I don't expect a thank you note for a thank you gift, but it is nice to acknowledge that a gift was received. My child's teacher sent a single blast text to the whole class. It seemed a bit half-assed.

I always sent thank you notes home by the following day. I don't have a lot of confidence that they actually make it home though.

My kids go to a Jewish school so the winter gift is usually framed as a "thank you" to the teachers. I rarely get thank you notes for that, and I don't really expect them (because my gift is a thank you to them). Same with the end of year gift.

If the gifts you are receiving are like that, then no note is probably fine. But if the cards are wishing you a happy holiday or Merry Christmas, then maybe some people will expect a thank you? Can you ask another teacher?

When I taught I had wrote every thank you note and sent via snailmail. All I need as a parent is to know you got the gift. An email is wonderful. A note is very much appreciated, but not expected. Please either do email or snailmail. My kids are disorganized and there's a good chance we may never get your note or it will come home with a bunch of stuff the end of the school year.

I'll be honest and say for people like the librarian, art teacher, etc if I don't get some note to let me know you got the gift-even a sentence, I may not give one the next year unless you went above and beyond. I don't want to worry that a giftcard never made it to you and I feel like a fool asking.

I actually feel bad when we receive thank-you notes from teachers. I feel like they have better things to do than thank us for a gift that is essentially a thank-you itself! So I would never expect one or think less of you for not writing them.

my daughter loves getting mail, though, so there is that.

OP, I teach middle school. I buy small blank cards at CVS/Rite Aid. They're probably meant as tags, but they're big enough to write two or three sentences. I like these because there is enough space to personalize without feeling like I need to write a book. I keep up with the gifts before the last day of school before break and give the note to the student the next day. On the last day, I use my planning period and lunch to write the notes. The kids get excited to receive them and it models what we hope they do one day.

I don't expect a note. I'd rather you relax and enjoy your winter break than write a bunch of thank you notes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a Title I school. If I get a gift I know that the child and his/her family has really made an effort and possibly a sacrifice. If a child is going to give a gift it usually is first thing in the morning. I then use specials/electives or lunch to write a thank you note and give it to the child by the end of the day. The child usually is quite surprised that I am handing them an envelope and gets worried. I always explain that the card is a Thank You Note to thank them for the gift and that the card is not anything bad. I ask them to give the card to their parent or guardian.

I love the thoughtfulness and compassion of your approach. Your students are lucky to have you.

Thank you. I wish I could say that it was natural that first holiday but it took me a couple note experiences to figure out that the kids had a different interpretation than my expectations - they thought the note was bad news and they were in 'trouble'. It was only when I gave a note to one student at the end of the day as she walked down the hall to get in the bus line that I learned what the kids thought. Two minutes later this tough take-no-prisoners girl came running down the hallway calling my name, smiling and waving the opened note in her hand. She gave me a huge hug, giggling and laughing about how worried she had been and how relieved she was. So now I'm always sure to explain. It is interesting the questions the kids ask about the Thank You note process. Life remains a big learning curve for me.

Anonymous wrote:I work in a Title I school. If I get a gift I know that the child and his/her family has really made an effort and possibly a sacrifice. If a child is going to give a gift it usually is first thing in the morning. I then use specials/electives or lunch to write a thank you note and give it to the child by the end of the day. The child usually is quite surprised that I am handing them an envelope and gets worried. I always explain that the card is a Thank You Note to thank them for the gift and that the card is not anything bad. I ask them to give the card to their parent or guardian.

I love the thoughtfulness and compassion of your approach. Your students are lucky to have you.

My son is disorganized and forgetful, but I don't need a thank you note from the teacher to know they got the gift. I just ask him if he gave the teacher their gift. So to answer op, nope, I don't expect a note. I just want you to enjoy the gift and know that I appreciate you.

I've never expected them either but DD's teachers have always sent them.

Anonymous wrote:Expect them no, but its nice and the right thing to do. One teacher put it in the homework folder. I appreciated it.

I'm a teacher, and this is what I do.

Expect them no, but its nice and the right thing to do. One teacher put it in the homework folder. I appreciated it.

Anonymous wrote:I like them, as a parent, because it lets me know you actually received the gift. My son is so unorganized and forgetful

This. i just want to know they got them. And we have always got an acknowledgement one way or the other.

I like them, as a parent, because it lets me know you actually received the gift. My son is so unorganized and forgetful