Does anyone besides me do this anymore? I didn't last year and I know she probably didn't notice, but I felt bad because I really did appreciate all she did for my daughter. Two years ago, I gave her Kindergarten teacher a gift certificate for a massage at my shop (since I'm a therapist). You would've thought I gave her jewels or something!

I went to Dollar Tree yesterday and saw all of the teacher's supplies. Her teacher puts a sticker on their take-home calendar every day. So I picked up:

6 packs of stickers
2 bathroom passes
A magnetic frame to put a pic of her & my daughter in (she keeps these on her filing cabinet in class)
A large popcorn bucket to put it all in
1 box of popcorn
3 other movie size boxes of candies

And DD is going to ask her today where she rents her movies from. I'm going to get her a gift card for 2 movie rentals from wherever she prefers.

What are you getting?

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Kristee
Kritter0114@aol.com

"Hold on, let me check....YES! I do have a coupon for that!"

Starbucks gift card!

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"Yesterday my life was duller, now everything's technicolor!"

I do personal teacher gifts at the holidays. At the end of the year, each room mom asks the parents to contribute to a fund to buy a gift card for their teacher. They also "adopt" another teacher who does not have a regular class (gym teacher, art, librarian, etc). They can also bring in their own gifts if they choose. Each child is encouraged to hand make a card for their teacher expressing their thanks. Often, it's just about 4-5 parents who put in extra $$$ to get the gift cards. So far, my DD's room mom has collected $30 and $10 was from me, $10 from here and $10 from one other mom. $30 doesn't go far between 2 teachers so I have been asked to do a gift basket for free (I sell coffee/beverage related items). DS's room mom hasn't contacted me yet so if she doesn't, I'll give her a gift certificate to my website or an amex gift card (so she can spend it anywhere). I do buy the crossing guard a gift card. she's great and helps us out everyday. I think we are the only family who "recognizes" her at the end of the year.

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

My kids aren't in elementary school anymore, so I don't do it. When I did, I found that they really loved any type of gift card...Starbucks, Blockbuster, Kohls, etc. ~Lisa

I always did the Gift Card route....Barnes and Noble was a favorite, also there is a local restaurant/bar nearby that was a teacher hangout, so GC's there were also great. A friend sold Watkins and always gave foot massage cream, which she said was popular. I think the sticker/supplies idea is great too! Skip the coffee mug, christmas ornament, desk junk tho!

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"It's not about how much baggage you have, it's about whether or not you can carry your own baggage with grace and dignity."

I also do gift cards. Usually Jamba Juice or Starbucks. When my first child started school I would go with the cute teacher coffee mug. After a year or two you realize that the poor teacher probably has millions of coffee mugs. lol So then I started getting gift cards.

We usually give teachers gifts for holidays, and end of the year, but with the move, we gave the kids teachers gifts before we left. I don't know if we'll do anything for the teachers here. The kids will only be in school for little over a month.......

Usually I make their gifts, and throw in gift cards.

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Nicole

Please don't forget the teachers that aren't core subject teachers. I know the middle school librarian and health class teachers were very grateful when we would remember them with something during teacher appreciation week.

That is a very good idea. At Christmas time I make up a bunch of little bags with candy and lots of things I get on clearance from Target and Michaels. Things like note pads, pens, lotions etc... I give them to the office staff, campus aides, cafeteria people, janitors, librairian, etc... Most of these people never get anything so they are thrilled with these bags. It doesn't cost me much but lets those people that they are thought of too.

I usually do gift cards too. One year when we were getting ready for graduation at the end of preschool I found a huge box of teachers gifts from years past stored up in the attic. And while i know they appreciated them when they got them and at least didn't throw them out I think a gift card is so much more practical especially these days.

I don't give to the gym, art or music teacher but I do give to the bus driver, she's awesome! Maybe I will try to put something together for the other teachers this year.

And I thought most people sent gifts? Do they?

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

Stopped doing this after grade school. Too many teachers per kid in middle school and high school - and lost interest in being the perfect mom by then. LOL. I still do something for the bus driver though. I figure they put up with the most crud everyday.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

We do give to the teachers until the kids are in Middle School...just plain too many teachers by then. I do like giving gift cards, to me it means that there is not some dust collecter that the teacher feels obligated to keep.

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Think about helping out with cancer...
Join the Relay for Life

My youngest is in 6th grade and I've been going through this lately! It's nice to know it's not just me!

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I have a home embroidery machine. Last year, I bought very cute and inexpensive beach totes and the inexpensive beach towels at Walmart. I monogrammed their initials on each and I gave each teacher that. I also included the school secretary.

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NSDQ-Nightstalkers Don't Quit!