Gift ideas for teachers that they’ll actually love
By Sean Mortell
It’s that time again. Christmas trees are slowly unfurling. School kids are on their best behaviour while neatly scribbling their lists. For many children, they only have a few weeks if not days left. Considering all of the hard work done by teachers to maintain learning curriculums, they would value a thoughtful gift. If you’re stuck on what to buy for your child’s teacher, here are some handy categories to choose from.
Consumables
Consumables can range from nice bottles of wine to hamper baskets or homemade goods. A basket of assorted goods will always go down a treat, as will fine alcohol, or wine glasses to down it in.
If you want to go the extra mile (and have the time and resources to do so), a gift basket full of various treats will stand out above the rest. There’s nothing quite like saying ‘thank you’ than taking the time to bake and cook a variety of offerings.
You can also whip up a bag of cheeses, wine and chocolate that would also be thoroughly enjoyed by most teachers. The only caution with going down the consumables path is to be aware of any dietary preferences or health requirements they may have.
Gift cards
Always a staple, gift cards are perfect because they allow the recipient to spend it on whatever they please. From essential school supplies to luxury treats, a thoughtful gift card could go a long way.
Some ideas for include an UberEats voucher so that teachers can put their feet up and enjoy a first-class meal, or even a voucher for a local restaurant may do the trick. A movie may allow them a gold class experience, while other vouchers such as Coles, Myer or Westfield cards also offer great value.
If you have some intel on the teacher, you can always pick a gift card that suits their interests. For example, an Amazon gift card may go down perfectly if the recipient is known to enjoy their online shopping!
In-class gifts
These are severely underrated — you may not realise it, but a handy assortment of class materials could help teachers immensely. Think of stationery items like pencils, markers or sharpeners that are better than your standard range. It may not seem like much, but a high-quality pen could make a big difference to their experience when marking.
Other gifts for the classroom include nice tote bags or a striking photo or frames can be used to give the room a homely feel. This is harder for high school teachers who constantly move rooms, but a little memento may be nice for their office.
Personalised
For the teacher who has gone above and beyond, a personalised gift could be a sweet touch to end the year on. Many teachers grow extremely fond of their classes and would cherish a memory of the year.
Scrapbooks, memory books or personalised cards and books suit perfectly. If you’re able to organise a few students to contribute, it can grow into a superb group gift. But it doesn’t have to be such a grand gesture — a personalised mug or thermos can have the same effect, especially if you include a nice message or an adorable class photo to go along with it. It’s really up to individuals to stylise it how they want, but the sentiment of a thoughtful gift can communicate your gratitude.
Experiences
This is the final avenue of teacher gifts, and one that may be rarely considered. If you’re genuinely stumped about what to give and don’t want to stray into generic and popular gifts, then think outside the box.
Certain ideas may be helping a cause close to their heart. If you know they are passionate about a cause, consider donating some money to a charity related to it or buying a gift from them. If you know they love to travel, think of a travel voucher (with a long expiry date) or a gift voucher for a particular aspect of travelling. If they are adrenalinejunkies or have a particular hobby, check to see if you can buy them an experience in that area off sites like RedBalloon. You may never stray into these ideas, but they are always handy to consider if you want to cater for a teacher’s interests.
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