Finding a thoughtful gift to show your favorite teacher how much you appreciate them can go a long way and make them feel good about the amazing work that they are doing, whether they are teaching children in kindergarten or adults in college. Teachers appreciate gifts that are heartfelt and practical, especially things that they can either use in the classroom or that can relax them in their already demanding work environments. For example, maybe gifting them a pack of face masks to keep in the classroom, hand sanitizer, or even a pack of pencils. What you don’t want to do is gift your teacher something they may not want or even need. For example, maybe don’t gift your teacher anything apple-themed. The stereotype is heavily played out, and your teacher probably doesn’t want to own so many apple-printed things. Gifting your teacher anything glittery is probably not a good idea either. Glitter in itself can be extremely annoying, and even harder to clean up if it spills all over the place. It’s just not a convenient gift. If you’re having a hard time finding something for that special teacher in your life, then hopefully this list of the best teacher Christmas gift ideas can spark some inspiration.
A journal to keep track of the hilarious things students say.
Kids sometimes say the wildest things, and their antics make for great stories. This journal lets your teacher keep track of all of the outlandish things their students say. RELATED: 8 Things Every Parent Should Do On The First Day Of School, According To A Teacher
A gift to help teachers stay organized.
This cute gift is perfect for teachers and can help them stay organized. The elephant nose can hold a cellphone while the body can be used as a holder for pens and pencils, remotes, rulers, highlighters, and other small stationery things.
For the teacher who has a sweet tooth.
Sometimes during a long school day, teacher’s might need a pick-me-up. This gift of milk cookies will definitely give your teacher energy and satisfy their sweet tooth.
For the teacher who eats lunch on-the-go.
This gift is practical and in the age of COVID, is definitely cleaner than using public cutlery. Your teacher will definitely appreciate having their own set, especially if they’re constantly eating lunch on-the-go.
For the teachers who love jewelry and reading.
This is the perfect gift for your favorite English teacher. These earrings are handmade and are actual hardback books, just a bit tinier!
For the vegan teachers with a sweet tooth.
Everyone loves getting chocolate as a gift on Christmas. Now your favorite teacher can indulge in their favorite treat, even if they’re vegan!
For the teacher who’s always sending notes home with the kids.
Personalized notepads are a great way to show appreciation for your favorite teacher. Help them stay organized with a variety of personalized pads that are perfect for notetaking, to-dos, and other important lists.
For the teacher who loves snacks.
Any teacher in your life will appreciate the simplicity of a gift basket. You seriously can’t go wrong. This gift comes with a whole menu full of snacks, including peanut butter pretzels, three-seed crackers, and pepper and onion relish.
For the teacher who needs a new lunch bag.
This lunch bag can be used as a lunch bag, picnic bag, or sundry bag, and is perfect. for the teacher in your life who is always taking their lunch to school.
For the teacher who has a lot on her plate.
The CrunchCup️ is comprised of two cups; one for the cereal and the other for the milk. If your favorite teacher is constantly in a rush and forgets to eat breakfast, this gift is perfect for them to take on the go. Each cup has its own hole so that the cereal and milk don’t meet until they hit their mouth.
For the teacher who likes a calm classroom.
Gift your teacher this fragrance diffuser that will scent their space with natural fragrance to eliminate the bad smells.
For the teacher who is always cold.
If your teacher runs a bit cold, this gift is perfect for them. This ultra-soft faux fur heated throw comes with a classic ogee texture and is also easy to care for.
For the teacher who loves baking.
This cute teacher gift can make for a fun gift idea this holiday season, especially if they love to bake. These teacher potholders come in packs of 2 and 3 pieces.
For the teacher who loves plants.
If your teacher has a green thumb, this gift is perfect for them. The Costa Farms Clean Air Plant Collection includes three plants from a grower’s choice assortment of small foliage plants.
For your favorite gym teacher.
Mugs are probably the best thing to gift your teacher this Christmas. It’s also the perfect gift for the PE teacher in your life who will get a serious laugh out of this mug.
For the teacher who always has a glass of water on the desk.
This coaster set includes six round ceramic stone coasters, with a black metal holder which can keep all of the coasters in one place. It’s perfect for the teacher in your life who is known to have those pesky rings on their desks from setting down their mugs.
For your favorite music teacher.
Some teachers like to play music in their classrooms. If you have a teacher in your life who does, this gift is perfect for them. Dosmix makes it easy to listen to music, whether they’re traveling, heading outside, or staying in.
For the teacher who loves tea.
This elegant gift box contains 6 Flowering Teas and one high temperature-resistant, dishwasher-safe borosilicate glass teapot. It’s the perfect gift for that teacher who isn’t a very big fan of coffee, but still wants that caffeine fix. RELATED: Best Hanukkah Gifts 2021: 50 Thoughtful Ideas For Everyone On Your List
For the teacher who is always in a hurry.
Your teacher will absolutely love a travel mug, especially if they’re always moving around and maybe forget to drink their coffee while it’s still hot.
For the motivational teacher.
If your teacher likes to indulge in the daily positive quote, this gift is perfect for them. This inspirational daily calendar provides them with positive quotes every day.
For the teacher who’s always running out of pens and pencils.
This case can store up to up to 50 pens or 90 pencils, and can also store small stationery in the mesh bag. So now your teacher won’t have to search for a pencil if someone in their class asks for one.
For the teacher with style.
Gifting teachers coffee mugs will never go out of style, and neither will this ceramic coffee mug that will look good on their desk.
For the teacher who loves color.
This set of face masks come in unique color designs and are great for the teacher in your life who is working in person and might need one for someone in their class.
For the teacher who has a lot of homework to grade.
If your teacher is the type to have an abundance of papers and other paraphernalia, this backpack is the best present for them. The luggage strap allows for the backpack fit on luggage for easier carrying.
For the teacher who loves smoothies.
If your teacher doesn’t want to spend any more money on buying expensive smoothies, they can simply make their own with this blender. Unlike other blenders that are large, bulky, and hard to store, this kitchen blender is beautiful and easy to store.
For the teacher who still uses chalkboards.
Some teachers still used old-fashioned chalkboards, meaning this gift will definitely be useful for the teacher in your life who just hasn’t moved into the digital age yet.
For the teacher who’s serious about health.
If your teacher is strict about bacteria and harmful substances in their classrooms, this gift is perfect for them and the clean air they’ll have after using this filtration system.
The perfect gift that just says ’thank you.'
You can’t go wrong with a gift card, especially for teachers who might need to get something new for their classroom. You can also add a little personalized note along with it.
For the teacher who wants to stay clean.
In the age of COVID, it’s important to keep both your teacher and their students safe from unwanted bacteria.
For the teacher who is always losing pencils.
Even the smallest gifts, when personalized, can mean so much, especially to a teacher. Your teacher can always benefit from extra pencils, especially if their students never return the ones that are lent to them!
For teachers that enjoy playing board games with their students.
Scrabble Junior is a letter-matching game that can be fun for your teacher who just wants to have a day of play with their students.
For the teacher who needs a new water bottle.
If your teacher is trying to make that switch to a reusable water bottle, this gift is perfect for them. These metal water bottles and beverage containers are designed with an opening wide enough for most ice cubes so they can easily refill and reuse them over and over.
For the teacher who is working virtually.
If your teacher is still conducting classes via Zoom, this document camera is probably something they need. The small size camera frees up desktop space and its durable multi-joint design allows for excellent capture of 2D and 3D objects.
For the teacher who is always looking at screens.
Looking at a computer screen for hours every day isn’t good for your eyes, and if your teacher has to sit behind their laptop to teach, they’d benefit greatly from this gift.
For the teacher who loves productivity.
If your teacher is a big planner and loves to stay organized, this Clever Fox Planner will help them create a vision for their life, define and break down their short and long-term goals in each area of their life, and incorporate these goals into their monthly, weekly, and daily agenda. RELATED: 45 Best Christmas Gifts For Parents They’ll Actually Use Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram. YourTango may earn an affiliate commission if you buy something through links featured in this article.