What Not to Give Your Child’s Teacher for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a holiday for romance and sweethearts. It’s a time for professing one’s undying love for another. It’s a holiday that celebrates cupid and his adorable little arrow. It is also, curiously, a time when teachers receive many gifts from their students. While teachers are grateful for the gestures and gifts given on this holiday, ask any of them and they can tell you what they’d rather not receive on Valentine’s Day. Of course, at the risk of sounding like ingrates, they probably won’t tell you what they’d rather not receive, so I’ll tell you instead!

Having recently celebrated the winter holidays, teachers (like most others) have indulged in one too many pieces of pie, one too many servings of stuffing and one too many cups of eggnog. In other words, by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, teachers (like most others) are still trying to lose those 5 pounds they gained between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Teachers would rather not receive boxes of candy this Valentine’s Day. Those calorie laden care packages are counterproductive in their quest to fit back into their skinny jeans. (Yes, teachers own skinny jeans.)

Likewise when it comes to homemade goods, such as cookies, muffins, peanut brittle, etc. Teachers don’t want to receive these items for several reasons. First, most of these items are fattening (see previous paragraph). Secondly, teachers are wary of any item coming from students that is not hermetically sealed. Even the most favorite of teachers has received laxative laced brownies at one time or another. It’s an unspoken rule in the halls of schools everywhere: don’t eat anything your students may have a hand in making.

No matter how many times teachers have joked about how many mugs they’ve received over the years, people don’t listen. Students don’t listen, parents don’t listen and mug makers certainly haven’t taken notice. Which is why if you ever visit a teacher’s mid-July garage sale, you’ll find an entire table devoted to mugs. Do not, under any circumstance buy your child’s teacher a mug. Not for Christmas, not for Valentine’s Day, not for Teacher Appreciation Day, never. Even if the mug says something charmingly clever, such as B(+) Mine, do not buy it.

Another popular teacher gift is a holiday themed pin. When teachers receive pins on a holiday, they have a few choices. They can put it on immediately and sport the festive brooch the rest of that day. Or, they can exclaim excitedly about how cute the pin is and then set in on their desk. One thing is for certain though; the teacher will put the pin away at the end of the day and not have any idea where it is one year from now when the holiday comes around again.

And finally, resist the urge to purchase anything with an apple or the words #1 Teacher on it. This tip needs no further explanation, just don’t do it.

You know what your child’s teacher could use this Valentine’s Day? A volunteer to help out at the classroom Valentine’s Day Party. Someone who can help the teacher organize 30 children who have spent the afternoon eating sugared goodies, someone who can help sweep up crushed chips from the carpet, and someone who can help her carry all her mugs out to her car when the party has ended.

Visit AnotherPerfectGift.com for more unique gifts.