There is really no way to thank teachers, who are vital and woefully underpaid, for everything they do. But you can start by giving them end-of-year gifts that don't suck.
This means stepping away from the corny mugs (sorry) and looking for gifts teachers might actually want -- whether to give their classrooms a boost or allow themselves some much-needed relaxation.
SEE ALSO:Gifts for your snobby friends that you can actually affordHere are 15 gift ideas for the phenomenal teacher in your life.
1. Some nice coffee
Teachers love coffee.Credit: targetCoffee is the unofficial official beverage of teachers, and there's a good chance they'll appreciate more of it. (Be sure to verify that they actually drink coffee, though, lest you commit a beverage faux pas.)
Price:$9.49 at Target
2. A trendy new water bottle
There are lots of colors available.Credit: Hydro FlaskIt's easy to get dehydrated while teaching a roomful of teens about the Louisiana Purchase.
Price: $44.95 at Hydro Flask
3. The opposite of coffee
Credit: jetIf you want to go the end-of-day hot beverage route, try an aesthetically pleasing tin of tea.
Price:$7.48 on Jet
4. Desk honey
Great on biscuits, too.Credit: Food52Mike's Hot Honey, which is infused with chilies, is especially good on pizza.
Price:$20 for two bottles on Food52
5. Desk hot sauce
Good on anything.Credit: AmazonThere's no such thing as too much hot sauce. This one, from Secret Aardvark, is a bold and vinegary option perfect for fans of habanero. (Like Mike's Hot Honey, it is also extremely good on pizza.)
Price:$24.95 for 3 bottles on Amazon
6. Books for the classroom
Students prepping for test season would appreciate this.Credit: AmazonIt might be worth asking the teacher which classroom books he or she needs. Sure, it won't be a surprise, but it will address a need directly, which is even better.
Price: $23.80 on Amazon
7. The unofficial currency of classrooms
Credit: AmazonAnyone who's tried to use a dried-out Expo marker knows that in busy classrooms, new ones are essentially made of gold.
Price:$14.38 for 16 on Amazon
8. Flowers
Credit: Farmgirl FlowersJust be sure they have enough time to enjoy them at their desk before the end of the semester.
Price: $49 at Farmgirl Flowers
9. Fake flowers
They look pretty real, TBH.Credit: West ElmThere is no shame in fake flowers. Plus, they'll never wilt -- a forever desk decoration!
Price:$9 at West Elm
10. Don't forget the vase
This one is 10" tall and 5" wide, but you might need a narrower option.Credit: AmazonIt is against the rules of gift-giving to give a gift that necessitates more spending. Thus, if you give flowers meant for displaying you must give a vase. Them's the rules. And be sure to grab the right size for the amount of flowers you're giving.
Price:$14.99 on Amazon
11. A charging station
Let no device go uncharged.Credit: AmazonThey can fit alltheir devices on this bad boy.
Price:$39.99 on Amazon
12. A desk calendar for next year
There's also a "succulents" version.Credit: Paper SourceA (very small, admittedly) thing to get excited about when everyone trudges back in from the holiday break.
Price: $9.71 at Paper Source
13. A large box of pencils
Full of surprises.Credit: US School SupplyIt's pretty much a guarantee that a classroom will use pencils. For a fun twist, these pencils come from "overruns and misprints" from other orders, which means they'll probably have some super weird stuff on them. A smorgasbord!
Price:$26.50 at U.S. School Supply
14. A sea salt bath soak
Lavender is a reliable scent.Credit: Little Barn ApothecaryYou generally can't go wrong with a lavender-scented bath product. Just be sure the ingredient list is relatively short.
Price: $28 at Little Barn Apothecary
15. Honestly, a gift card
If you're stuck on a gift, a gift card -- perhaps to Amazon, Target, Starbucks, or a local business if you can swing it -- is the way to go. Especially during the money-gobbling holiday season, sometimes the best present is a little extra spending power inside a heartfelt note.
Please don't forget the note.
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