Don’t Forget Your Teachers

It’s not too late!  Christmas Crunchtime is in full swing, and some of us are deciding to cut back on our to make, to do, and to give lists in order to preserve our sanity holiday spirit.  That’s a sound decision in almost every instance, but please… don’t forget your child’s teachers!

As a former middle school teacher, and as the wife of a high school teacher and coach I can tell you with confidence… teachers appreciate being appreciated!  Christmas is a great time to remind the teachers in your life that what they do is important, but this gesture doesn’t have to break the bank or take a lot of time.  Here are a few of my favorite frugal teacher gifts.

• homemade goodies — Nice to eat, for sure, but even nicer to share with others at holiday gatherings without all the fuss.  Because of the variety of baked goods my students brought to me, I was able to put together quite the samplin’ tray to take to our Christmas celebrations every year.
• office supplies — I worked in an incredibly generous school district and rarely had to purchase my own teaching supplies.  However, the items that the school had available were usually more generic.  It was fun for me to receive brightly colored post-it notes and pens.
• liquid hand sanitizer — I always tried to keep a bottle of this on my desk to discourage germs.  Somehow, my sixth graders thought it fun to use more than necessary.  I appreciated when parents noticed and kept me stocked up.
• gift cards — Even a $5 gift card is much appreciated.  Your child can probably tell you what kind of drink Mrs. Teacher keeps at her disposal.  Buy a card for that place!
• a handwritten letter from you and your child — The most frugal is the absolute, hands down best.  My husband and I both have a collection of notes from parents and students that we refer to when we’re having a bad day.

Also, remember school doesn’t happen without the “extra” teachers and office staff.  Music, gym, principals, custodians, secretaries (especially secretaries!) deserve our thanks.  On the parent side of the coin, I have spoken to my daughter’s school secretary more than any other building employee.  I know that it takes the efforts of all dedicated personnel to keep things running smoothly.  Wait right there, Amy.  I’m not buying a gift for everyone in the school! You don’t have to.  There are frugal options that spread the cheer just as easily.

• Donate to a local charity in honor of all school employees.  Write a note addressed to the school to let them know what you’ve done.
• Personally, I will be making a large batch of cinnamon rolls to take to school Monday morning, splitting them between the grade school and high school.  (I can do that here in Tiny Town, where our K-12 staff numbers fewer than 50 people.)
• When I was teaching, food in the teachers’ lounge was always a treat.  One year I specifically remember snacking from a large divided round tray containing mixed nuts, candy, dried fruit, etc.  The contributing family wrote a short note to our staff and put it beside the tray.  Nice!  (You could even work with another family or two to make this more cost effective.)

Sharing holiday cheer with your child’s teacher and school doesn’t have to strain your Christmas budget, and you will reap the rewards of a dedicated staff who know that you care about what they are doing.  Please don’t forget the teachers!

Visit Crystal’s Blog for more Frugal Friday.