It's that time of year and I'm trying to think of something nice, but very inexpensive. I have 3 kids, and my one child with special needs has 7 teachers between aides, therapists and regular teachers. I would love to hear ideas of what others have given to teachers (or gotten as teachers!) Last year I did a $10 gift certif. to a coffee place but by the time I add up everyone, including bus drivers, etc. I'm looking at a lot of money. What are your favorite ideas?

I made home made jam for my kids' teachers - strawberries are in season right now around here, so fresh strawberry jam was the gift a year or so ago. I used pinking shears to cut a circle of gingham cloth around the lid, and tied raffia ribbon around it. These were pretty, somewhat inexpensive, and I think they make a nice gift with a handwritten note from my kids.

I also give the bus drivers gifts. Sometimes I think they get overlooked, and IMHO, they are grossly underpaid for what they do.

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I think the gift cards are a great idea but how about doing $5 instead. The good thing about a coffee shop is that you can get a lot of things for $5 or less.

thanks for the input! Would love to hear more too!

I still carry around a nice pen in my purse that a student of mine gave me 15 years ago.

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I dry the lavender I grow each year, and make lavender/rice pillows or sachets. They cost me next to nothing, and everybody seems to love them. I try to put an individualized poem with each. Yesterday I had to do the dance teachers & sent them with a note reading:

The lavender from our garden was picked just for you
since we know that dancing is great fun,
but can be painful, too!

Keep this in your freezer in a plastic bag
Place it on your aching head before your spirits sag.

If your muscles are tired & sore it will do the trick-
30 seconds in the microwave & you'll be ready to kick!!

Anybody can buy dry lavender & do these. HTH.

I'm getting them a GC to a local place to get outdoor flowers or hanging plants.

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You could actually do plants. I don't know if you have 99¢ shops where you are but ours has plants and pots. This year my daughter did her OWN teacher gift. We went to Michaels and she picked out a wooden box that her teacher can put pencils in on her desk. She picked her own color and painted it and then glued on those little pre painted wood cutouts(all school related--she chose a chalkboard and actually wrote teachers name in white paint, book which she wrote a title of one of there text books, school house and put the school name on it and then some pencils and other things.) The box was a $ and the cut outs were 5/$ and paint 59¢. I did have to buy the white paint pen but used coupon so it was $2.00. Then she put a brand new box of pencils in it so her teacher would know what it was. I feel for you with so many to buy for. I wish I had some other ideas. I know you can also do the coffee mugs with a bag of coffee or some candy in them. These are cheap to make. You can actually buy plain cups and personalize them. Dollar stores are great for these. I will keep thinking. When do the kids get out of school? We have been out for 2 weeks(son has--daughter went a week longer).

I think I would stay away from the coffee mug and just go with the candy. Most teachers get so many coffee mugs over the years they probably don't need any more. Use the money you would spend on the mug for the candy. You could do candy Kisses and Hugs and let them know how much they mean to you and your children.

This one is also mostly great.

for youngest DS: his teacher's favorite color is purple. We found the neatest purple vase at Ross. The teacher gives out the little dum-dum suckers for "prizes" (along w/ other stuff) so we bought 2 bags of those at the Dollar Tree. And we got a small purple fabric bag at the Dollar Tree to put it all in. She loved it.

For oldest DS: One of the local pharmacies was going out of business. They were selling all merchandise at 60% off. I got her a spa/relaxation kit (bath gel, body splash and lotion w/ a loofah and a bath mit) for $3! Got a pink fabric tote @ the Dollar Tree to put it in.

I wrote thank cards to both teachers because they have been exceptional w/ my children and I love both of their teachers!

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Can I ask do you bake if so homemade cookies wrapped in some nice paper with some nice ribbon paper would be appreciated very much. Peace. Catherine

We bought some chocolates and a gift card to Barnes & Noble.

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*Mom to McKenna and Tanyn ~ Nov. 2000 Twins*

I am a substitute teacher, on the cusp of the end of the school-year. One of the students brought in, for the real teacher- a rolled-up beach towel w/ a pair of swim goggles wrapped around it, and a cute fly-swatter stuck into the towel. She did a really cute poem too. Something about beat the heat, beat the bugs, can't remember the rest, but it was so cute.