With the winter break right around the corner, it's time to decide what Winter Holiday Gifts for Teachers you want to give this year. To help you get into planning mode, we've put together 7 unique ideas that will send your teachers into the winter holidays with a smile.
We've included free printables that you can use so that there's one less thing you need to do to plan a festive send-off for your teachers.
{Themes} Winter Holiday Gifts for Teachers
If you have a strong volunteer base and have earmarked enough money, plan on giving your teachers a themed gift. Make sure to plan these events on days that aren't too hectic so that teachers get a chance to take advantage of the fun. Also, make sure you advertise these well in advance and send out a reminder right before. The days leading up to the holidays are packed with teacher responsibilities and excited kids, so the extra heads-up will be appreciated.
1. Theme: Sweet & Warm
Dedicate a morning to spoiling teachers with something sweet and warm. Hire out a professional barista bar - they set up everything - and your teachers can enjoy professionally prepared cups of their favorite coffee drinks. Solicit warm breads, muffins, and bagels from parents to round out the coffee. If you want to include something savory, add in breakfast tacos.
Decorate the teacher's lounge with block letters that spell out BE MERRY attached to wooden sticks (we've created some for you to use!) and drape warm blankets around the lounge if there is a couch or comfy chairs.
Notes
- If you have extra money, consider giving your teachers warm, comfy socks or packets of specialty coffee.
- If you don't have professional baristas in your area or your budget doesn't allow for that, bring in coffee from a local shop and provide specialty creamers, sweeteners, and coffee shop cups that teachers can carry back to their rooms without spilling.
2. Theme: Relaxation & Peace
Teachers can certainly use a bit of R&R during this time of year. What if your PTA Holiday Teacher Gift was exactly that?
Hire one or two professional massage therapists to come in for several hours one day with massage chairs or tables. Allow teachers to sign-up for 15 minutes slots during the day. Other teachers would be happy to watch a co-teacher's class so everyone gets a chance to take advantage of this!
Provide hot tea or flavored water - cucumbers, lemons, or berries are good choices - and a light but substantial salad and fresh soup. Place infusers around the room with a relaxing essential oil - make sure you put the same oil in all of them! - and play soothing music. Place a sign on the teacher's lounge reminding others that relaxation is in progress so that others will keep their voices down.
Notes
- If you have extra money, gift your teachers sugar scrubs or sleep masks.
- Make it clear to teachers that tipping is not allowed and/or required so there is no confusion about the proper etiquette. Be sure to talk to the massage therapists you hire so that you know how "tipping" should be handled by the PTA.
3. Theme: Free Time
When I taught, this was always one of my favorite "presents" and one that I looked forward to around the holidays. This idea requires you to talk with the principal to make sure it is allowed and that all your legal bases are covered.
Give teachers the gift of time. Schedule parent volunteers to come into the classrooms (one grade level at a time) and watch the class for a few hours. (You will probably need to schedule parents in hour blocks or schedule two parents at one time if they feel uncomfortable doing this alone.) Teachers are allowed to go off campus to do some holiday shopping, have lunch with their grade team, get a massage, or do whatever they want.
Since teachers are always with their students during the day, it can be a big lifesaver - and a real treat - to venture out into the "real" world during a workday. This is also the perfect present for winter breaks that don't start till the last minute so that teachers can complete holiday errands and their own gift-shopping.
4. Theme: Something Sweet to Share
Perfect for helping teachers save time, this gift provides teachers with a tin of fancy winter-themed cookies - baked by parents - to take home.
Ask parents to bring in 2 dozen (preferably) homemade holiday cookies. Make sure to let them know that this is for teachers to take home and share at parties or with guests over the holidays. Ask each parent to provide a copy of the recipe along with the batch of cookies.
Give teachers a winter-themed tin or a nice cookie box and allow them to fill it up with cookies from the cookie buffet on the table. Provide copies of the recipes - no need to provide one for each teacher - in case anyone wants to snag that as well.
To round out this gift, have a sweet treat tasting table nearby, filled with various pies, cakes, puddings, etc. for teachers to try. To keep the costs down, ask for donations from local bakeries and/or ask parents who are pro bakers to donate to this table instead of the cookies.
Note
- You don't want the teachers who are able to pick out cookies first - early planning period or early lunch, for example - to get all the "good" cookies or to take more than their share. Make sure you monitor this and hold some great cookies back so that everyone gets a quality selection.
- Since you want a variety of cookies, note that on your volunteer forms. Consider asking for specific cookies - shaped cookies, gingerbread, chocolate, filled, etc.
- To increase variety you can also ask for homemade fudge and candy.
{Items} Winter Holiday Gifts for Teachers
5. Succulents
Succulents are popular plants that require little upkeep. Give your teachers a beautiful and simple succulent in decorative or unique pots.
This is an easy DIY gift that has a great WOW factor. Visit our Succulent + Plant Gift Pinterest Board to find the perfect idea for these living PTA holiday teacher gifts - follow us on Pinterest while you're there! If you find a gift idea that isn't wintry enough for you, change something small, like the bow or gift label, to make it fit your purpose.
6. Wreaths
Don't worry; we're not suggesting you make elaborate and huge wreaths. Instead, find a simple yet beautiful wreath idea and create one for each of your teachers. Wrap in a pretty piece of tissue paper or just add a simple gift tag.
This does require more than one pair of helping hands, so make clear requests to parents, which is made easy with the right communication tool. See if anyone is handy with a glue gun and let them provide pro tips and suggestions. But also let parents know that they don't need to be an experienced crafter; they just need to be willing to learn.
Find your easy wreath design on our (Holiday) Wreath Pinterest Board. A cool bonus to this and other homemade PTA winter-themed teacher gifts is that the extra work makes the present that much more valuable.
7. Candy Mason Jars
Mason jars are inexpensive and reusable - the perfect little storage container for something special. Consider layering candies for a fun effect - jelly beans + M&M's + gummy bears. Or try ordering specialty nostalgia candy.
If you don't want to go with candy, fill the jars with something else fun - ingredients for cookies or spiced cider, colored Sharpies, bath salts, or fun Post-It notes. You can even add in several fun prize tickets. Those lucky winners get a larger gift.
8. Posters
There are many beautiful posters with wonderful quotes that celebrate the education profession. Find one that would look great in a frame and purchase reasonably priced ones from a craft store or find a great deal on multiple frames. We've even seen some that go for $1 at our local Hobby Lobby.
We've created a few posters here for you. Get them professionally printed and frame them for lasting PTA holiday teacher gifts that can be displayed all year.
9. Movie in a bag
Give the gift of some fun. Buy a gift card for one -or two, if funds allow - movie ticket(s) to a nearby theater. Add a few boxes of fun candy and a bottle of popcorn flavoring, as well. To make the gift even more exciting, add a print-out of upcoming movies that will be shown over the break.
We hope these ideas inspire you to get creative and choose Winter Holiday Gifts for Teachers that you are happy to give and teachers are happy to receive. Find more ideas on our Teacher Appreciation Pinterest Board!
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PlanSocial curates resources and educational materials for school parents and their families, focusing on everything from educational support for your children, self-development and career re-entry, to home improvement, family well-being and even where to find the best family holidays.
