Teachers deserve to be high on your holiday gifting list. Most of us don’t have the budget to fully express how grateful we are for everything they do. Still, while “it’s the thought that counts” might not satisfy your kids, a small gesture of appreciation truly means a lot to educators.
Savinly reached out to several teachers to put together a list of teacher-approved gift ideas.
“The best are the notes from the kids. Seriously, those are the things you tuck away in your desk drawer,” said Kate Brown, a middle school English teacher in Charlotte, N.C.
A sincere note or heartfelt words topped the list when teachers were asked their favorite gifts. One thing teachers almost never want? A coffee mug.
Homemade cookies, brownies or other confections made by your young child aren’t always at the top of teachers’ wish lists either. Consider this: they’ve seen your children’s grimy little hands. But if it’s your signature chocolate pie or Grandma’s spicy snack mix, homemade goodies are warmly received.
Gift cards for any amount to popular spots were the most-cited favorite present. If you’re buying for multiple children and teachers, look into holiday gift-card promotions that often run this time of year.
Here are ideas for gifts you can pair with a thoughtful note for a favorite teacher.
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21 Teacher Gifts To Buy or Make for Under $10
1. Gift Card for Coffee or Cheap Eats
A $10 gift card goes a long way at Starbucks, Chick-fil-A or McDonald’s, and your teacher will appreciate finding it tucked in their wallet after a long day or a weekend of grading.
For a more personal present, do a bit of sleuthing to see if the teacher gets food delivered, then grab a card from that restaurant.
2. Gift Card for Rare Indulgences
A $10 card to Whole Foods or a local specialty market won’t cover groceries for a week, but it can buy a decadent dessert, a luxurious body wash or another little indulgence a teacher might not purchase on their own. A certificate to a neighborhood bakery is another solid choice.
3. Chocolate
“That’s all I ever want and the kids know it,” said Kathleen Tobin, who taught high school journalism in St. Petersburg, Florida.
She kept a bag of Hershey Kisses one student gave her in the freezer at home and another pack of miniature Dove bars in her desk drawer at school.
4. Baking Kit
Pick up a measuring cup and a set of spoons from a dollar store. Add a bottle of vanilla extract and tuck them into a pretty gift bag. You can include your favorite cookie recipe if you like. (You can also find bags and tissue paper for any teacher gift at a dollar store.)
5. Nail Kit
A cute pouch with two nail polish bottles and an emery board makes a fun teacher present. It’s a nice treat to ring in the new year with freshly painted nails or toes.
6. Christmas Ornaments
“I have so many ornaments on my tree that students have given me over the years. I really do think of each one when I decorate,” said Penny Manning, a fourth-grade teacher in Kinston, N.C. “Some are handmade and some come from trips.”
7. Custom Tote Bag
Buy a plain canvas tote. Young children can make handprints with fabric paint, while Mom or Dad writes “Best Teacher Hands Down” with a Sharpie. If the prints are horizontal, turn them into fish by adding eyes, bubbles and waves. Older kids can paint a pattern or draw a picture with fabric markers or Sharpies.
8. Custom Note Cards
A personalized set of stationery drawn by a student is a unique present. Fold eight sheets of plain paper in half and let the young artist create a front illustration for each. Add eight envelopes and eight stamps. Tie the bundle with a satin ribbon.
9. Dog Treats
These are excellent gifts for teachers who have dogs. Buy a box of treats or bake some yourself, then place them in a plastic bag and tie with a ribbon. Or look for a cute container at a dollar store, Goodwill or thrift shop.
10. Human Treats
As noted above, homemade cookies, cakes and pies are always welcome. You can also offer savory items like quiche, soup, spaghetti sauce or salsa — whatever you make best. Present it in a cute container you purchased for a few dollars, or use the seasonal plastic containers sold at grocery stores this time of year.
11. Emergency Kit
“Once a student made me the cutest emergency kit,” said Robin Clemmons, a former preschool teacher in St. Petersburg, Florida. “It was a gift bag with Advil, a Tide To Go, chocolate, a soda and chips. It was one of the most original teacher gifts.”
12. A Plant
A touch of green livens up any classroom. You can buy a succulent, spider plant, small Santiago palm or flowering bulbs for $5 to $10.
13. Reusable Cutlery
“One student gave me reusable travel silverware in a little case. It was a thoughtful present,” said Clemmons. “Teachers bring their lunch too.” Skip the expensive sets on Amazon and you can find several options for under $10.
14. School Supplies
Many teachers spend personal funds on classroom materials like art supplies and teaching aids. Several educators suggested a gift card to a school-supply store as an ideal present.
15. Combine Forces
If two or three families pool resources, they can give a group gift, such as a certificate for a nice dinner out.
16. Tea Time
A box of tea bags from the supermarket or a local shop makes a pleasant gift. Add a small jar of honey and a pack of colorful cocktail napkins from a discount store to make their tea break feel special.
17. Soap
Many towns have artisan soap shops offering handcrafted bars in a variety of colors, scents and ingredients. A teacher will appreciate a cheerful bar embossed with a sun, heart, fish or any fun design.
18. Memory Plate
Have your child (or you, if their handwriting is still developing) use colorful Sharpies to note memorable class moments on a plastic dinner plate. Draw a heart, flower or circle between each memory. Include things like books the teacher read aloud, the class pet’s name, a field trip destination, a play they performed, an indoor game on a rainy day, a favorite math activity or a song the class often sang.
19. Fortune Cookies
Ask for extra fortune cookies and a to-go box with a wire handle when you pick up Chinese food. Place the cookies in a box with a note saying how “fortunate” you are to have such a wonderful teacher. Students can decorate the box with drawings, glitter or a collage of magazine pictures.
20. Trader Joe’s Candle
“One year a student gave me a candle from Trader Joe’s. It was in a cute tin and smelled amazing,” said Robin Tuverson, a sixth-grade teacher in Los Angeles. “I didn’t realize they sold candles — now that’s where I buy them.”
At about $4, the soy-wax candles burn for roughly 20 hours and come in scents like watermelon mint, strawberry basil and pineapple cilantro.
21. Class Memory Book
If your child’s school has a Facebook group or you’ve taken photos at events during the year (of the class, not just your child), print those pics and assemble them into an album with humorous captions from the students. Even without photos, you can create a playful “biography” of the teacher compiled from students’ answers. Ask other parents to collect responses to prompts such as: What do you think our teacher dreams about? What is our teacher’s favorite food? What’s the most interesting thing you learned this year? Why is school important?
And for a big laugh: How old is your teacher?
The honest replies from little kids can be sweet, funny and make for great conversation during the teacher’s holiday season.
