Anonymous wrote:I do not think we should give any gifts. Teachers are just doing their jobs. I work in a postal office and I do my job well, do I receive any gifts? I receive my salary. I have 4 children and I rather pay their Imagination Stage tickets than contributing towards teachers gifts. There is so much pressure with collecting the money, they send me reminders all the time through the teachers! (please pay your contribution for the class parties and teacher's gift). My kids do not eat all that sugar anyway!

Anonymous wrote:As both a parent who spent a lot of time volunteering in elementary school, and as a preschool teacher, I can tell you that a lot of teachers do not want home-baked goods. A gift card is much more appreciated.

Anonymous wrote:"It's DEFINITELY not enough money to bribe me. Write a lovely note or better, have your child write the note, and that's what is the most important thing. "

I'm a teacher, too. I don't think it's about whether or not it's actually going to bribe me-I think it reflects upon me poorly if other parents, teachers, or community members find out that I accepted cash as a holiday gift. Of course I'm not going to change grades for $20, or any amount of money. But, the fact remains that teachers are held to a different standard than some other professions and I prefer not to put myself in what I think is a questionable position.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think homemade sweets are among the best gifts for teachers. I've gotten more-thoughtful thank-you notes for my shortbread rounds than for anything store-bought I have ever given a teacher. When I was growing up, patients gave my dad, a surgeon, all sorts of homemade cakes, cookies, and candies for the holidays, and we loved them, even looked forward to them. I guess there are two kinds of people in this world: those who like to receive homemade sweets as presents and those who don't.

My mom was a teacher, and the entire family looked forward to homeade gifts. We would get really excited the years she had one of the siblings from the families whose mom had a famous specialty (probably like your shortbread rounds). Like you, I have a signature cookie and I have had teachers ask for the recipe, tell me that they finished them off in the car on the way home, etc. It probably depends on the quality of the baked goods. That cookie is the only one I get that response from, so it is the only homeade item I gift.

Although she was always very grateful and gracious when receiving gifts, the items that my mom did not care to receive were the candles, ornaments, trinkets, etc.

Restaurant gift cards were no good if they were from more expensive places where she would have to spend extra money to use the gift certificate, but gift cards to inexpensive places like Panera or Starbucks were highly appreciated.

Gifts for the class (supplies, stickers, books) were very, very welcome.

Thanks for sharing. Lovely to read about your family's looking forward to the homemade treats from your mother's students. I'm the one who posted up-thread about her surgeon dad's patients and the wonderful treats they would send. My very favorite was the tin of fruitcake cookies from not a patient but his office receptionist. My dad passed away last year, and the holidays will not be the same.

You signature cookie must be really good. May I ask what cookie it is? Though my signature is the shortbread round, I am always on the lookout for another good thing to bake for gifts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think homemade sweets are among the best gifts for teachers. I've gotten more-thoughtful thank-you notes for my shortbread rounds than for anything store-bought I have ever given a teacher. When I was growing up, patients gave my dad, a surgeon, all sorts of homemade cakes, cookies, and candies for the holidays, and we loved them, even looked forward to them. I guess there are two kinds of people in this world: those who like to receive homemade sweets as presents and those who don't.

My mom was a teacher, and the entire family looked forward to homeade gifts. We would get really excited the years she had one of the siblings from the families whose mom had a famous specialty (probably like your shortbread rounds). Like you, I have a signature cookie and I have had teachers ask for the recipe, tell me that they finished them off in the car on the way home, etc. It probably depends on the quality of the baked goods. That cookie is the only one I get that response from, so it is the only homeade item I gift.

Although she was always very grateful and gracious when receiving gifts, the items that my mom did not care to receive were the candles, ornaments, trinkets, etc.

Restaurant gift cards were no good if they were from more expensive places where she would have to spend extra money to use the gift certificate, but gift cards to inexpensive places like Panera or Starbucks were highly appreciated.

Gifts for the class (supplies, stickers, books) were very, very welcome.

Anonymous wrote:I think Visa or Am/Ex gift cards are fine. At least, I hope so because that's what I plan to give. We can't give anything close to $50, though, as wonderful as DS's teacher is.

Anonymous wrote:I think homemade sweets are among the best gifts for teachers. I've gotten more-thoughtful thank-you notes for my shortbread rounds than for anything store-bought I have ever given a teacher. When I was growing up, patients gave my dad, a surgeon, all sorts of homemade cakes, cookies, and candies for the holidays, and we loved them, even looked forward to them. I guess there are two kinds of people in this world: those who like to receive homemade sweets as presents and those who don't.

Anonymous wrote:As both a parent who spent a lot of time volunteering in elementary school, and as a preschool teacher, I can tell you that a lot of teachers do not want home-baked goods. A gift card is much more appreciated.