Budget- Friendly Holiday Gift Ideas for Teachers and Therapists

 

Holiday Gift Budget:  Free and Heartfelt

 

1.    Don’t just write a note, write a note with details.  Put what you say to friends and family in writing.  "You’re the first teacher to make school fun for Riley." "Your positive attitude motivates my son more than any OT he’s ever had."  

2.    Send a copy of your letter to their boss for their employee file – your gift will be appreciated again at employee review time.

3.    Depending upon your child’s age and abilities, let your child write (or dictate) a card or letter. Let your child finish the sentence: “You’re the best teacher because…” or “Top 5 reasons you’re my favorite speech therapist…”  Take a picture of your child working on the project to include as part of the gift. Reading a child's own words of gratitude is priceless to someone who works with children (and a great lesson for your child).

4.    Volunteer more in the classroom. Ask what you can do that will help save the teacher time. This can be a one-time occurrence or a longer commitment depending on your availability.

5.    If you believe that your child’s teacher is “Teacher of the Year” material, nominate him/her!  This is what I’m doing this year. I organized classroom parents to nominate my daughter’s teacher for a local news program’s “Teacher of the Week” contest.  I’m putting copies of the nomination letters with pictures of the children in a notebook that will be her Holiday present from the class. (I hope she doesn’t read this!)

Holiday Gift Budget:  $5.00 or Less
6.   Food of any kind. Consider sharing your specialty instead of only giving baked goods – casseroles are nice to take home after a day at work; home canned fruits, veggies or preserves are a treat; chocolate covered strawberries are easy and look impressive.  If you are cooking for a group, then give individual portions.  Don't worry if Martha Stewart wouldn’t approve about the presentation, good food tastes great with or without fancy ribbons and bows. 
7.   Buy a festive gift bag or box from the dollar store, fill with assorted candies and treats.
8.   Help them shop green. Buy five reusable shopping bags, roll up four and put them inside the leftover bag, tie the handles shut with ribbon.

9.   Music downloads can be for personal or professional use.

Holiday Gift Budget:  $5.00 to $10.00

10. Deliver planning/work day snacks for your child’s classroom support team.  If your child goes to a therapy center, you might be able to drop off a snack to go in the employee break room for all to enjoy. Don’t forget the note!

11. If you have an IEP meeting scheduled around the Holidays, then bring a snack with you so all members of your child’s team can enjoy it together.  Bring extras for the classroom aides and other team members who might not be at the meeting.
12. A reusable, self-filtering water bottle.
13. If you just can’t resist a coffee cup, how about a thermal travel mug with a spill proof lid? Some have a removable liner for decoration – let your child do the art, or have classmate’s parents email pictures to you and make a digital collage of the whole class.

14. Let your child make a seasonal or Holiday craft.  Look in your favorite parenting magazine for ideas (some of them don’t require a subscription to explore their websites).  Other sites with craft ideas for all ages are: Wonder Time (http://wondertime.go.com/create-and-play/), Disney Family Fun (http://familyfun.go.com/), or Kids Crafts Magazine (http://www.kidcraftsmagazine.com/childrens-holiday-crafts.shtml).  
Holiday Gift Budget:  $10.00 to $20.00
15. Wine can be an appropriate gift if you know it will be appreciated. (There might be rules about taking alcohol into a school, check with the Principal first).
16. A good thermos or coffee carafe.  A thermos can be a money saver for professionals who drive between clients.  And some teachers are trapped in a classroom all day and would love to have a caffeine lifeline. 

17. Its okay to celebrate a personal event with a teacher or therapist.  A new baby, a new puppy, a new house, or a new spouse all provide opportunities to give a personal gift.
18. Buy a tote bag or lunch bag and have it custom embroidered. It's not as expensive as it sounds, and it looks great.
19. Instead of plants or flowers, give a green thumb a really nice decorative pot.

 

And the gift that can fit into any budget:

20. Gift cards!

 

 

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