When I think of Christmas shopping, the first image that comes to mind is the frantic scene of Whoville filled with Whos running here and there and everywhere. Between shopping for your own kids, your parents, siblings, parents, grandparents, friends, etc. it can be a lot. It can be stressful trying to find the perfect gift for everyone- not to mention expensive!
Sometimes finding a gift for our students can seem like just another thing to add to our already long list of things to do and buy. We know busy schedules, and we know teacher budgets. Trust us! We hope these simple and budget friendly student gift ideas will help alleviate some of your holiday stress!
Student Gift Idea # 1
Books! We are big fans of promoting reading and literacy any chance we get! This is probably our favorite student gift. We absolutely love sending each student home for winter break with a brand new book to read! We are lucky enough to live near Scholastic and are able to get books very inexpensively. We like to have a variety of books so that students are able to choose a favorite. However, we know that not everyone has the ability to get books at warehouse prices. Even if you aren’t near Scholastic, you can shop their book orders and stock up on the $1 books throughout the year.
The book on it’s own is a great student gift, but you could take it a step farther and pair it with a packet of hot chocolate mix for a perfect cozy reading pair!
Student Gift Idea #2
Years ago, before I began gifting books, I made an ornament for each student. The ornaments were always simple and budget friendly (I had three young kids at the time!). I didn’t have the time for anything elaborate, and I needed the gifts to be easy on the wallet, too.
Most years I would buy a few sets of solid colored ball ornaments and personalize them. Some years I wrote the student’s name on their ornament in a cute style with the year underneath or on the back. Other years I would do their name and stamp a paw print (to match our mascot) on one side with the name on the other side. Paint pens work great for this!
Student Gift Idea #3
By winter break, supplies aren’t as fresh as they once were, and many may have gone missing. Supplies are a super practical and budget friendly student gift idea. A couple new pencils and a small box of crayons are sure to be used in the semester ahead! A fresh new semester and a few fresh supplies go hand in hand! In order to keep this student gift inexpensive, split a couple boxes of pencils (Ticonderoga, of course!) among your students. To keep the crayon portion of this gift cost effective you can get a box of 24 boxes of 8 crayola crayons for $30 or less (like these at WalMart). This is typically cheaper than buying 24 indivdual eight packs of crayons. If you really plan ahead, you can stock up when all the back to school supplies are out! This will save you even more!
Student Gift Idea #4
Think of something that is unique to you! When I was in fourth grade, my teacher loved the Little House on the Prairie series. We did all kinds of neat projects and activities tied to the books throughout the year. At Christmas, our teacher got each of us a tin cup (with our name written on it in paint pen) and an orange. We read the story about one of Laura Ingalls’ Christmases in which she recieved the same gift!
You may not weave The Little House on the Prairie into many aspects of your classroom, but you may have something else that is unique to you as a teacher. If so, you can give a small gift that represents that to your students.
Student Gift Idea #5
The most budget friendly student gift is class coupons! If you’re looking for a totally free student gift idea, this one is for you! We aren’t the teachers that give students free time. I know, we’re so lame! When my students asked me why we never had free days in my class, I said, “We have too many important things to learn!” However, we have gifted our students class coupons that they can redeem for things like 15 minutes of drawing time, an extra recess, etc. It is totally up to you what reward(s) to present to your students!
There you have it! Five simple and budget friendly student gift ideas! As the Christmas season swirls around us, remember to take time to slow down and enjoy the season. Admire the glowing lights on the trees; enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while you snuggle up on the couch and watch your favorite Christmas movie; and enjoy baking those Christmas cookies regardless of the mess they make! Even this year, when things likely look different than they typically do, look for the good!
