The best Christmas gift ideas for teachers

Christmas gifts

by Adejumoke Ilori |
Updated on

Just like getting the right presents for nursery teachers, finding the right Christmas gifts for teachers is also very important. It’s that time again when us parents have to quickly try and come up with some amazing teacher gift ideas before the end of the Christmas holidays, we get it. We all do it – leaving it to the last minute, searching online or going in-store, and searching for that special gift to buy (that is perfectly normal!). But the real question is, what do teachers really want?

Black Friday 2024: Best deals on Christmas gift ideas for teachers

We just wanted to let you know that early Black Friday deals are now live! Want to grab a bargain? Here are some retailers that have the best deals for teachers' Christmas gifts right now, or keep scrolling to continue reading our buyer's guide.

Shop Black Friday deals on: Amazon | John Lewis | Argos

• 20% off: Sara Miller Pen & Pouch Set - £15.99 - Buy now John Lewis

• 20% off: Calvin Klein For Men's Mini Eau de Toilette Gift Set - £32 - Buy now Argos

• 20% off: William Morris Golden Lily Hand Cream Gift Set - £7.99 - Buy now John Lewis

• 20% off: Whittard Coffee of the World Gift Set - £22.40 - Buy now John Lewis

• 20% off: This Works Neroli & Sweet Orange Scented Candle - £20.80 - Buy now John Lewis

Best at Christmas gifts for teachers at a glance:

• Best overall Christmas gift for teachers: Pot Noodle Mug and Spinning Fork Set - £20 on MenKind
• Best teachers Christmas gift for price: Seedball Thank You Seed Bombs - £9.49 on Amazon
• Best teachers Christmas gift for quantity: Teacher Plant Appreciation Gift - £16.99 on Amazon

In most schools, parents come together and buy their child’s teacher one big gift and sign a thank you card (which makes our lives so much easier), but is just one present enough for your child’s teacher? And, then you still have to think about, the other class teachers who have also had positive input in your child’s education. Although a class present is a great way to reduce your spending, and also to give you less pressure, if you don’t want to get too involved yourself!

You must be wondering, what exactly are we supposed to give the teachers as an end-of-year or Christmas gift? Here, we have rounded up the best Christmas gift ideas for teachers, to help put your shopping experience at ease.

Christmas gifts for teachers

Best mug Christmas gift for teachers

9% off

Love Mug gift for teachersImage: Amazon
Price: £9.99 (was £10.99)

 
This brightly lit teacup comes with a message printed on the inside of the mug and a gorgeous gift box. Vegan, dishwasher and microwave-friendly, this gift will leave a smile on your child’s teacher's face just in time for Christmas.   

Review: "A lovely cup with beautiful meaning words. Anyone who is gifted this cup will treasure it.
The cup has fun bright colours. Perfect for that special someone or teacher. It arrives in a lovely gift box. The cup is worth every penny of the price."

Pros

  • Multicoloured
  • Easy to hold

Cons

  • Selling fast

Best survival kit Christmas gift for teachers

teachers survival kit Image: Amazon

 
This is the perfect appreciation gift for teachers, featuring a teacher mug, maple leaf bookmark, make-up bag, teacher socks, keychain, straight/bent stainless steel straw, straw brush and greeting card. Everything is packaged in a beautiful gift box to pamper that special teacher. 

Review: "This is a really lovely gift set that would be great for any teacher. I’m always on the lookout for something more than a ‘best teacher’ mug for end-of-term gifts, because goodness knows how many of those teachers have been given over the years and they can’t keep filling their cupboards with them, no matter how nice they are!
This set is a super mix of gift items wrapped up in one pretty package and it contains a range of teacher themed items, including: an insulated tumbler with straw and cleaner, a pair of socks, a pencil case, a bracelet, a bookmark and a little gift notecard."

Pros

  • Socks are made of high quality fabric, soft and breathable
  • The teacher bracelet is made of pearlescent natural stones

Best plant Christmas gift for teachers

Teacher Plant Appreciation GiftImage: Amazon

 
Decorated with a heartfelt quote “Best Teacher Ever” and a premium white glaze, These handmade pretty pots are perfect gifts for teachers, and with its stylish and classy colour, this will without a doubt be a breath of fresh air, and help brighten your teacher’s day. 

Review: "My nanny absolutely loved these pots they are so cute!! They are medium-sized and fit three lovely plants I had got for her. It’s a shame it only comes in Grandma as I do call her nanny or Nan. But otherwise an absolutely lovely gift."

Pros

  • Pots are designed with a drainage hole at the bottom to ensure smooth water drainage 
  • 3 removable spray painted bamboo saucers catch water drips

Cons

  • Not many colours to choose from

Best personalised Christmas gift for teachers

SDOFY Teacher Gifts Personalised Best KeyringImage: Amazon

This touching engraved keyring, with "Thank you for being a piece of my learning journey." is a caring and thoughtful gift. Personalised and sparkly, this will show your teacher just how you appreciate them.

Review: "Was brought for a nursery worker, such a lovely and kind gift to give for a special thank you."

Pros

  • This keyring is well packaged with a specially designed velvet pouch with high quality
  • This teacher keyring is a thanks gift for your teacher

Cons

  • Colour may fade with time

Best teddy bear Christmas gift for teachers

Me To You Thank You Teacher T-Shirt Tatty Teddy Plush BearImage: Amazon

Want to gift your music or maths teacher the most simple, yet classy item? This cute and adorable 'Best Teacher' t-shirt, plush bear is the sweetest gift to put a smile on your teacher's face. At 10cm high, it's the ideal size for displaying on the shelf, window sill, bedside table or desk.

Pros

  • Unique and instantly recognisable with grey fur
  • Bear has a cute blue nose and patches

Cons

  • Warning: Not suitable for children under 36 months

Best pencil pot Christmas gift for teachers

Personalised teacher pencil potImage: Personalised Gifts Shop

This stunning and well-organised personalised wooden pencil holder makes a wonderful gift for teachers at the end of term. The printed wooden pen pot can be used to store anything from pens and erasers. Your teacher will never have to worry about finding their equipment again, especially in the classroom environment.

Pros

  • Personalised printed wooden bamboo pen or makeup brush holder
  • Handcrafted from 100% eco-friendly sustainable bamboo

Cons

  • None

Best tea flask Christmas gift for teachers

PARACITY Tea Flask Tea Infuser BottleImage: Amazon
Price: £16.61

This tea infuser bottle is made of double borosilicate glass and it is very safe for hot and ice-cold water. So, if your teacher decides they want green tea on colder days, and a cold mango juice on hotter days, this is the perfect gift for them. It also comes with a fine distribution of tea mesh, and separates the tea and water, using the filtering tea sieve. 

Review: "A coworker of mine showed me this glass on a work call and I knew I needed to try it. Keeping up with water intake throughout the day has been tough! When I received this item, I was impressed with the weight and quality of the glass container. I have tossed it into the dishwasher several times (not the cap) and haven't had any chips in the glass or other issues. I have been slicing up fruits, herbs, whatever I have handy and placing them into this glass before topping off with boiling water. The double walls keep the container cool to the touch which I found very helpful. The strainer at the top fits in place in with a little push, hasn't dislodged during use, and has been effective at keeping particulates out of my mouth. I have enjoyed the quality of this product, and it has had the desired effect to increase my water intake!"

Pros

  • Easy to clean 
  • Leakproof

Cons

  • Not many colours to choose from

Best socks Christmas gift for teachers

AGRIMONY Funny Socks for Book LoversImage: Amazon

How cool are these funky teacher socks for men and women? These pop socks are great as a gift to teachers. With a funny slogan: “If you can read this, this teacher is off duty”, this is sure to make your little one’s teacher laugh. With cute images and patterns, such as the alphabet, pencils, rulers, mirror, the globe and glowing light bulbs, this will have any teacher feeling sophisticated.

One review said: "Funny gift. Amazing quality!!"
Another review said: "Special, nice as a gift idea and make you laugh

Pros

  • Fits men size 6-12, women size 6 and up
  • Colourful and cosy for everyday wear

Cons

  • Machine wash only

Best Acrylic Plaque Christmas gift for teachers

Gowelly Acrylic Plaque Teacher GiftsImage: Amazon

 
Still haven’t found the right gift? Look no further, as this distinctive thank you plaque will show your teacher just how much thought has gone into gift selection. With a kind and whole-hearted message, this plaque acts as a symbol of gratitude that reminds teachers of how much their hard work and commitment are treasured.

Review: "Was more expensive than a card, but this teacher was worth it. My son is in a special needs school and this teacher had been there for him for 4 years. The product looks good and we were very happy with it."

Pros

  • Acrylic plaque with a wooden stand is both lightweight and sturdy
  • The stunning design and thoughtful quotes will make your gift truly special

Cons

  • Only available in a grey colour

Best seed bombs Christmas gifts for teachers

Seedball Thank You Seed BombsImage: Amazon

Is your child's teacher a true fan of nature? Then why not invest in amazing seed balls? Autumn is the best time to scatter seed balls for wildflowers next summer, and these seed balls are really easy to use, there’s no need to have any knowledge in gardening or even a shovel. Simply throw your seed bombs into the soil or compost, leave at least 10cm between each ball, and wait for your flowers to blossom.

Review: "A bit on the small side, but perfectly and nicely packaged. Each box is around the size of a box of matches. There's a description of what to do as well, and ideal as a small thank you to my son’s teachers."

Pros

  • The boxes are sized 5.8 x 3.7 x 1.5cm, which is a thoughtful eco-gift idea that you could add to a gardening hamper or gift box
  • Your Seedball has everything it needs to grow and once the ball becomes moist and the temperature is right, your seeds will germinate into a bed of beautiful bee-friendly flowers

Cons

  • Only for nature lovers

Best bracelet Christmas gift for teachers

Tiger Eye Bracelet Black Matte Stone  Image: Amazon
Price: £13.99

This tiger eye bracelet symbolises safety health and happiness and will bring confidence and courage to teachers wherever they go. As it can also be worn as an amulet, this amazing black stone bracelet can be tightened and easily threaded together, and make your wrist feel comfortable when worn for everyday use. 

Review: "I got this as a present from my children to their stepdad. He absolutely loved it and the little note
It came in. It's a lovely box and looked more expensive than what I thought it would, great value for money!

Pros

  • Comes with a meaningful "To My Best Teacher" message card and is packaged in a pretty gift box, bead bracelet shows your sincere love to your teacher
  • Designed to be durable, comfortable, and stylish, can be worn alone or with other jewellery

Cons

  • Not many colours to choose from

Best pillow Christmas gift idea for teachers

Mugffins Personalised Cushion for music teachers Images: Amazon

Whatever the occasion this cushion will be a suitable gift since it is not only beautiful, but it will be presented to your favourite teacher. Reminding him/her how much they mean to you. It also comes with the cover and filling, so you won’t have stress to worry about find the right size.

Pros

  • Funny phrases and original design
  • Also comes in other designs

Cons

  • Selling quite fast

Best creative Christmas gift for teachers

Pot Noodle Mug and Spinning Fork SetImage: Amazon

Where has this been all our lives? While your little one’s teacher is Netflix and chilling, this amazing noodles set will be to twirling their favourite meal for them. And, thanks to this Pot Noodle Gift Set, it comes with a ceramic mug and spinning fork, letting them tuck into those noodles faster. Wind up those noodles easier than that sensitive friend of yours. And guess what? It also comes with a pack of chicken and mushroom noodles to get the party started.

Pros

  • It’s a Pot Noodle gift set
  • Includes a ceramic mug and spinning fork

Cons

  • Not ideal for non-pot noodle lovers

The best tape holder Christmas gift for teachers

25% off

The Butt Tape Dispenser Teacher's GiftImage: Amazon

This funky and quirky butt station tape dispenser is great for the days a teacher needs everything in order and will definitely add some character to the desk. With five colours to choose from, this is bound to make any teacher giggle. 

Review: "The Butt Supplies adhesive film dispenser and office supplies station has proven to be a useful and fun companion on my desk. The delivery was quick and the dispenser arrived well-packaged. The composition of the office supplies station is well thought-out and offers a good selection of useful utensils. The adhesive film dispenser is robust and easy to use, which makes daily office work easier. The design is definitely an eye-catcher. The humorous “butt” shape is a topic of conversation and brings a playful touch to the desk. It is great to see that functionality and fun have been skillfully combined here."

Pros

  • Funny
  • The toilet bowl stores paper clips while the cistern is a handy pen holder

Cons

  • Only comes in blue, orange, pink, purple and green

Whatever trendy gift you decide to come up with, it is sure to put a smile on the teacher's face.

If you go for something more personalised, find the perfect thing, or the kids choose to buy something from the pound store or supermarket, the important thing to remember is that it’s the thought that counts. Teachers don’t expect extravagant gifts, some prefer handmade cards with a heartfelt message written inside.

Remember, don’t stress, and don’t panic, if you don’t end up getting a gift then it is not the end of the world. Opting and investing in getting a group present, might be the best choice for you.

Mummy to a little girl, Adejumoke Ilori is Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby. With a BA hon in Creative Writing, she has worked for digital platforms, where she has empowered women from the inside and out, by sharing real life stories based on relationships, loving yourself and mummyhood.

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