Gifts for teachers in Canada

What teachers use

A note from the child comes first, then something small that gets used up. Canadian winters make hand cream an easy win in a job where you wash your hands all day. Coffee, tea, a good notebook and a treat to share in the staff room also land well.

Match the gift to the teacher. An elementary teacher may love the Jakeman's maple box to share at recess. A high school teacher who keeps notes for every class will use a Leuchtturm notebook. Specialist teachers, coaches and educational assistants are thanked far less often, so think of them too.

Budgets and class gifts

From one family, $10 to $25 is plenty: Purdys hedgehogs, the hand cream, a bag of Kicking Horse or a Peace by Chocolate bar. Some boards and schools discourage gifts, so check first.

A class collection opens up the charity gifts. The UNICEF School-in-a-Box, the Save the Children books gift and Compassion's clean water gift all suit a teacher who would rather not get another object. Have every child sign one card so the teacher has something to keep. The Save the Children eCard can be sent right after buying, which helps if you are late.

Allergies and timing

Many Canadian classrooms are nut-free. Purdys hedgehogs and the Peace by Chocolate bar both contain hazelnuts, so pick something else or label the treat to go home. The Rifle Paper notebooks are priced in US dollars and sold as final sale.

Give before the winter break or at the end of June. Tea advent calendars only make sense before December 1, so order the DAVIDsTEA calendar in November. Chocolats Favoris charges shipping on small orders, so buy in store if there is one nearby. Whatever you choose, tuck in two lines from the child about something the teacher did that year. Many teachers keep those notes long after the chocolate is gone.

Questions people ask

What is a good gift for a teacher?

Something small and useful that gets used up: hand cream, good pens, a notebook, coffee or a book gift card. Teachers wash their hands and write all day, so these get real use. Avoid mugs and ornaments unless you know they want one. Most important of all, include a short note from the child about something that teacher did that year.

How much should I spend on a teacher gift?

From one family, $10 to $25 is normal and plenty. Some schools set limits or discourage gifts, so check first. A class group gift is a good way to give something bigger, such as a book gift card or a charity gift, while each family spends only a few dollars. A heartfelt note costs nothing and is often valued most.

Are gift cards good teacher gifts?

Yes, especially for books. Many teachers buy books for their classroom or read during holidays, and a bookstore card lets them choose. Digital cards from Readings or Birchbark Books arrive by email, which helps if you are late. Coffee shop cards also work. Write a short note to go with the card so it does not feel impersonal.

What should you not give a teacher?

Mugs, novelty ornaments and anything with apples on it are the classic over-supplied gifts. Strongly scented products can bother some people, and food with nuts is a problem in nut-free classrooms. Skip alcohol unless you know the teacher and the school are fine with it. Anything personalised with their name is hard to pass on.