Do you get your kids Teachers Gifts at Christmas?

There has been a lot of talk on social media and on the TV about giving teachers gifts at Christmas. It seems to be a subject that divides the nation and one that each family takes a different approach to. I like to encourage my girls to give gifts at Christmas so along with teacher gifts we also give chocolates to the postmen and the window cleaner.

Giving teachers gifts at Christmas can be expensive with many classes having multiple teachers or Teaching Assistants. My eldest had to give three gifts to cover the different teachers that she has. My kids are breaking up from School today so they both went in with their presents for the teachers. For the last month, I tasked them with finding out little facts about their teachers so that they can gift appropriately. My daughters managed to learn a lot about them with meant that we were able to personalise their gifts.

Instead of just buying gifts from the shops I like to get the girls to create something for their teachers’ gifts and to really put some thought into them. When they were younger we used to make mince pies or truffles but now they are older they wanted to create something that their teachers could use and keep. I am not a creative person but Hobbycraft has lots of plain ceramics that the girls love to paint.

Both of my girls created coasters, tree decorations and candle holders for their teachers and personalised the designs. One had cat paw prints on because she loves cats, one had the deathly hallows mark because he loves Harry Potter. It was great to see them really thinking about who they were gifting each item to before they started the designs. Alison even created a vase with flowers on each side for her after-school art teacher which I know will really be appreciated.

I know that a lot of parents give chocolates or alcohol and some classes even put money together to buy the teacher a voucher or similar but I love the personalised touch and I think the teachers do as well. However, as I am not creative at all a bit of paint on a coaster is about the best they can hope for from us.

Do you give the teachers gifts at Christmas? What do you give?