20 Great Useful Gifts for Teachers

Whether it’s holiday season, the end of the year, or just time to express your appreciation, there are certain gifts for teachers that are sure to satisfy!

While keeping to a budget or getting creative with DIY ideas, there are so many teacher gift ideas to choose from. Here’s a list of some crowd favorites.

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20 Gift Ideas For Teachers

1. Mason Jar With Goodies

Fill a mason jar with goodies. This can include gourmet chocolate or even freshly baked cookies. The good thing about providing your gift in a mason jar is that it can be reused and savored forever, even when the sweets run out!

2. Personalized Pencils/Notecards

All teachers write notes and use pens and pencils. Why not get some personalized stationary or writing utensils made for your favorite teacher?

3. Good Wine

One way to unwind is with a glass of wine. If you know your teacher’s preference, choose a good bottle of white or red wine, and they are sure to appreciate it.

4. Bag For School

Another useful gift idea is a bag for school. Teachers tend to carry a lot of paperwork and books to and from school. You can help them on their commute by choosing a comfortable and spacious bag for them to use. You can even customize it with their initials.

5. Personalized Laminator

The chances are high that your teacher has used a laminating machine before. More often than not, it’s a hassle for teachers to find the time to get their printing done, and it can even cost them money out of pocket. If you buy a personalized laminator, they can get this done in the comfort of their own classroom or home.

6. Something Meaningful/Personalized

It’s the thought that counts behind gifts. The more personalized and meaningful a gift is, the more the thought can be felt.

7. Recipe Box/Book

Perhaps your teacher has expressed his or her love for cooking or baking. You can compile a recipe book or box with notecards from students in the class to create a compilation of everyone’s favorite recipes!

8. Travel Tumbler

Take the overdone mug gift to the next level by buying a reusable coffee/tea tumbler. This way, your teacher can take their drink on the go.

9. Lanyard

From classroom keys, to home keys and car keys, teachers tend to have too many sets of keys to keep track of. To make it easier for them to open their classroom, buy them a customized lanyard.

10. Gift Card

If you feel really stuck on what to buy because you’re unsure of what your teacher will like, consider a gift card. You can buy a generic Visa gift card, for example. Those are accepted almost everywhere!

11. Massage

Teachers deal with a lot of stress. Consider buying a massage treatment for your teacher to indulge in.

12. A Movie Night

Similar to a massage, a movie night is a way for teachers to unwind and relax. You can purchase movie tickets and even gift certificates for popcorn so that your teacher can go catch their favorite new release in the theatres.

13. Notes And Letters

More often than not, teachers appreciate gifts from the heart the most. Without spending anything, you can write your teacher a heart-felt letter of gratitude for all they’ve done for you and taught you. Many teachers save these letters.

14. Gift Basket

Create or buy a gift basket filled with goodies. Some items to include can be: tea, coffee, cookies, gift cards, stationary, edible arrangements of fruit, gourmet trail mix, etc. Or, you can go the practical route and include hand sanitizer, white board markers, and other items that teachers need in their classroom.

15. Handmade Decoration

Ever thought about sprucing up the classroom? If you like arts and crafts, you can make a decoration like a name tag for your teacher to put on his or her desk. Another idea would be to create a ceramic pot and paint it. You can put a plant inside or let your teacher choose their own.

16. Memory Book

You and your classmates can come together and make a memory book with photos, quotes, lessons learned, and inside jokes from the year together.

17. Holiday Dish Towels

People tend to really appreciate the items they wouldn’t buy for themselves. This could be a holiday dish towel or special edition dish soap.

18. Teacher Stamp

If you have seen your teacher grade with stamps or put their initials on paperwork frequently, a teacher stamp could be of use. This way, when they are completing paperwork, they can expedite the process with a stamp rather than by writing the same thing over and over.

19. Sticky Notes Set

A customized or unique sticky note set is a useful gift for teachers. Not only can they use it for reminders, but it will remain on their desk for quite some time. That way, they will think of you every time they use it.

20. A Coffee Subscription

Does your teacher drink coffee every morning? Coffee subscriptions are a great gift that keeps on giving.

Some Gifts To Avoid

There’s no person, including teachers, who would say no to a gift because that’s just rude. However, there are some gifts that you should reconsider before giving.

1. Mugs

The chances are high that your teacher already has the “Best Teacher” mug from a student who came before you. As mentioned above, consider buying a coffee travel tumbler over a mug.

2. Lotions And Candles

Scents are super subjective. There are some scents that people cannot stand, or could even be allergic to. So, it’s best to avoid giving candles and lotions.

3. Really Expensive Gifts

Like we said, it’s the thought that counts (more than the amount). Some schools may even have limits on what a teacher can accept as a gift. It’s a better idea to bring students together to contribute to a gift of large value rather than overextend what you can afford on your own.

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The Gift Of Giving

Whether you attend an online school or see a teacher every day in person, they deserve your appreciation. Teachers give a lot of themselves and spend time making a positive difference in the world. By expressing your gratitude with one of these teacher gifts, your teacher will be able to know that they have made an impact on your life.