15+ Homemade Teacher Gifts (Day 6 of 31 days to take the Stress out of Christmas)

 This post is part of a series – “31 days to take the Stress out of Christmas”. You can read all the posts in the series here.  And to make sure you don’t miss a post you can subscribe to have every post delivered to your inbox, or follow me on facebook.

We are going to take the next few days and get into some more fun posts of this series – let’s start with some simple homemade gift ideas (or semi-homemade gift ideas).  Sometimes when you think of the word “homemade” you may think painted handprints on a card – but homemade these days can be super classy and personalized and honestly much better than the generic $10 cellophane covered gift basket you can pick up at the store.  I know I would much rather get a “semi-homemade gift” or at least a store bought gift with a cutesy tag instead of just the generic candle from the store – wouldn’t you?  We have talked about making a gift list (and simplifying it) so if you have teachers, co-workers, neighbors, or hostesses on it I hope to give you some ideas in the next few days you can pick up or make NOW so they are done and ready when it is time to gift them in December.

Today let’s talk about teacher gifts.  And I will tell you something you probably don’t know about me.  I have an elementary education degree and taught kindergarten for 2 years!  So I have been a teacher and also helped my nieces and nephew give gifts to their teachers so I can speak from both sides of the issue.    When you think of teacher gifts think of PRACTICAL and CONSUMABLE.  Please do not do anything apple-themed (unless it was an Apple /i-Tunes gift card and you made some kind of cute play on words with that – that would be an awesome apple themed teacher gift!)  Maybe owls as they are super cute and in right now, but NO apples.  Teacher’s only have so much desk space and shelf space and don’t want to have #1 teacher bags, pillows, and mugs filling their house either.  

So here’s some ideas for teacher gifts that won’t break the budget and also won’t get put in the donate bin with all the rest of the apple coffee mugs.

Tablet holder – tutorial at Mamie Jane’s.  She did this with thrifted items – no saw required!

DIY Chalkboard tile coasters by Living Well Spending Less

Personalized Pencil drink sleeve by Finding Pins and Needles.   This is cute and teacher themed without being another apple knick-knack to sit on a shelf or a desk.

Chalkboard Mug by Hi Sugarplum.  You could fill this with k-cups or even a gift card.  Or make a chalkboard mason jar mug.

I LOVE this Chalkboard Monogram idea by Blossom Bunkhouse! You have to click over and see how she did managed to get the whole class to sign and her thoughts on it too.  I would have totally hung this in my classroom or on my door.   You could even write the teacher’s name on it – the grade she teaches or a cute saying. 

I have always liked these DIY monogram soap dispensers by The Idea Room.  They are super easy to create – no craft cutter machine needed.  And because they have been so popular she has created seeveral different versions and a template to create your own saying. 

Here’s a Christmas themed one too.

Or pick up some Bath and Body Works soaps or lotions and print this cute tag from Eighteen 25. 

This idea for a filled tumbler is cute from Stretching a Buck  – could also do a travel coffee mug tumbler.

This is an easy end of the year themed teacher gift from Shanty 2 Chic but you could totally do this and put candles in the mason jars and some Christmas picks around the jars.  The teacher can then use it year-round with different décor and seasons.

Or this $5 chalkboard idea from Shanty 2 Chic.

I love lanterns and would have loved to get a cute lantern (like the ones you see in all the stores and can use all over your house) with this cute tag attached.

You could frame some subway art in a thrifted spray painted frame – like this one from Eighteen 25.

Or this printable from Balancing Home. 

And if you are creative and want to do something super fun with your kids for their teacher, this 12 days of Christmas gifts idea is amazing!  They are inexpensive items but wouldn’t it be fun to get a gift for 12 days in a row?  Get printable tags and all 12 days themes and rhymes at A Bushel and a Peck.

And if you want to give a gift card (and I promise NO teacher will object to that), here’s some cute ways you can personalize a gift card.

If the budget is tight – even $5-10 can be good on a coffee gift card.  Especially when paired with a cute printable card like this one from Eighteen 25.

Print this one at Landee See Landee Do

And Hip 2 Save has several cute gift card saying/holders perfect for teachers.

These 2 blog posts had some other great ideas and some teacher want/need/don’t want lists too.

If you choose to give a gift to your kids teacher/principal/bus driver/soccer coach keep in mind that sometimes a handwritten card and $5.00 gift card may mean more than a $20.00 item.  We all have limited space in our homes for STUFF but we do enjoy being able to pick up a cup of coffee when we are out or maybe enjoy a dinner date with their husband. 

If you are the room mom or can work with other families in the class think of organizing a group gift. If there are 20 kids in the class and they all chip in $5.00, you would be able to give a $100 gift card!  Or several $25 gift cards. 

So here’s your goal for tonight – figure out how many teacher/coach gifts you need and what you will do.  Will you give gift cards?  Then start buying them now so not to stretch the budget come December.  Then print a cute label or card to go with it and you are DONE with teacher gifts. 

Do you give teacher gifts?  What do you usually give?