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Monday, May 24, 2010

End of year teacher gift ideas

As the end of the school year approaches I am filled with a sense of dread. I've been so busy that I haven't come up with teacher gifts this year! As a room mother for one of my children I have been working on a group gift with the other moms. I can't post it yet because her teacher visits my site occasionally. (I will post a picture on Thursday- after she gets her gift.) That gift is taken care of, but I have 3 other children with teachers. I try to give something homemade to each teacher because I think those gifts mean the most. I try to find something that is inexpensive because buying for several teachers can get pricey.
Here is the list of ideas that I have come up with tonight. Hopefully this will help spark your imagination and help you come up with something for the teachers in your lives.
A mini scrapbook- You don't have to buy an album from the store. You can use paper bags folded in half. They can have pictures, sayings and gift cards inside the pockets.
An inexpensive pitcher with several fresh lemons
Personalized stationary
Etched glass vase with fresh flowers
Potted flowers in a painted terra cotta pot A personalized calendar
A personalized tote bag
A homemade cook book
Homemade goodies (recipe included)
A tote bag filled with sunscreen, a towel, a water bottle and a book (or a gift certificate to a local bookstore)
An apron with the teacher's name embroidered on the front. If you can't embroider use fabric paint.
Garden gloves with packets of seeds, mini shovel and trowel
Classroom supplies- teachers run out of tissues during cold season, hand sanitizer, hand soap, pencils, reams of white copy paper, dry erase markers or chalk, pink erasers, stickers or stamps with ink for younger grades, craft supplies
Magazine subscriptions
Children's books for the classroom
Rainy day activity boxes for the classroom- ideas include coloring pages, crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, pencils, crayons, etc. or a craft with the necessary supplies included
Extra fruits and veggies from your garden in a basket tied with a cute ribbon
Floor pillows or bean bags for the reading area in your teacher's classroom
A night at the movies- gift certificate for local video store, movie candy, microwave popcorn, bottled soda
A paper floral arrangement with gift cardsDinner in a box- Don't throw away those drink carriers from the drive-through! Fill one side with the pasta, the other side with a jarred pasta sauce. If it comes with 4 slots, put a loaf of bread in one and a drink in the other. You can decorate the box easily with stamps and stickers.
Personalized post-it notes- stamp the sides of a stack of post-it notes.
Decorated notebook with a matching clipboard.

Remember the packaging can make a difference. If you have something small enough use an empty, clean and dry 2-liter bottle. Cut a flap out and insert the gift. Tape it up with packaging tape, cover with decorative paper, add ribbon and you have a great gift.
I hope these ideas have helped you. Please comment if you have any more ideas!

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