Tell me what you think of these gifts for the teachers

My son only has 1, but my daughter has a teacher and an aide, plus I buy a christmas gift for the other aide in the room.  I got them each a jar of the pecan butter, a chai tea mix set and gourmet dark chocolate with sea salt!??  Not sure about it, but I have done the candle thing and the bath and body works thing.  I crocheted a blanket the year before last for my daughters aide. 

I know lots of teachers.  And what they tell you privately is they are DUMPED on with lots of nick-knack crap at Christmas.  Cups, candles, "apple" themed items, etc. 

Give gift cards.  Let these hard working teachers get WHAT THEY WANT. 

Listen, I am a former Second Grade Teacher and I was always grateful for even the tinyest gift. It is always the thought that counts! Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

I think it's a wonderful idea. The fact you are giving it a second thought shows the care you put into your choice. I agree with lips and suddenly wish I was a teacher. Pecan butter sounds delish!

Want to give something impersonal? Give a gift card.

Trust me folks, while some teachers will be sentimental about the home-made gifts and coffee cups with apples on them.......most teachers receive these gifts thinking "Oh gee....more cheap crap."

Give gift cards.  Or make a donation in your teacher's name to a worthy cause.

Oh Doc, I like the donation idea. That's a very thoughtful gift.

Nah,doc...

I am sorry but I am gonna have to disagree with you on that.
I have been giving in fact, I just bought 7 boxes of chocolates for each of my daughter's  teacher and they are not CHEAP!!!
Beside, if anyone of them ever thinks like what you said, they don't really deserve it in my opinion.
Always thoughts that counts...
If I have to be stressed about such as buying a gift card and for how much to put on each card...now that will ruin the excitement of the whole point of gifting someone.

I've always felt that giving money/gift cards are too simple...
Picking out something/anything for someone you care and love...you have taken the time to think and wonder what this person would like blah blah.........ya know!

Having BEEN a teacher, I liked the little odd mementos; years later, when I look at them, floods of memories come pouring back

With my daughters teacher and aide, it is a little more personal for me because they are with her year after year instead of just one year.  Those ladies mean alot to me and I wish I had the money to really splurge on them because they deserve it. 

also, I know in some of the classes, the moms pool their money and get something more elaborate instead of tons of small stuff.

I just sent and IM to a teacher friend of mine...she has been a teacher in our county for 21 years.  Here is what she said:

Dave, for the first couple of years the little presents were sort of sweet, but after 200 coffee mugs not so much!  and there is always the whacked out stay at home mom who makes dry cookies or sews me something.  i sure appreciate the thought, but COME ON parents, please stop making me the object of your gift giving mania!!!!!!!  Im over worked, underpaid, and put up with helicopter parents all year long. i do this job becasue I love to teach and love kids period.  if you want to do something for please write our board of supervisors and get we teachers a raise, we havent had one in four years, until then your sweet kids are gift enough!

Lump of coal for that one!

I *was* going to say I always made a little ceramic apple pencil holder for my teachers when I was in school.  My mom made ceramics and also did some beautiful china painting.  She would help, but I pretty much went from mold to kiln to painting to kiln and would put the teacher's name on it.
Good thing I don't have kids I can't afford gifts for family let alone teachers, so some (not dry) cookies or probably fudge would be the gift given.

In any case, the gifts in wmmeden's post are very very nice!

On a teacher's salary, I'm sure a few love the chocos, escpec the decadent ones they might not buy for themselves

After I posted last night, I was going through my kid's bookbag and folder.  Apparently, the Room Mother sent a note asking parents to contribute to a gift card for the teacher and assistant. 

Smart, good thing to do.  Easy on the parents.  The teacher gets what she wants.  (By the way, she is hot, so The Mind Doc is going to send in a nice donation   And the teacher does not have to lug home another tub of homemade fudge, coffee mug, or homemade tree ornament # 256.

Way to go, Room Mother!

well, according to you that's what all the teachers want is a card..lol, I think we've mentioned not all parents and teachers only want a card and some appreciate the gift

I think that's a good idea, where someone lets parents know what is expected.  Saves on hurt feelings on all sides.  Plus, I think that maybe what's expected or enjoyed as a Christmas gift for the teacher may be a bit of a regional/cultural issue.  What's good one place may be crap in another, and vice-versa. 

I'm actually surprised that there aren't policies against public schools allowing teachers to accept Christmas gifts, since Church and State don't play well together anymore.

well, you could always call it a 'holiday' or 'seasonal gift'

bah...I say give all the teachers mixed bags of nuts, lmao, and let them sort out the peanut allergies 

Nuts for the nuts, sweets for the sweets, fruits for the fruits.  Heck, just give them fruitcake since they don't like fudge anymore,  Nobody likes that.  At least you'd not be surprised they didn't like your gift.

I like fudge

me, too.  guess we're just a bunch of sweeties.

ba hahahahahahaha, ain't too often someone refers to me as 'sweet'..just ask the bf

yep...I can imagine.  and I bet if you asked Jake right now, sweet would not be a word you would have heard.

Again, I sure there are very sentimental teachers who like fudge, homemade napkin holders, and the precious tree ornament that little Waldo made, etc.  However, if you talk to a group of teachers there is an overwhelming number of them who see this as parents dumping the seasonal "crap" on the teachers. 

Chilly.....Ha!  Separation of church and state never applies when people get a benefit or a day off!  I mean....who refuses their "Christmas bonus" at work at the end of the year because they adhere to separation between church and state?  Or how many refuse to take Dec. 25 off?

no offense doc, but that's a blanket assumption, the few teachers youve talked to is hardly a full cross-section
what you have is an opinion, and one a few of us disagree with
as for Dec 25?...why take it off, lol, I'll take the double time and a half

dtsweet..........hope you get tripple time!  I think I will create a new topic on the problems of gift giving in general.  I mean, we go lots of healthy banter just on this one.

oh, sure
half the time I disagree just to be the devil's advocate