It’s fun to get creative with gift giving by presenting teachers with something more personalized to their tastes—that way, they’ll know how much you appreciate their incredibly hard work and commitment. If you’re choosing a gift for your kid’s teacher, let your child get involved. They’ll have some good ideas about what their teacher likes—and they can add a sentimental touch to the teacher’s gift by creating a personalized thank-you note or drawing. Here, a few teachers share the best gifts they’ve received to give you ideas for something equally meaningful for the educators in your life. To replicate this idea, have your child hand write and sign a sweet note, or create some artwork, for the teacher and place it in a nice frame along with a small thank-you card. The teacher can keep it on their desk or hang it in the classroom. To Buy: $14, etsy.com. A cute tote bag (like this Duck Bag from Baggu) will definitely be put to good use. This roomy recycled-cotton bag fits their laptop, files, art supplies—or whatever else they need to carry—with an interior zip pocket to keep valuables in place. It comes in an array of colors and styles, so you can find the perfect gift to suit your teacher’s personality. To Buy: $39, amazon.com. Gift the French teacher (or the teacher who loves to bake) these mixes from the legendary La Marais bakery, which feature high-quality ingredients (think Valrohna chocolate and Cook’s vanilla) in mixes for snickerdoodles, marshmallow brownies, and rainbow sprinkle cookies. Bonus: if you’re buying gifts for multiple teachers, you can break up this set of three and give each one a little treat to bake. To Buy: $50, williams-sonoma.com. You can always bake your own—or order a batch of decadent brownies for them to enjoy, like these colorful mashups of rainbow cookies and brownies from Zola Bakes. To Buy: $35, goldbelly.com. Thank the teachers for all of their hard work this virtual year with a charming, personalized wooden ornament. To Buy: $11, etsy.com. Gift them a notebook with their name or initials on it, so they’ll always know which one is theirs. This one from Papier can be customized with the design of your choice, along with the option of blank, lined, or graph paper. To Buy: $30, papier.com. Even better? Gift the teacher something that does double duty: In the morning they can fill this insulated travel mug with their favorite coffee brew. When they’re done, they wash it and use it for water throughout the day. They’ll get their caffeine fix and stay hydrated, without having to carry both a mug and water bottle around. To Buy: $30, amazon.com. “I love getting new sets of markers,” says Kate McNally, a high school foreign language teacher. These long-lasting dry erase markers come in nine bold colors that will jazz up even the most dry grammar lesson. What’s more? They come with a roll-resistant cap, so they’ll sit on—not under—her desk. To Buy: $19, amazon.com. “I love when parents make donations to the classroom such as books for the class library or board games for rainy-day recess,” says Tara Marie, a second-grade teacher who would gladly forgo bath gel and winter gloves for more practical gifts. To Buy: $45, amazon.com. And while a handwritten note from a student would be special even if it were scrawled on a scrap piece of paper, why not upgrade this heartfelt gift to a frame-worthy, handmade greeting card encased in real bamboo? To Buy: $14, amazon.com. To Buy: $18, containerstore.com. To Buy: $30, uncommongoods.com. Here’s a tip for all you sports fans: Take a cue from Crystal’s student and get your teacher something small and fun that they can leave in the classroom. If their home is, say, die-hard Patriots territory, anything with the competing team logo might not make it past the front door. To Buy: $35, uncommongoods.com. To Buy: $32, amazon.com. To Buy: $10, amazon.com. To Buy: $29, etsy.com. To Buy: $18, etsy.com. To Buy: $17, etsy.com. To Buy: $28, etsy.com. To Buy: $9, uncommongoods.com. To Buy: $10, amazon.com. To Buy: $5, amazon.com. To Buy: $12, republicoftea.com. To Buy: $18, etsy.com. To Buy: happyboxstore.com.
