Can't afford pricey Christmas presents for teachers this year

[Anonymous]

We live in an affluent area and the teachers at our school usually receive extravagant gifts from parents. This year we can't do that. DH's business is not doing as well. Rather than giving gift cards which we used to do, I was thinking to create "gourmet" gift baskets and give them to all DC's teachers. I can purchase inexpensive brand pastas, sauces, muffin mixes, tea cookies, etc.. from Home Goods and put them in a nice basket. I am a bit nervous as I have no idea how these brands of foods taste. For all I know they could be God-awful. Has anyone tried any of the muffin mixes, sauces, scone mixes from Home Goods? How do they taste? If they're awful I can get the food items from a regular grocery store. It's just that they are a lot cheaper at Home Goods.

[Anonymous]

I think that's an adorable idea! I used to teach first grade, btw. I cant vouch for the food at home goods though, I don't think I've Bought any there before. As a side note, a friend gave us a basket once with a recipe and the dry goods we'd need to prepare the dish (spices, pasta, etc). It was really really cute. I think she called it a date in a basket or something. You could even do that from a grocery store!

[Anonymous]

My guess is that a teacher would greatly prefer a $10 target gift card and nice note rather than $10 of random "gourmet food".

[Anonymous]

+1 Just give them a cheap gift card, the time and thought you are putting into this is too expensive already.

[Anonymous]

Cheap GC is way better than cheap food!!

[Anonymous]

Our DDs class mom is organizing a group gift. Is this an option? I am relieved since then I can just contribute once vs. giving all of the teacher's aides gifts too (GCs add up for 5 teachers).

[Anonymous]

We never give gifts to teachers and some schools actually prohibit it or only allow inexpensive items.

[Anonymous]

I'm amazed at the posts. People worried about
Gifts they can't afford, going into debt.

So crazy. If you don't have money to spend
You don't gift. It's that simple.

I'm so glad in my family only the young kids
Get something. We buy our son a couple gifts
And send one each to his 4 cousins.

That's it. Maybe 150 max out of pocket.

Spending huge sums on crap we don't need
Or probably already have is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Someone beat me to it. Gift baskets can end up costing way more than you expect and you can definitely do a reasonable gift card, like $10, for the cost of the basket you are planning to put together.

[Anonymous]

Honestly those gift bags may end up costing you more in the long run. At our affluent school, the room parents handle this and collect everything upfront for collective gifts at appropriate times.

[Anonymous]

Why not just make something? We make almond brittle for all the teachers. it does not cost $10/gift. It has become a family tradition and my DC can't wait to give his Mom's special brittle to all his teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just make something? We make almond brittle for all the teachers. it does not cost $10/gift. It has become a family tradition and my DC can't wait to give his Mom's special brittle to all his teachers.

We bake too. I have 5 treat recipes that I know are winners, and I make then so that they look visually appealing and "gourmet". I purchase plain baskets from the dollar store, dress them up with wire bow, hot glue some expensive looking silk flowers onto the bow, and line the basket with coordinating tissue.

I try to wrap some items individually, like they would be in a gourmet gift basket. For example, I put 6 cookies in a quart sized ziplock baggie, cut off the zipper, and tie it off with coordinated ribbon. Caramel popcorn is bagged the same way. The bags are tucked in the back of the basket to add height. Caramels are wrapped in twisted wax paper. Squares and truffles are placed in mini muffin cups, or 3 to a larger cup.

The treats are displayed nicely and the whole thing covered in shrink wrap. Voila, an inexpensive gift that looks beautiful and like it costs far more than I actually spent..

[Anonymous]

Why don't you email the class and offer to collect money for a group gift card? I have done it for several years. I send out an email saying that I am volunteering to buy a gift card for the classroom teacher and assistant and ask people to send me money for the purchase of the gift card. We have about 22 or 23 kids per class and I usually collect about $200. I buy a Visa Gift card from the bank or a local mall gift card. I also encourage the parents to have their kids make cards or write notes to their teachers and I include those.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I love $10 gift cards. Home-baked goods are nice also but I sometimes give them away because I don't eat sweets. It doesn't really matter what the gift is, it the thoughtfulness of it.

[Anonymous]

I am just completely over the whole cash gifting teachers idea. We did it for teacher after teacher--never a thank you note, nothing. Finally the worst one of all was the teacher for whom we collected $470.00 cold cash, handed it 2 her at the year end party (highly regarded ward 3 elementary) she was transferred to Webb-Wheatley the next year, never heard from her again. No thank you note--nothing. It was my child's favorite teacher, too. Unspeakably rude.