School rules, Christmas, gifts, blah blah blah

I sure think so. They hit the sweet spot of not too ostentatious but personalized and fun.

For the previous two years of preschool and now this year, someone's been in charge of collecting $$ and then buying a humungous (usually) gift card from everyone. At preschool it was a set amount, in kindergarten it seems to be just whatever you want to give (I think I'll do $20). Then we usually make a card.

I don't plan on having sozlet give stuff to everyone in her class, have been thinking about how to handle it. Last year she got gifts for her two best friends, and they had something for her too. We just exchanged right in the hallway after school. Kindergarten is much more strict about those things. (I had to don my black ski mask and slink around just to get the damn birthday party invitations out, since I didn't know anyone's address.) And I have no idea where I'd draw the line for who she'd give a Christmas gift to this year, she's on playdate terms with maybe 4 kids and then very friendly with about 6 more and then quite friendly with another 5 or so. I guess the playdate ones. I dunno.

So you're saying the SHFB would be good for the whole class?

I couldn't believe all the stuff Mo brought home Halloween. His cubby was crammed with candy bags and goofy crud. I was a amazed.

The bubble only cost maybe a buck to make, bottle and accesorize with a bubble wand so I thought that might work okay for the kids.

For the teacher I still don't know. $20 -$30 dollars is kind of what I was thinking.

What kind of gift card though? To the mall? To a bookstore? I'd love to come up with something a little unpredictable but still usable.

Of course, I considered ordering a bee hive in her name (see my old charity thread) but I was disuaded from that course of action......

Hey, if she'd like a beehive ordered on her behalf... (that's the crux of it to me, the recipient's preferences/ interests).

We had a big organized Halloween thing. There was a party at school with a goody bag that went home with everyone, organized by parents (and pretty low-key -- hand-decorated paper bags, a few cheap but cool items, a bit of candy), that was it. No student-to-student gifts.

Has the teacher said anything about expectations/ parameters/ whatever for Christmas? Maybe ask her if not.

To me, SHFB sounds great.

All of these three gift certificates (2 different schools) were for the same place, this giant mallville that pretends to be a town and has just about everything you can imagine (especially if it is a national chain...) Wouldn't be my choice, but I get that there are a zillion options there. (Gap to Barnes and Noble to Trader Joe's to department stores to restaurants to...) (The card is for the whole mall, and can be used for any store in it.)

We also collect money for a gift card for the teacher, and additionally
I buy something small - chocolates or a nice packaged soap.

For the kids itself, we have a strict policy: either for all children or nothing.
Presents cannot be exchanged for a few only, dto. for birthday invitations:
if they're not for all classmates then they have to be mailed out to the
individual child.

I tend to agree with that policy, as the little Tykes are quite hurt when
they're excluded from something.

boomer, if you have the soap bubbles for all kids, then I'd do it. I am sure
they love it!

dont be dissuaded from the beehive route boom, make a judgment call and go with it.

My dad was a teacher for all his life, some of the crud people gave him..... I dunno what makes people tick. I'd go for a boxed set of nice handkerchiefs.

Most of the teachers I know just want to get the kids out of their hair for a few weeks and not have to deal with know it all parents.

Small picture frames for photos are always good, too. Teachers wind up with a lot of photos.

Something you and/or Mo made would be the best gift of all, though.

How about a gallon bottle of Purell?

Hi Boomerang and Merry Holidays to you.

$20-30 sounds like a lot of money to me for a gift. Is that typical for Portland?

I think giving "consumables" is a nice gesture. Last night, I gave my art teacher some chocolate brownie bread from the local "healthy" bakery. She seemed pleased. It cost $6.50 and I didn't even wrap it except in the (well-known) bakery packaging.

Piffffffffffka

Or a year's supply of Kleenex? Teachers usually supply that kind of stuff out of their own pockets

Ah, boomer. I have lots of small gifts that my students gave me, and the best had nothing to do with apple polishing.

My word, there is our Piffka. Where in the world have you been, gal?

Welcome back.

Different countries, different rules: if a teacher would accept here a present by a single parent - he would have to search a job in a different profession immediately.

(Different: small birthday presents by the pupils, present by the "Parent Teacher Association" (which is actually a bit different in Germany) when the techer retires or gets promoted.)

Piffka!! Hurrah! How have you been sweetie?

Lots of good advice here!

I'm all set for bubbles for all of the kids. That's easy and fun. Maybe I'll lable this one "Kindergarten Blend"

We have the same rule at Mo's school, CJane - gifts for none or gifts for all. I like that rule too. Some of the kids have already started distribuiting little items and Mo is always so excited to get a little gift from someone in his class.

I have no idea of what the gift giving proticol for teachers is. I do know that several kids brought her little presents for Halloween and she has a desk full of little momento type things that were clearly gifts from students.

So, Letty, what were the best gifts?

I suppose I could give her (and I forgot to mention the teacher's aide - who I looooooove) some home-made SHFB along with a little gift card.

I am trending towards the donation thing a bit though.....

Well, boomer. One was a delightful miniature house with a real clock inserted from one of my gifted students who didn't need to apple polish.

Then there was a small Mickey Mouse carved out of coal that said, "I Love You" on the bottom. A tiny pumpkin with a smile and a wind up bat. Those kinds of small things that I still cherish.

There were no specific rules.

Piff...seeing your post is a small Christmas present in itself....welcome back!

Those sound like lovely little treasures, Letty!

Mo has a habit of finding little things around the house and taking them to Ms. Teacher. Ink pens. Toy horns. Once it was my car insurance card.

Ms. Teacher is in the habit of saving them until she sees me to ask if it was okay for Mo to give them. So far, I've only wanted the insurance card back. I wonder what happens to the other little gifts.

Speaking of Purell.... I did "gift" the class with four economy size containers of the stuff along with two jumbo tubs of Lysol wipes. Boxes of Kleenex were on the school supply lists so I know they started the year with 50 boxes.

I remember the donation thread discussion somewhat, and I was one of those not wanting one ... but I meant from close friends. I'll rearrange my opinion to think it might be nice for the teacher and aide.

On the other hand, they're not the wealtiest folk around, and maybe something actually useful could be good.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking, osso. An actual gift card might really be a nice thing for them to have.

But to where?

Doesn't Visa or Mastercard make a gift card that can be used anywhere? Where does one find those?

I have heard, though, that those expire quickly and are kind of nutty to use.

Meanwhile, I have a huge batch of purple SHFB slowly warming on the stove. I don't think I've ever made a batch this big. I'm a little worried about the purple color. In the evening light they look nearly black and I don't really want to give black bubbles for Christmas!

I'm hoping the daylight represents the purple a bit better.

My neighbor, Toni, came over tonight and noticing the giant pot of glop on my stove said "Oh! SHFB! " Her kids have received them for years now and the whole family still likes the gift so I think it will go down well with the classmates.

And....

What about Mo's heart-throb music school teacher? Mo's only had a few classes but he adores this man.

Should he get something too?

A record store gift certificate maybe?

This teacher stuff is complicated!

When I was teaching my favorite gifts were Christmas tree ornaments. I still have them all. I think $5 to $10 is more appropriate for a teacher's gift.