Simple Gifts

As the end of the school year draws close, a lot of us are starting to ponder what exactly we can do for our child’s teacher(s) to show them our appreciation for putting up with our child, I mean, all their hard work with our child this year. A handwritten Thank You note from your child would be a great idea, but that would require cooperation from your kid which may, or may not, come to fruition. So let's be a little more realistic in our endeavors.

If you have time, and the inclination, you can always make a homemade gift, such as a baked good. One quick, simple treat to make are chocolate-covered marshmallows. Simply take lollipop sticks, available at or any craft store, and stick in the flat end of a large marshmallow. Melt some chocolate in the microwave and dip each marshmallow. Roll in sprinkles or nuts and then put the sticks in an overturned egg carton to allow the marshmallows to dry upright. To jazz up your presentation, get a cute coffee cup and cut a piece of Styrofoam to fit loosely in the bottom (after all, you want the recipient to be able to remove it later), then stick 3 or 4 of the marshmallow pops in the foam, and voila, you have a chocolate marshmallow bouquet. 

If candy-making isn’t your thing, there are lots of gift options which can be purchased, and I’m not referring to a huge fruit basket like Ralphie gave his teacher in A Christmas Story. Think about what you know about the teacher. If she has small kids, a gift certificate for some type of adult time might be a good idea, such as tickets to NCG Movie Theater or even a restaurant gift certificate. Does the teacher have a particular hobby or interest? Maybe a favorite vacation destination such as Walt Disney World or Universal Studios? Go online and buy Disney cash or a gift card to be used in the theme parks. Does the teacher have an e-reader of some sort? If they have a Kindle, get an Amazon gift card so they can use it to purchase new reading material. A lot of pre-loaded gift cards are available for purchase at your local .

Speaking of gift cards, make sure they are not so specific unless you know for certain that the recipient will use them. For instance, don’t bother with an iTunes card unless you know the teacher either has an iPod or likes to download music. Grocery store gift cards, or even an all-inclusive store, such as or , are a great idea. And let us not forget that with the soaring price of gas these days, a gas card would be appreciated by anyone. 

The bottom line is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to show appreciation for your child’s teacher. Thoughtfulness and a simple “Thank You” can go a long way because everyone likes to be told they have done a good job and their efforts are appreciated.