OT- need gift ideas for daycare teachers

[octmom]

DS has been in two classes at daycare and I'd like to get holiday gifts for each of the five teachers (3 FT, 2 PT) in the rooms. He still sees the teachers from his old class every day and they are very sweet to him, one of them in particular.

I gave them small gifts when we came back from the beach last summer (sets of four small candles from Crabtree and Evelyn that were shaped like shells, along with a handmade card with a really cute photo of DS at the edge of the ocean), but I did not give the teachers from the first room something else when DS moved to the second room a few weeks later.

Any suggestions for good teacher gifts? I don't want anything Christmassy, because two of the women are Muslim women from Afghanistan. The other three are from Norway, El Salvador, and Togo (in Africa) and I think they all celebrate Christmas, but I don't want to push it on them.

I don't want to spend a ton of money on each, but I would like something pretty nice. After all, these women take good care of my baby all day!

TIA for suggestions!

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[steph2003]

I'm bumping this up in hopes someone will see/offer suggestions! I'm in the same boat this year as we just started DS in daycare & I'm wondering what to do for his teachers for gifts.

[jbowman]

We're giving the ladies at Parent's Day Out candles made locally! They smell divine and are pretty!

[heidis2girls]

These are a few things that I've given in the past (and probably will again!):

Yankee candle (either a large one or votives with a pretty votive holder)

picture frame

picture of the girls

candy

homemade "Christmas Mix" - peanuts, pretzels, cheerios, chex cereal and M&M's coated in melted white chocolate (YUM!!!)

Starbucks gift certificates

Barnes & Noble or Borders gift certificates

cash (in leiu of a gift certificate to a spa or beauty salon because I didn't know where they go with an explanation of why I was giving them cash)

They have also loved when I've written a really nice card.

I'm in kind of the same position. My older DD moved to a new class this year and has a wonderful teacher. Unfortunately she is taking a leave of absence until just before Christmas and there is another teacher subbing for her. There are two gifts. My youngest DD has two great teachers who were also my older DD's teachers. Another two gifts. Their previous teachers are still there and are the most wonderful women you'll ever meet! Two more gifts. That makes six. Yikes, I have to think of something a little less spendy this year! ;-)

Good luck!

[Marisa6826]

My fave standby of a g/c for a manicure and pedicure!

Alternatively, what about a nice mug with a GC for Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?

If you wanted to do something for them all at once, you could bring them a tray of catered sandwiches for lunch. I would just tell them ahead of time so they don't bring their own food that day. You could easily get veggie ones thrown in from Cosi or Panera or Au Bon Pain.

-m

[HGraceMom]

Our preschool director asks that in lieu of gifts to the teachers, that we buy special items for the classroom - art supplies, blocks, etc.

That said, I'm making gift mugs for the teachers in her room in addition to a costco box of crayons & markers - I found beautiful mugs at Home Goods (2.99) and will fill them with packets of hot chocolate, cinnamon sticks, a candy cane stick, and small a zip lock baggie of marshmallows. You could tuck in a gift certificate to starbucks or Barnes & Noble if you wanted to make it a more substantial gift... or a handmade card from DS to personalize the gift.

At the end of last year, I bought $50 in gift certificates to a pizza place the teachers often order lunch from - they usually pool $ to place an order once a week - If your teachers do that, it could work. They're paid so little, on average, that ordering lunch out could work out to be an hour's salary.

My aunt was a first grade teacher for 35 years & had so much "Teacher Junk" that I'll never buy an apple christmas ornament, my favorite teacher figurine, etc... After 35 years, she has enough ornaments to decorate 3 tacky trees. Not that the gifts aren't thoughtful, they're just not usesful. Her favorite gifts were gift certificates to book stores or restaurants - she'd usually buy books for the classroom, but would've spent her own $ anyway. DD loves to go to her house; she always gives her a bag of teacher stuff - special treasures to a 3 year old...

[steph2003]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - they are all really good & I have some great ideas now!

[jk3]

Definitely no teacher junk! I have received lots of apple themed items + child-themed pins and mugs. Just because I am a teacher does not mean I will enjoy wearing a bright, sequined apple pin!

In all seriousness, I usually do not remember the gifts but I always remember when a parent takes the time to write a thoughtful note. I really do cherish these notes.

Gifts that I remember:
a bottle of wine (surprise, surprise teachers are adults!)
gift certificates to Borders or B + N (bought books for the classroom)
picture frames



Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[octmom]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I understand the no "teacher junk" part. My mom is an elementary school principal and former teacher. She still tries to unload some of the stuff she gets on me and I am 33! She also gets some very lovely gifts that are a bit more extravagent than I intend to be, but she is a principal in a pretty affluent area and I think that what may be extravagent to me is not so for these families.

So far, I am thinking about:
- a mani/pedi g.c. for one of the teachers, maybe with some lotion
- pretty mug and assortment of nice teas for another, maybe with some fancy cookies
- a pretty mug and a Starbucks g.c for another
- something to pamper the one who is pg and will move back to El Salvador in the late spring (maybe peppermint foot lotion, etc.)
- and maybe a B&N g.c for the 5th.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[lfp2n]

Hi Jerilyn

I struggled with this last year and ended up giving the 3 teachers those Visa gift cards that you can use anywhere. They sell them at Fashion Sq Mall. They all seemed very happy with them.

HIH

Lucy

[jamsmu]

My two hands-down favorite teacher gifts ever:

-B&N gift certificate
-Spa gift certificate (even for a manicure)

[sdjeppa]

At our daycare, the teachers are not allowed to accept gifts - instead, because its a non-profit, they have a fund you can contribute to, that at the end of the year, they give all the staff bonuses. In their words, its more than the teachers taking care of your child - the janitor, the cooks, etc. are too. Makes it easier though! I will probably bring a plate of cookies in one day too, with a nice note to his teacher.

Jenny, Mommy to Zachary 9-27-03

[jubilee]

I was just given a fabulous gift of gourmet cookie mixes (from my Brownie Fairy) and I thought it would be a good gift in this situation. The website is http://www.lehimill.com/ I can attest that the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are TO DIE FOR! I bet everything is wonderful from them.

[lisams]

I would ask them what day works best and bring them a nice lunch (with a yummy dessert ;-)), along with a letter written from you about how much you appreciate them. Or a gc to a local bookstore is always nice.

They'll love whatever you get, I'm sure!!

Lisa