Let me just tell you, your child’s teacher does not want another bottle of something from Bath & Body Works this Christmas. She’s not pining away for another “world’s best teacher” mug, either. In fact, you can probably rule any small bauble, doodad, doohickey, gismo, knickknack, thingamabob, tchotchke, trinket, whatchamacallit, or whosie-whatsit.
And while I have by no means cornered the market on knowing what teachers like, I tend to think that favorite store or restaurant giftcards are almost always appreciated. I’m a fan of the group gift especially for this reason–I love getting a substantial gift card to a favorite place and then “wrapping” it in a special gift basket filled with a few treats.
But today, I was at Li’l Bro’s preschool when I was stopped in my teacher-gifting tracks.
As I admired a teacher friend’s silver charm bracelet, she told me it had been a gift from a past class of students.
She explained that one of the room moms had sent home a little note organizing the gift, asking each family to choose a charm to add to the bracelet. Then the organizing mom put all the charms on a bracelet and wrapped it up to give.
WHAT a brilliant idea. I’m gobsmacked.
I’ve never seen such a lovely, personalized gift! Mrs. D explained how different students would proudly point out which charm they had chosen for her. It had a monkey charm (her class mascot), a heart-shaped “patience” charm (very appropriate for a preschool teacher, non?), her initials, etc.
And as I’m not easily surprised by teacher gifts, I just had to share this one!
So anyone else out there know of a brilliant teacher gift? Do tell! I so appreciate your taking the time to comment and share.
And look! Here’s the update on how to put it all together!
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CampClem 
This is an amazing idea! Wish I’d known about it when my kids were in school…or when I was teaching!
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Brooke gave Mrs. Whittemore and Mrs. Beckstrand a Pandora Bracelet with a Apple charm on the last day of Kindergarten so others can add to it! Future students, Family or Friends! That way they will ALWAYS remember how special they are!!
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What a lovely gift! Wasn’t it you who showed up to school the first day with an apple on top of a mini box of chocolates tied with tulle bow? Too perfect!
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I did a 6×6 scrapbook for my daughters kindergarten teacher. The first page was a paper doll made to look like the teacher. The book was filled with class party, field trip and class pics. The last page was a pocket containing a letter written to her from my daughter.
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Oh my gracious! I love that!! I did a rhyming storybook years ago for our eldest’s preschool teachers telling the story of the year with photos from class parties, etc. I need to see if they still have it and blog it!! I love the paper doll idea! Beautiful!! Post a photo on our facebook page, please!! http://www.facebook.com/campclem
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One of my favorite gifts to give is a group album. I secretly have the kids write a thank you note and draw a picture and I add them to the album with pictures that I have taken of each kid throughout the year, plus field trips and group pictures. Because it is from each of us, the cost per child is usually less than $5 and is very personal.
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Meagan, I love that! What a special treasure!!
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I did one of those words turned into art for our teacher last year. I emailed the parents and asked them to have their kids describe their teacher in 5 words. And this online program (tagxedo) populated a shape (heart) with those words. The more frequent a word was used the bigger it was.
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I love that! Great idea!!
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Hey I just came across your blog I have just finished making gift tags and wrapping gifts for my brother who finished high school we gave them all a tray each engraved with my brother’s name and class with some sweets and chocolates and a handmade quilling gift tag we like to give something useful
Have a nice one
Deepal Shah kenya
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When my son was in first grade ,I gave his teacher a Pampered Chef tool turnabout. I decorated it with cute little scrapbook stickers of little kids holding hands and school theme and feild it with school supplies. My son graduated from high school. He and I went back to visit her and she still after twelve year’s uses her gift. I would say that was a grate gift.
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When my oldest 2 were in preschool (now 6th and 4th) We gave the teachers rose bushes. So they have something they can look at as it blooms and grows and they remember who gave it to them
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One of my favorite go to gifts for teachers is note paper. Vista print has tons of patterns, shapes, sizes. I figure teachers need to write notes home so a little notecard that says “A note from Mrs. Teacher” can always come in handy.
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Agreed! I like to get the 100 for free postcards and design them with school name and mascot, then I can make five 20-count pack gifts for the price of shipping, wheee!
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That is such a cool idea! That way everyone in the class is part of it and she will always have it, love it!
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This one girl every year for the teachers would have her mother buy one flower for each kid and then her kid would carry in the vase to put it in and then she would have the kids stand in line and each kid would go in one at a time and give the teacher a flower as a gift and then take a picture with the child going in and so at the end each child would have a picture with her and they turned it into a photo album. They did that at the end of every teacher appreciation week
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My daughter had the same preschool teacher for 2 yrs. When it was time to move up to kindergarten me and a few other parents who had gotten close put in and got her gift card for a massage. We figured who couldn’t use a massage after the school yr.
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