Christmas Gifts for Teachers

It can be difficult to choose Christmas gifts for teachers. You want to show your appreciation for the person who is with your child every day. But, what makes the best gift?

In many school districts, teachers are encouraged to write a "classroom gift list" and send it home with students. If your child brings home such a list, choose an item on it. Since teachers traditionally buy many classroom supplies and teaching tools themselves, they really appreciate these gifts.

Personal Christmas Gifts for Teachers

Praise is wonderful! Write a letter of appreciation to the school principal, explaining exactly why your child’s teacher is a wonderful educator. Suggest that the letter be placed in the teacher’s personnel file as part of his/her permanent record. Be sure to make a copy for the teacher!

A tub filled with unpopped popcorn, soft drinks or juice, snacks, and a movie rental certificate is great, especially if you don’t know the teacher’s interests.

Certificates for a pedicure or a manicure make wonderful gifts. Or, get together with a few other parents and treat your children’s teacher to a day at the spa.

Everyone is busy and overtired during the holidays. Simple dinners – perhaps a casserole in a disposable pan, a salad in a bag, a loaf of bread, and a plate of brownies or cookies – will be welcome Christmas gifts for teachers.

If you know the teacher’s special interests or hobbies, a gift related to them is always a treat.

Give a balloon bouquet to a special teacher!

A personalized Christmas ornament creates memories. Some long-time teachers have a second Christmas tree to display these cherished mementos. These Christmas gifts for teachers will continue to be a pleasure year after year.

Homemade Christmas gifts let your child be involved in the gift-giving. Some crafts, such as fleece blankets, are so simple that an older child can create them with very little supervision.

Classroom Gifts for Teachers

A disposable camera and a coupon for photo developing is a great gift. This is especially true during the holidays, when there are so many special activities going on at school.

Personalized notepads are good Christmas gifts for teachers. You can choose the pad design, name, paper, and ink color.

A canvas tote bag is always a practical gift. You can have a message or motto silkscreened on it if you wish.

A gift basket filled with classroom supplies is a welcome holiday gift.

Christmas flowers or a Christmas cactus will brighten the classroom for the entire holiday season.

Donation Gifts for Teachers

A favorite children’s book donated to the school library or your child’s classroom library is always a welcome Christmas gift for teachers. Insert a nameplate inside the book, making a memorial of the occasion.

A silver star keyring or some other gift from the Make-A-Wish Foundation will delight a teacher and help make a child’s wish come true.

Ask a colleague if your child’s teacher has a favorite charity, and make a donation in his/her name.