Imagine this scenario.
You’re pulling up the calendar on your phone and you suddenly realize winter break is only a week away and you don’t have any holiday gifts for your students.
Immediately you feel your heart rate increase as you try to decide what to do.
Of course, you know there is no rule that says you have to have Christmas gifts (or a holiday gift) for your students.
In fact, many teachers in your school choose not to and you don’t judge them at all!
But, you want to. You’re just short on time and you don’t have any ideas.
Or a lot of extra money for that matter.
This situation happens ALL the time! So I asked the teachers in my Facebook group what they like to gift their students and I have compiled all of their ideas together in this blog post!
(This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that Amazon sends me a little pocket change, at no cost to you, if you purchase through one of these links. This helps keep my site running!)
This first suggestion was definitely a teacher favorite when teachers discussed best gifts!
If you have time to order and wait for shipping, check out these personalized pencils. You can get a 3 pack for about a dollar! It’s a simple gift that will make students feel so special!
Your students will love getting pencils with their names on them! (Plus it’s a useful gift!)
Other inexpensive gift ideas for your students:
- Books
- Holiday pencils
- Erasers
- Fuzzy socks or holiday socks
- Water bottles
- Toy Cars
- Glow in the dark necklaces or bracelets
- Silicone Bracelets (Christmas Bracelets)
- Slime
- Play-Doh (Check out this mega multipack!)
- Pop Keychains
- Puzzles
- Fidget popper
- Yo-Yos like this multipack
- Holiday candy or treats
- Silly Christmas Glasses
- Christmas Sticker Sheets
- Bubbles
- Bubble wands
- Bouncy balls (You can get a huge pack here!)
- Key Rings
- Colorful hand sanitizer
- Retractable pens
- Activity book
- Pencil holders
- Fidget Toy (check the dollar store!)
- Blank books for writing stories
- Mini flashlights like these
- Candy canes
- Holiday stamps
- White boards and markers
- Mini Magnetic Drawing Boards
- Ear buds
- Scarves or Gloves
- Ornaments or bells (These tie in with Polar Express lessons!)
- Ornaments you make in class as a class craft (so many inexpensive or free ideas on Pinterest)
- Mini journals like these and a gel pen to write with
- Blankets from 5 Below
- Art projects (such as small wooden picture frames)
- Small board games (You can sometimes find inexpensive multipacks of board games)
- A sweet treat (such as Christmas tree cakes)
- A holiday card to open on January 1st wishing them a Happy New Year
Mrs. Bacon shared this idea: I bought a bulk package of kid-sized gloves. Inside each bag is a pair of gloves, a hot chocolate packet, and a candy cane sticking out.
Other student gift ideas that can help save money:
- Ask friends and family if they would like to adopt a student. You can make a list of books or simple toys and share that wishlist with each person.
- Make an Amazon wishlist of items for your class. Share the wishlist with your friends and family and see if any of them would like to help fund the class gifts!
- Make homemade personalized bookmarks out of cardstock for your students.
- Give students a holiday card with a personal handwritten note. This would be fun for them to read over the holiday break!
- Make class coupons for rewards. (No homework, wear a hat, bring a show & tell item, bring your favorite game for indoor recess, etc…)
Hope these ideas can help! What do you like to gift your students?
While you’ve got winter on the brain…Check out these Winter Read Aloud suggestions and no-prep activities to go with them!
Are you looking for fun activities for your classroom this holiday season? Check out these fun math, reading, writing, and science Christmas ideas!
