Teacher Gifts

In our family, the kids' teachers are people we greatly appreciate, look up to, and respect.  They are the "celebrities" of our lives.  I wish I could give each of them an enormous gift (like a huge hike in salary) to show them how much I appreciate their impact in our lives!!  However, we choose to recognize all of them, and it has to be in a low-cost but sincere way.  

I wish I could say I'm creative enough to come up with a great way to do this each year, but I usually rely on the internet for ideas.  Last year, we did these, and the year before these.  Several months ago I pinned this year's idea on Pinterest.  I didn't even visit the website for the pin until just now; I just went with my idea from the one picture I pinned.  It turned out pretty similar, I guess.

I used the idea of altering the spelling of several words and using the "MINT" sound.  Since I was giving these to teachers, I was very conscious of the fact the words were now mis-spelled, so I typed out the real, correctly spelled words and made the list into a watermark background going the opposite direction of the letter to the teacher.

We gave these to 17 teachers and influential people this year: homeroom teachers; art, music, P.E., library, science, social studies teachers, bus driver, principal, office administrator, nurse, counselor.

I honestly don't remember how much I spent on teacher gifts in previous years, but this year I spent about $50 total to put together these gifts for 17 teachers.  I bought everything at the dollar store.  The bowls were 4 for $1.00, and I used two rolls of cellophane to wrap the mints.  (I had green ribbon, eyelets, and white card stock on hand.)

We included million-dollar butter mints, starlight mints...

peppermint patties, and soft peppermint puffs,

Icy Breeze breath mints, 

Andes mints (of course!)

 and a pack of mint gum.

I think they turned out pretty cute, and I hope the teachers will know how very much we appreciate each of them.  The kids each took 3 bowls to deliver to teachers today, and will take the last 2 or 3 each on Monday for their very last day of school. 

"As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

- Isaiah 30:19-21