Anonymous wrote:I skip. No guilt. I have a lot going on. Making a nice Xmas for my children and family and all the prep and work that goes along with it is a ton of work - I’m not adding 18 teachers to that.

I bought small bags, pack of holiday cards and fancy candy bars. My kids filled out the cards. I asked them to write something you like about each of them. It took 1/2 hour.

You could something like that for new years. After I read that post here about giving professionals gift cards which are basically money and how it might feel insulting, I went with this. I also read an article from teachers who said the letters from students were their favorite gifts.

I don't do Xmas gifts for teachers. I do an end of year gift with a gift card and hand drawn card by the kid.

Our MCPS teacher accepted a $280 Amazon giftcard. I think it's ok you forgot.

Don’t do shit with a smile.

This is non essential. I really don’t get the stress about it. You don’t owe the teacher a gift

Email them to their school email address.

I did get my kid’s elem teacher a $25 gift card but forgot about the mailman and other people I sometimes remember to tip at the holidays. I don’t plan to make up for it after the holidays. I have a sibling that is an elem teacher and for the 20+ years in that profession I’ve only ever heard about the weird/funny or extremely generous gifts, never once about the kids that didn’t give a gift. So I’d like to think teachers aren’t keeping a tally and, in any event, that it doesn’t affect your child’s education. Support your teacher and kid’s education in other ways and let your teachers know you appreciate them and that will prob go further than a $25 gift card anyway. Happy holidays!!

Anonymous wrote:I had covid, DH was TDY, I could barely get the kids on the bus, much less remember to order gift cards. Do I sent them in January?

I am guessing from your comment on the bus, that this is public school?

When my kids were in Catholic school, Christmas was the time when teachers got gifts. It still wasn't an expectation. But if you were going to give a gift at all, then Christmas was the logical time, and I probably would have sent something in Christmas paper in January. If I wanted to be cute, I'd have my kid draw a card with some wise men on camels, and give it on the 6th with a note inside saying "sorry it took a while!"

But I am a public school teacher, and there is no expectation in public school that gifts will be connected to Christmas. You don't need to give a gift at all, but if you want to give a gift, you can give it at Teacher Appreciation, or the end of the year, or in January and call it a "New Year's gift". The same thing if it's a secular private school.

I wouldn't sweat this at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do people do for gift cards?

Depends how much we like the teacher. If they're awful, nothing. If they're mediocre, $50. If they're great, $100.

At the public school I gave some fancy hand soap because they make more than I do. At Catholic I give 100 because they make pennies and they are very good teachers.

Anonymous wrote:Yes bring them when you return. Say happy new year.

Yes! Absolutely nothing wrong with this.

Can actually be a nice thing bc no one is expecting anything in Jan but ppl have just spent a lot of $$.

Anonymous wrote:How much money do people do for gift cards?

We did $25 Amazon gift cards for each teacher and it was a lot because my kids switch classes. I bought 20 $25 cards. Did $50 each for the preschool teachers because I know their earnings are a lot less than public school teachers. Did $20 cash for bus drivers. $50 for instrument teachers. $25 for dance teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do people do for gift cards?

This year I did:

$15 gc and nice note for aftercare/custodian/bus driver

$50 to class gc fund, nice personal email to classroom teacher and $100 books/tools that classroom teacher picked out

$20 gc and heartfelt card for favorite elective teacher

$20 gc and chocolate for language teacher

$75 gc, heartfelt card and chocolate for private instrument teacher

Why would the bus driver get the least amount??

Because they don't control any outcomes for kids.

You can skip it this year. Truly.

Anonymous wrote:How much money do people do for gift cards?

Depends how much we like the teacher. If they're awful, nothing. If they're mediocre, $50. If they're great, $100.