A former kindergarten teacher is sounding off on what she calls the “fruitcake” of classroom gifts.
“First of all, teachers always appreciate gifts, whether it’s art from a student or a handwritten card,” Natalie Parmenter tells TODAY.com. “It means a lot, because we work really hard and don’t always get recognition.”
But according to Parmenter, educators do not want another coffee mug … ever.
“When I moved in with my husband, he asked me to do a purge of my mugs because they filled up two cabinets in our kitchen,” Parmenter says. “The last thing we need is one more comically oversized mug that can’t go in the dishwasher.”
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Instead, Parmenter, founder of Primary Focus, a resource hub for parents, suggests giving a gift card to a locally owned coffee shop.
“To put inside our mugs!” Parmenter exclaims. “Teachers love getting gift cards — no matter the dollar amount. It’s the thought that counts.”
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Chelsea Layne, a teacher who shares tips on social media, agrees with Parmenter.
“I grateful for each and every gift I’ve ever gotten,” Layne wrote, in part on TikTok. “But after eight years, I do have 30 coffee mugs from students and I’m running out of space, people!”
Arizona teacher Patricia Britton also issued a PSA on TikTok about coffee mugs.
“Do not give us this,” Britton says, while holding up a figural Christmas tree mug. “We teachers do not want more mugs. I have a cabinet full of them, and I do not need more.”
If you're scrambling for a last-minute teacher gift, kindergarten teacher Madison Stewart recently posted on TikTok asking other educators for the best holiday gift they’ve ever received. Responses included:
- “A broken snowman ornament that a family said the child could take off the family tree for his teacher because they couldn’t afford anything. He choose the snowman because he knew I loved snow.”
- “I had the sweetest child in third grade almost 20 years ago. She knew I liked the Steelers football team and painted a piece of wood black and yellow and made it into a ruler. I still have it.”
- “Gift cards to places where I can’t use it on classroom supplies lol (where I’m forced to pick something for myself — like a dinner out or a new shirt).”
- “I love getting blankets.”
- “Box of homemade Christmas cookies.”
- “I LOVE getting pictures, drawings and cards from my students and families. I have EVERY single one that I’ve received in my early childhood education years (10+years).”
- “I actually LIKE mugs!”
This article first appeared on TODAY.com. Read more from TODAY here:
