Christmas gifts for teachers from the class

Before you buy anything

• Check the school’s gift policy. The rules vary. Some schools and districts cap the dollar value, some bar cash, and some count gift cards and pooled class gifts toward the limit.
• Find out if the teacher celebrates Christmas. If you don’t know, choose a gift without a holiday on it, such as a note, a book for the classroom or a gift card.
• Keep any class collection optional, and never list who gave what.

What works

• A note from your child. It costs nothing and it often gets saved. Ask for one specific thing, such as what they learned or what made them laugh.
• A gift card for classroom supplies or a coffee shop near the school, if the rules allow it.
• Books for the class library, with the child’s name written inside.
• Something for their own tree, with their name on it, if they do Christmas.
• A short email to the principal saying what this teacher did for your child. It takes five minutes and goes in the right ears.

What to skip

Mugs, for the reason above. Scented things, since you can’t know what someone likes or what they are allergic to. Anything labeled best teacher in a large font, unless your child truly insisted.

Running a class gift without the group-text drama

1. One parent or room parent takes it on, and everyone else lets them.
2. Send one message with a suggested amount, a clear date and the words any amount or none is fine.
3. Buy one good thing, plus a card every child signs.
4. Give it on the last school day before break, or a few days earlier if the class party will be chaotic.

An ornament with a child’s note on the back

Our teacher ornament has a picture you choose, MERRY CHRISTMAS, the teacher’s name in script, the class and the year on the front. The back looks like notebook paper, with Thank you for believing in me at the top and your child’s own note below, in a playful handwriting-style font.

Ask your child what to say, then type it the way they said it. If the note comes out odd, that may be the best part. It prints exactly as typed, so check the spelling and punctuation before you order.

The ornament

Teacher Ornament from the Class

The teacher’s name, class and year on the front, and your child’s own note on the back.

from $23.95See it on Etsy

Getting the details right

• Check the teacher’s name on the school website or a class email. Ms., Mrs. and Miss are not interchangeable, and many teachers have a preference.
• The name goes up to 15 characters, including spaces and periods. A long name? Use what the class calls them, like Ms. Montgomery or Miss Jen.
• The class line is optional, and takes up to 20 characters, such as 3rd Grade, Room 12 or Kindergarten.
• The sign-off goes up to 16 characters, such as Love, Emma or Hugs, Alexandra.
• For a gift from the whole class, leave the child’s note empty, or use a line such as From all of Room 12, and put the names on a card.

Other adults worth thanking

Aides, the bus driver, the school nurse, the coach and the crossing guard rarely get a gift. The ornament works for anyone the class calls by name, as long as they celebrate Christmas. For the class line, use whatever fits, such as Bus 12. The back always says Thank you for believing in me, so choose front only if that doesn’t suit.

Questions people ask

Orders go through Etsy. Each See it on Etsy button opens our shop, The Kind Porch, where you personalize, pay and message us.