My friend gives two $10 starbucks gift cards to each teacher. That way she hits the $20 gift limit and the teachers can regift to their families and friends if they are not coffee drinkers. I have stolen this idea from her and for past couple of years, I give multiple gift cards of smaller value to teachers, since I have no idea what they would prefer.

Anonymous wrote:Screw that, I am sick of all this gimme gimme gimme crap from teachers.

You're a fine one, Mr. Grinch

I do $10 gift cards. Usually to Target or Starbucks. I know everyone doesn't drink coffee, but you can pick up a dessert or tea there also. And, they're everywhere, so the person doesn't have to go out of his way.

Screw that, I am sick of all this gimme gimme gimme crap from teachers.

I usually give a little bag of chocolates or a Target $10 gift card if the teacher made an impact on my kid. Also to the crossing guard, bus driver, admin people etc. I buy big bags of individually wrapped chocolates and do my own gift bags.

I’m a MS teacher. I get mostly gift cards anywhere from $5 to $15 and mostly to Starbucks and DD. I really appreciate it because many MS teachers aren’t getting anything. Sweet of you OP.

Anonymous wrote:With 7 teachers I was thinking of giving each a $5 Starbucks gift card. Would that be odd? Does the practice of holiday gifts end in ES?

I teach MS in MCPS. $5 Starbucks cards are a pretty common gift. I don’t drink Starbucks, but I appreciate the thought. I give them to my daughter or sometimes homeless people.

Other common $1-10 gifts:
a single candy bar or the packages of 4 chocolates.
Scented lotion or hand sanitizer
Fancy sticky notes
Soap
Crazy socks
Candles
Gel pens
Pretzels
Asian snack mixes
Craft sodas
Tea
Coffee
$3-5 Amazon cards
$5 Target cards
Little notebooks
Gummi bears
Plants, seeds, and bulbs
Tree ornaments
Snow globes

I can’t say this often enough: don’t feel obligated to buy something, especially if it is a strain or you feel the teacher doesn’t deserve it. However, a hand-written note to a great teacher will be treasured.

My middle schooler has eight teachers this semester. We’re giving single candy bars ($3 each) and a note to each.

I usually give gift-cards (starbucks, amazon, target) worth $20 in a card, to all the teachers in a nice card with a note. I write a nice email and cc the principal only if they have done something extra special for the class or my child, that is worth writing a note about.

I also give to the HS teachers.

We stopped with teacher gifts when my kids got to MS.

Anonymous wrote:I'm giving $15 Starbucks cards, but only to the teachers I think are engaged, caring, and actually seem aware of DS's existence. So just 4 of them!

We have also picked out 4 of the teachers for gifts.

My kids mostly stopped giving anything in middle school. If they had a teacher they loved - so 1 or 2 a year - then we would do something and I could go to $15-20 since there weren’t many.

I'm giving $15 Starbucks cards, but only to the teachers I think are engaged, caring, and actually seem aware of DS's existence. So just 4 of them!

I give a little something to all my DD’s MS teachers. I think your idea would also be nice.

Our PTA gives to each teacher- I give to the PTA. For one particularly amazing teacher for DD, I wrote an email to the teacher and copied the Principal, thanking her for what she had done for DD (gave specific examples of what I thought were above and beyond the norm).

With 7 teachers I was thinking of giving each a $5 Starbucks gift card. Would that be odd? Does the practice of holiday gifts end in ES?