks.com) and made them as gifts. My daughter's friend now lives in Michigan and misses my cooking so I send her my own version of this in plastic containers and she loves it; her and her boyfriend get to eat much better and she doesn't call me whining for my cooking all the time. LOL Another friend of mine made artificial arrangements using a small sleigh and lights for each, she spent under $10 for each. One of my favorites was a candy cane wreath that you hang on your door and whenever someone comes over they can grab a miniature candy cane while waiting for you to open the door. Hope this helps.
Hugs,
T.