When do you give teacher gifts?

[Anonymous]

If you’re in a class that isn’t doing a group gift, or you haven’t heard of the group gift yet, when do you give your kids teachers their holiday gifts? Last day/days of school or early enough that it might actually offset some of their holiday expenses? Children are pre-k and nursery if that matters.

[Anonymous]

I give it to them the Monday before the break starts. This way we know we will see all of the teachers and be able to get them their gift. (Some teachers might take off the day before break for travel or something.)

[Anonymous]

We give in mid-December.

[Anonymous]

We usually give an annual teacher gifts right before before Thanksgiving. It was our way to thank them for being our kid's teachers.

Sometimes, we have given the gift around early December. Our aim was to make it a holiday gift (instead of a Christmas gift) as we also have teachers of all religions. In any case, we usually give cash gifts or gift cards and our aim was to give it to the teachers before the holiday rush happens. That way they also remember who gave them the gifts and if they want they can recycle the gift to someone else.

[Anonymous]

The last week before winter break, usually Thursday if they still have school Friday

[Anonymous]

Never.

My mom was a teacher and 99% of the gifts came home and went right into the donation box we kept in our garage.

The 1% kept were things like gift cards and edible gifts (but not homemade. Homemade immediately went in the trash).

[Anonymous]

We don’t give gifts to teachers. But my kids give them a homemade holiday card with a nice note

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t give gifts to teachers. But my kids give them a homemade holiday card with a nice note

Last day before break

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never.

My mom was a teacher and 99% of the gifts came home and went right into the donation box we kept in our garage.

The 1% kept were things like gift cards and edible gifts (but not homemade. Homemade immediately went in the trash).

Same. My mom was a teacher and so am I. Most of it is thrown out.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. Agree with the other teachers that it gets thrown out. Sorry but even the notes the students wrote get thrown out. Honestly, besides reading them, what else am I supposed to do with them? Gifts cards gets used if I remember I have them. I usually throw them somewhere and forget about them. So what to give?!? Not a damn thing! I am doing my job and get a paycheck.

[Anonymous]

Usually give $1000 in hundred dollar bills right before winter break. It definitely helps with myy dd’s grades….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. Agree with the other teachers that it gets thrown out. Sorry but even the notes the students wrote get thrown out. Honestly, besides reading them, what else am I supposed to do with them? Gifts cards gets used if I remember I have them. I usually throw them somewhere and forget about them. So what to give?!? Not a damn thing! I am doing my job and get a paycheck.

Um...I don't think anyone gives a note/card and expects you to keep it. You are supposed to throw them out. Save if you really want to I guess, but no one is writing you a note for any purpose other than to express and sentiment to you. You read it? Job done.

[Anonymous]

When my kids were in grade school, I left the decision up to my kid. It came down to how much each kid liked the teacher; I offered no input or ideas on that, only a "So should we go to World Market and get a gift?" Some years, it was yes let's go, other years it was um no, I don't need to give anything.

We always gave a gift card and thank-you card at the end of the year. I had my kids write at least one thing they liked about the teacher, or the class that year. Even if they had to sit there and think about it for ten minutes, they wrote something.

[Anonymous]

Actually, a better way to phrase this would be: It came down to how much each kid *connected with* the teacher. When my kid connected with the teacher, we went all out on a holiday gift. When my kid did not seem to connect with the teacher at all (and it could seem mutual occasionally), we did not do a holiday gift.

I think it is important for young kids to drive the decision themselves instead of me forcing it and doing it myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. Agree with the other teachers that it gets thrown out. Sorry but even the notes the students wrote get thrown out. Honestly, besides reading them, what else am I supposed to do with them? Gifts cards gets used if I remember I have them. I usually throw them somewhere and forget about them. So what to give?!? Not a damn thing! I am doing my job and get a paycheck.

You sound like a joyful person!