Holiday gifts for a slew of teachers..?

[NCN]

The gift that my children gave that seemed to get the best reception was peanuts in the jar, sealed. They last forever and can be passed on if the teacher chooses to do so. The teacher also knows that they are safe.

Whatever you give should be something that is not time sensitive since some teachers teach more than 100 children in a day if the children change classes. Gifts are not given to buy grades but to show appreciation.

The gift cards sound good but my budget could not afford that considering the number of teachers my children had that year. I really was looking for anything to give, but was totally shocked when my daughter came home telling me how thrilled the teachers were with the peanuts.

[car54]

I'm dreading this week!

As a bus driver, I really get a LOT of gifts from my kids...way more than teachers because I have way more kids. I have two regular elementary runs and a K-run...about 125 kids all together. It's actually a logistical problem of what to do with all that stuff on the bus all morning....you don't want anything getting under the pedals!

The little kids are so funny with their gift-giving. I see mom hand them the gift and as they climb the bus stairs and pass by me, they pause, say "Here", hand me the gift, and keep walking. I chuckle every time they do that.

ARRGH, by Wednesday, I'll have at least a two inch stack of gift cards from everywhere from Starbucks to Walmart to Barnes & Noble, tons of cookies and other goodies, ornaments, and several hundred in cash (In Clifton, $100 bills are not uncommon!)

I appreciate it and all, but I'm an old retired guy that's very well off financially...it just feels funny taking this stuff, especially the cash...ya know?

My solution is....I give it ALL away, including the cash....to drivers that I like who are just barely eking out a living driving a bus....mostly single moms. Plus, it saves me making 4 or 5 trips to my car with all that stuff! LOL

Merry Christmas, everybody!

[hey teach]

The best gifts I get are notes written to me by my middle school students. Most students in middle school could care less about their teacher, so when I get a note or letter, the sentiments written are most often genuine. I have a scrapbook where I keep them. Also, notes written to my administrator expressing how I have positively influenced a student are great.