Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Suggestions please. My son's last day of school is June 11 and I want to get his teacher, his bus driver (best bus driver ever!!) and the bus driver's aide a little gift to thank them for all that they do. I really would like to get them something for $10.00 or less, but I just cannot think of anything. I would be grateful for some good suggestions. Thank you to all who reply. :) Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 How about lavender biscuits? Er. I mean cookies. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 How about lavender biscuits? Er. I mean cookies. :) Rosie LOL That would be great I"m sure if I were in Oz. ;) :D Ah, but you made me think of something!! My bus driver is Cuban!! Did I tell you that she's the best bus driver ever?? I could maybe get her some Cuban pastries?? Is that too cheezy? (no pun intended) ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 A box of Russell Stover's chocolates? They cost about $8.00 a box. This is what I'm doing for my daughter's brownie leader. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 A box of Russell Stover's chocolates? They cost about $8.00 a box. This is what I'm doing for my daughter's brownie leader. Lisa That's a nice idea. Do the chocolates have nuts? I know some people are allergic to nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I always like to give plants, chocolate, ice cream store gift card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitraces Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Can you go wrong with potted plants? I recently bought a hanging plant for $7 in a hurry and realized I could have put that together myself for under $4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I would buy a gift card for a fun lunch restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandpsmommy Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I second the gift card for an ice cream shop; Cold Stone creamery would be my top choice. My two dc and I can get treats there for about $5.00 total, so a $10.00 gift card would gift them with a few trips there over the summer. A small box of chocolates (Choxie at Target and Godiva are my favorites). A gift card for a bookstore. A few miniature bottles of fresh summer scented lotion or body spray/body wash from a store like Bath & Body Works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amydavis Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I agree with the gift card idea. I worked as a preschool teacher and I have to say that gift cards were the most appreciated gift. After all, you can only use so many mugs! LoL! And since it's summer, the ice cream shop idea is great! (At Christmas, I thoroughly enjoyed the Starbucks gift card.) It's just really nice to be able to treat yourself, to something that otherwise may not have been in your budget, with a gift card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Gift card and a nice thank you note. I'd probably tend to something like Starbucks/McDonald's/etc, because even a small gift card covers one entire visit, and they sell a wide variety of items - - you might hate coffee or hamburgers, but it's always handy to be able to grab a free soft drink or bottled water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Gift card to somewhere with variety (like Target or the local grocery store) along with a well written and specific thank you note that you have given a courtesy copy of to the principal/supervisor. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Gift cards!! As a teacher, I have to say that, for me, food gifts, like candy, are not appreciated-although the THOUGHT is very much appreciated. I try not to eat too many sweets, so bascially I have to give my gift to my hubby. :-) I love getting a gift card to Starbucks, a restaurant, a bookstore, a movie rental place, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 We did gift cards to Panera for their swim teachers and other various extracurricular stuff. We figured that $10 could get them sweets, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or a lot of coffee. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Thank you so much for all the replies. I think a gift card is a great idea. I think I would want to give her a gift card to a place I know she'll go like the grocery store or Walmart or Target. Would that be a good one? Or would it be too much of a reminder of all the stuff she has to do at home AFTER working all day long? I don't want to give her anything that she will think is lame, but I don't really know them well enough to know if they like Starbucks or Ice Cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I think I would want to give her a gift card to a place I know she'll go like the grocery store or Walmart or Target. Would that be a good one? Or would it be too much of a reminder of all the stuff she has to do at home AFTER working all day long? I'm not sure about that...if someone gave me a gift card for the grocery or Walmart, etc, I'd end up using it for things for my kids or household. If I had a gift card for a restaurant, I'd at least end up treating myself to a meal/treat out. Do you have a Panera or something like it, where it wouldn't be too expensive, but wouldn't be fast food either? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 I'm not sure about that...if someone gave me a gift card for the grocery or Walmart, etc, I'd end up using it for things for my kids or household. If I had a gift card for a restaurant, I'd at least end up treating myself to a meal/treat out. Do you have a Panera or something like it, where it wouldn't be too expensive, but wouldn't be fast food either? That is what I'm afraid of. I want to give them something for them that they will like and that will show my appreciation for all that they do for my son, but then I run into things like... is this place near to where they live? Do they even like what they offer? Are they allergic to anything? And it gets tricky then. I know for myself that I am not an ice cream eater so if I got a gift card for ice cream I'd probably re-gift it to somebody who does. It's so hard to buy things for someone when you don't know them that well. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 What's wrong with my lavender bikkies?! If you can buy culinary lavender you can bake some. (Health food shop in the tea section, possibly) Don't tell me you don't have time because you were online chatting to me for hours last night! :tongue_smilie: Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 What's wrong with my lavender bikkies?! If you can buy culinary lavender you can bake some. (Health food shop in the tea section, possibly) Don't tell me you don't have time because you were online chatting to me for hours last night! :tongue_smilie: Rosie LOL You want to send me a recipe, Jurek? ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 What do you ya'll think about a Dunkin Donuts card?? Would that be good? I Googled Panera because I have never heard of it before. It looks nice indeed, but all of the stores are at least 10 miles in all directions from my zip code. I figure Dunkin would be more easier to find?? What do you think? Or maybe a Barnes and Noble card for the teacher?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 LOL You want to send me a recipe, Jurek? ;) :D You wouldn't want a recipe from him. No doubt it'd involve woody beetroots cooked up into some frightening mess. Seriously, I was too afraid to eat fresh beetroot for 15 years after that experience. No, you want my recipe. SERENDIPITY LAVENDER BIKKIES 1 cup butter 1 cup castor sugar 2 cups plain flour 1 level dessert spoon of lavender flowers Melt butter in the microwave until just soft, then stir in sugar. Add the flour and lavender and mix into a stiff dough. Knead half at a time and roll into a sausage shape then slice and place on an ovenproof tray, then bake at 180C/ 350F for 10 mins or until golden brown. May need to refrigerate the dough if it's too sloppy to cut. Yum, yum :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 You wouldn't want a recipe from him. No doubt it'd involve woody beetroots cooked up into some frightening mess. Seriously, I was too afraid to eat fresh beetroot for 15 years after that experience. No, you want my recipe. SERENDIPITY LAVENDER BIKKIES 1 cup butter 1 cup castor sugar 2 cups plain flour 1 level dessert spoon of lavender flowers Melt butter in the microwave until just soft, then stir in sugar. Add the flour and lavender and mix into a stiff dough. Knead half at a time and roll into a sausage shape then slice and place on an ovenproof tray, then bake at 180C/ 350F for 10 mins or until golden brown. May need to refrigerate the dough if it's too sloppy to cut. Yum, yum :) That seems simple enough. A few questions though. What is castor sugar?? Do you use fresh or dried flowers and where does one find them? What is a "dessert spoon"? How would it equate with a teaspoon or a tablespoon. What is the yield of this recipe?? Thanks hon. "It's Shaun the sheep... It's Shaun the sheep..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 That seems simple enough. A few questions though. What is castor sugar?? Do you use fresh or dried flowers and where does one find them? What is a "dessert spoon"? How would it equate with a teaspoon or a tablespoon. What is the yield of this recipe?? Thanks hon. *sigh* And I thought this was going to be a simple biscuits v cookies thing. ~Castor sugar is like normal white sugar but finer. Not powder though. ~I've only used dried flowers, and you might be able to find them at a health food shop in the tea section. That's where I found some, anyway. I'm sure fresh would be fine, but you need to use the English lavender because the other varieties are bitter. ~Dessert spoons are those things you keep in the cutlery drawer that aren't soup spoons or teaspoons. You do want to use that amount because lavender is very funny stuff. Too little and you can't taste it. Too much and it's inedible. Just right, and it's great! ~Can't tell you how many it makes coz I haven't made them in ages. I'm supposed to be a wholefoods veganish type :D Wrap whatever you get up in cellophane and put some curling ribbon on and it'll be fine as a present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 You can buy superfine sugar or run your sugar through the food processor. I love this lavender conversation. :) Thanks for putting up with us Rosie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 :) Thank you. :) If the lavender bikkies should turn out to be a disaster though (my cooking skills I mean Rosie, not your recipe. :) ), what do you all think of a Dunkin Donuts gift card or a Barnes and Noble card? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I do gift cards for my ds's teacher's and assistants, usually starbucks or barnes and noble. My former babysitter's mother is a teacher and he said she really likes starbucks cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 I do gift cards for my ds's teacher's and assistants, usually starbucks or barnes and noble. My former babysitter's mother is a teacher and he said she really likes starbucks cards. Thanks. :) I guess I should get Starbucks then. Between you and me (we won't tell anyone else here ;) ) I think Starbucks coffee stinks! hehe I like Dunkin Donuts' coffee much better. But who am I to argue the majority. :) I guess I'll get her Starbucks. :) Thx. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peg Graham Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 We are doing this.........all from Dollar Store: Manicure Gift Basket- 2 nailpolishes, Nail polish remover, small bag of cotton balls, cuticle cream w/ cuticle stick, nailclippers, emery board, hand cream....all tucked in a pink basket with pink shreds and Hershey Kisses thrown in and a heart felt note. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 We are doing this.........all from Dollar Store: Manicure Gift Basket- 2 nailpolishes, Nail polish remover, small bag of cotton balls, cuticle cream w/ cuticle stick, nailclippers, emery board, hand cream....all tucked in a pink basket with pink shreds and Hershey Kisses thrown in and a heart felt note. :001_wub: That's really nice too! :) Thank you for the suggestion. That would probably work well for the teacher... the bus driver and her aide never have painted nails though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carla36301 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 What about a bottle of lotion from Bath & Body Works? I love that stuff! And I'm in there way too often! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Suggestions please. My son's last day of school is June 11 and I want to get his teacher, his bus driver (best bus driver ever!!) and the bus driver's aide a little gift to thank them for all that they do. I really would like to get them something for $10.00 or less, but I just cannot think of anything. I would be grateful for some good suggestions. Thank you to all who reply. :) Jennifer The very best gift you can give any of them is free. Write a note that describes their impact on your child and on you. They will always remember that and it will mean more than any candy. Sweets/candy can be a burden. They will get a lot for one thing, and many people are trying to watch their weight, so it's like getting a temptation as a gift. They will often give it away. If you want to give something, I would suggest a gift card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 What about a bottle of lotion from Bath & Body Works? I love that stuff! And I'm in there way too often! LOL! I was thinking about getting a gift card from there also, I just don't know if there is one close by where they live. I'm still kicking it around, but I have to come to a decision soon. June 11th is my son's last school day. :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 How about some tunes, and a hand-rolled cigar? :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 How about some tunes, and a hand-rolled cigar? :D Bill I think there are few besides you who would appreciate that gift. ;) :D hehe My family actually were cigar makers. My great grandfather made the artisan cigars in Habana and my grandmother made cigars in the factories in Ybor City in Tampa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 We did a movie basket for teachers one year at preschool. Get a gift card to blockbuster for one rental, a bag of microwave popcorn, a box or two of candy, maybe a can of coke (soda) and put in a popcorn bucket (paper if you can find one). It's a fun gift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Most teachers love book store gift cards, especially to places like Barnes & Noble, BooksAMillion, etc that have coffee shops and music sections as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 The very best gift you can give any of them is free. Write a note that describes their impact on your child and on you. They will always remember that and it will mean more than any candy. So true. Sweets/candy can be a burden. They will get a lot for one thing, and many people are trying to watch their weight, so it's like getting a temptation as a gift. They will often give it away. Hey, I always liked it as a kid when someone gave my mom candy! Also - how about nice stationery? A coffee cup (hey, why not) or other generic kitchenware (I guess that explains all the #1 Teacher cups!). Coffee or tea or other non-sweet edible? Or some nice soaps or something (not a "P.U.! you stink!" gift, mind you, I mean a "you deserve to be pampered!" gift). Let us know what you pick!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) Let us know what you pick!!! Okay, tomorrow is the last day of school and here is what I've settled on. BTW, thank you all so much for the wonderful suggestions, it really helped me sort things through. I got the bus driver, the teacher and the bus driver's aide all a nice thank you card. I am writing a letter to the school board for both the bus driver and my son's teacher to tell them how wonderful they are. When I was thinking about the gift cards, I felt like $10.00 was just so low to put on a card that I didn't want to disappoint them so then I thought that maybe I could just find a nice lotion set or something for around $10.00 for the bus driver and the aide and then I was thinking about getting a $20.00 Barnes and Noble gift card for the teacher, but when I was going from store to store looking for bath sets (that actually smelled good) I found the cutest little ceramic potpourri set with heavenly smelling flower discs that melt in the top of the ceramic holder. I remembered that my son's teacher told me she had recently moved into a new house and I thought it would be a nice gift to give her something for the home. They were on clearance for $10.00! :) The store I was in only had one left, so I bought it and then went to the next closest of that store and found another one. So I got that for both the bus driver and the teacher. I had a nice spa set in a nice little tote that I got for Christmas and had been holding onto it because it was so nice I thought it would be better to re-gift it than to use it on myself (our budget for gifts is so small I alway give away the best gifts I get) and that is what I am going to give to the aide. I bought some Cuban guava and cheese pastries (yum) and I had planned to make brownies and do a little mix and match goodie bag to give to all three of them, but with my neighbor dying I was just too sad to bake and so I bought some chocolate chip cookies from the bakery instead. So with the gifts, the cards, the cookies and pastries and the one that I am re-gifting I came out just a couple of dollars over what I wanted to spend. :) I am wrapping them all up now to get them ready for tomorrow morning. :) Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. :grouphug: I think they will all be pleased with their gifts. :) Blessings, Jennifer Edited June 11, 2009 by Ibbygirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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