Mom’s Money

Homemade Gifts That Teachers Will Cherish Forever

We’re closing in on the last few days before Christmas.  Do you have little gifts yet for all your child’s teachers?  With the last day of school just around the corner, you need to think fast.  And with an extremely tight budget this year, I’ll bet you need to watch your money, too.

One thing I’ve learned from my teacher friends is that there are gifts, and then there are gifts.  A teacher is a dedicated professional who works with your child because, well, they love working with children.  They wouldn’t teach otherwise.  Yet another #1 Teacher ornament or coffee mug is not the most anticipated or loved gift.  Show your child’s teacher that you appreciate him or her by giving a personal, well thought out gift.  It’s truly not the cost that matters here.  Teachers know about financial hardship.  Let’s consider just a couple homemade items that your child’s teacher will cherish.

Bookmarkers:

Some of the sweetest bookmarkers are the ones that remind your child’s teacher of your child.  Take a photo of your child and glue it to a piece of card stock, cut to the size of a bookmarker, say about 2″ x 7″ or so.  Have your child decorate both sides of the bookmarker with the year, your child’s name, the teacher’s name (This Book Belongs To…), and some drawings, stickers, or glitter.  Then laminate the marker, punch a hole in the top, and string some ribbon through for decoration.  You can embellish it as much as you want, but be sure the bookmarker remains flat, so it doesn’t mark a book’s pages when used.  This craft can be repeated for each teacher because any teacher is going to love it and use it often.  Depending on your gift budget, you could include a gift certificate to a book store along with the bookmarker.

Pencil Holders:

Using a clean can, cover with Contac paper, construction paper, or if the can has a nice look, spray paint, and embellish as you wish.  I suggest using pictures of your child, or pictures taken during the school year of the various school programs.  Have your child write the school year, their name, the teacher’s name, and decorate as you please.  Your child may like to glue sea shells, buttons, or other items to the pencil holder.  Buy brand new pencils and pens, fill the pencil holder, and you’ve got a beautiful, personal, and appreciated gift.

Markers:

School budgets are just as tight as household budgets these days.  Did you know that many teachers spend their own money on supplies if they have a classroom project in mind that the school doesn’t have the supplies for?  Markers, Sharpies, colored pencils, and all the fun writing and coloring tools that we love are hard to come by in most schools.  Your child’s teacher will treasure a gift of beautiful markers of any variety.  You may wish to make either the pencil holder previously mentioned, or even buy a cardboard box from a craft store, decorate it, and present your teacher with their new assortment of wonderful markers in the special box.

Food and Beverages:

Gift baskets, put together at a super store, are rather impersonal, and often expensive.  But, when your child picks out a few food or beverage items, puts them together in their own little box or bag, the gift becomes a one-of-a-kind gift from the heart.  You can actually find many “gourmet” items in your own grocery store, so you can stay within your budget.  Choose a couple items that go together, like some special coffee with a rich chocolate bar, or some herbal tea with a nice package of little scones.  If your teacher likes to cook, maybe a couple nice spices or seasonings in a lovely package.  You can get pretty creative right there in your grocery store aisles.  Buy simple bags and tissue paper for the packaging, and have your child decorate the bag.

With just a few ideas, some creativity, and a little time spent with your child, your homemade gifts will have an honored place in your teacher’s home… and heart.