Wednesday, December 10, 2014

When did extravagant teacher gifts become a 'thing'?

Don't get me wrong, teachers deserve it. Actually even more so, teachers of my children. I just don't remember giving anything more than maybe a Christmas card to my teachers growing up.

Plain zipper pouches and an Open Wide Zipper pouch at the front left

Maybe it is just a crafty mother thing but I feel the pressure each year to make something for them. I'm actually happy both my owlets are at school now as it means just one gift each (last year little Miss now 5 had two kinder teachers and two daycare teachers!) but others I know also make and create for swimming teachers, piano teachers, dance teachers etc. 

This year I was asked to contribute to a joint gift for one of my owlets teachers. I have always given a gift of thanks to the teachers each year. But always something that we make together, handmade treats, little handmade decorations and cards. Something thoughtful and considered for the overwhelming wonderful job they do shaping the minds of my treasures. I just was confronted by an expensive and in my mind, not appropriate purchased gift.



Well anyway, not sure if this is extravagant but I whipped up a couple of zipper pouches on the weekend (my favourite tutorials are this one from Sew Delicious - thanks Ros and the Open Wide Zippered Pouch from Noodlehead). I need two but made five (there is another if you want to check it out on Instagram). I figure it is always handy to have an extra couple on hand. 



Inside they will have homemade rocky road - by my children and homemade Christmas cake. That's enough right? 

Are you making something as a teacher thank you this year?

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for the link love! Personally, I don't think it's just teachers - people seem to be going OTT for everything these days! In my last year of teaching before I went on maternity leave I was inundated with gifts. I was a level coordinator and taught almost all the year 7s and was completely blown away by the volume of gifts. I think I ate my bodyweight in chocolates that Christmas! But really expensive gifts made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Very kind and I was grateful, but it was really too much! My favourites were the ones where clearly the kid had chosen it. Sometimes they were odd choices but the pride on the kid's face when they gave me the gift was priceless :)

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  2. As a former teacher, I would have loved to receive one of these and filled with home baked goodies, even better. Smart thinking to make extras.

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  3. I did a similar thing .. made some pencil cases and my daughter picked little bits to put inside ... she had four teachers in her Kindy class - phew! I don't even remember giving cards when I was at school ... guess I'm making up for it now lol :)

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  4. As a full time teacher ( and sewist) with a family of my own, I can assure you that these thoughtful gifts will be treasured forever.

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