Xmas Gift for teachers?

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peainpod

Registered User
Anyone have suggestions as to what to get for teachers? I got Occitaine lotion sets for my som's K1 teachers last year but was thinking it may be more practical to get gift certs?

If gift certs are a good idea, would Dymocks book certs be better, or something like Zara or H&M certs be more popular?? Also what would be a good dollar amount?? (im planning to give to my son's main K2 teacher and 2 EAs. other suggestions??

Thanks!
 
I was thinking around $300 each? (Thing is, there are like 3 class teachers plus 2 other teachers I would like to give these certs to.)

But is $300 too little for Zara/H&M?? Should I stick to Dymocks where they will definitely be able to get something without adding more money??
 
I would say it is too much! Somethibg small is appropriate. Body wash/ hand cream etc is always appreciated. If my student's parents gave me gift certs i would feel thankful but terrible as it really isn't necessary.
Just my 2?.

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Really? I did the body wash sets last year but didn't really feel like they were useful. (Plus I actually up spending over $400 each in order to get a decent set!)

Would $200 of Dymocks or HMV vouchers be more suitable?
 
I like chocolates, body washes (but nothing too fancy)....but really, it is a gift and while greatly appreciated, not necessary. If i received a gc from dymocks i would probably use it to buy books for the school/classroom and not myself.

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I agree with carang! Gifts aren't necessary / expected by teachers! Even a $100 gift voucher would be greatly appreciated. When parents gave my expensive gifts I actually felt a bit uncomfortable about it.
 
Thanks for the comments and suggestions. Maybe I'll look around for some chocolates or some nice coffee or tea then.
 
My sons' school has a policy of no more than HK$200 for a teacher's gift, otherwise they are not allowed to accept it.

I would say gift certificates (for books, for cinema, for coffee shops), festive foods, plants, flowers, nice toiletries, candles, etc would all be appreciated.
 
In my son/daughter's school the parents all give $50 dollars each and we get a present for the teacher/assistants. It is usually a voucher for book shop/spa or nice restaurant.
 
I normally give a a movie voucher at the end if the year...CNY a bok of chocolates and this year for Christmas, I got the girls to make a simple Christmas ornament that we will be attaching to some Christmas shaped sugar cookies. Think at this holiday this is appropriate for our family...something small yet meaningful as the kids make the ornaments themselves. cNY is bigger for us as Chinese and end of your of course a token gift. Teachers don't expect expensive gifts, but the thought that goes in is important...was a teacher myself and at least that's what I thought was important.
 
I agree. It's the thought that counts, plus expensive gifts may turn into an arm race. I heard that in mainland China teachers are used to getting expensive gifts and would neglect kids whose parents do not follow suit, which is horrible. The last thing we want is to have that mentality start going on in HK too. I would bake the teachers some homemade cookies too if our oven works, but since that's not the case, store bought simple treats should be sufficient. Lesliefu, i love your idea of some ornaments the kids make themselves :)
 
When does gift giving turn uncomfortably into a form of bribery. Hkd5000, 500 or 50? With the implicit and dangerous undertones to treat my kid better than the parents who cannot afford it?

Do the teachers / headmasters nowadays 'expect' gifts for Christmas / CNY. Which types of schools have rules against this?

In principle, like the idea of each parents paying an affordable and identical amount to recognise the holiday.

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Ken, but then, there are parents who doesn't do anything at all and i think that is fine too. (any amount might make them feel uncomfortable) Gift giving should be from the heart and many parents do so with pricey gifts with no alterior motives. Methods used by both Honkyblues' & Amy's schools are equally valid, as long as everyone does follow it and it won't make some parents feel that they HAVE to give gifts.
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Victoria has rules against gift giving...at least during the chinese new year holiday...explicitly relayed in writing to parents. At least three other international schools have placed a limit of $200 (at least in 2/3 of the schools) per gift received and anything in excess must be shared...Like a box of chocolates have to be shared as it costs over $200( well some bramds) The reason is that parents were combining their money and getting "big" gifts for teachers, I know of one teacher who got a gift worth $3000 because some of his parents put their money together to buy a gift, whilst the other mommys either made cookies...well, whatever they did didn't compare in comparison and the parents felt bad. And the whole thing of how much should/should not be given was debated at the schools....teachers will be professional, I believe, but there always the exceptions...negative feelings and pressure to compete is unnecessary and takes away from the meaning f the gift.
 
Thanks everyone for your input, esp those in the teaching profession. For our kindie, we were told there was no "limit" per se (last yr, when i checked) but parents should exercise their discretion. For the end of year gift, our whole class chipped in and we got gift certs for the teachers.

I think for Xmas this year, we'll just stick to something small like movie certs or chocs, just as a token of appreciation, as we think our son's teachers have been really great with him, but at the same time, we don't want to make them uncomfortable with a big gift .
 
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