6 Days Until School: 5 Inexpensive Gifts for Teachers

Here are five simple, inexpensive gifts for your child to give to his or her teacher on the first day of school:

1. Homemade cookies. You can go the easy route and buy a tube of dough at your local grocery store or you can spend an afternoon making cookies from scratch. To make it extra special, have your child write out the recipe for his or her teacher to keep. If you include nuts, be sure to be aware of the school's nut policy in the classroom.
2. Flowers. If you have a garden, your child can pick a few flowers to give to the teacher (even dandelions work). Or, if you have tissue paper and pipe cleaners, your child can create a flower. To really personalize this gift, have your child decorate a small plastic cup to use as a vase.
3. A coffee mug. You can pick up a coffee mug for $5 or less at most coffee shops (some coffee shops even sell mugs that can be personalized). To really get on the teacher's good side, consider filling it with individual packets of instant coffee or hot cocoa mix.
4. Hand lotion. Many hand sanitizers can dry out skin and teachers often wash their hands many times a day, so picking up a tube of hydrating hand lotion is an inexpensive way to show your child cares about his or her teacher.
5. Gift certificates. Have your child point out a nearby coffee shop or restaurant he or she thinks the teacher may enjoy. You can have your child personalize the envelope by writing a message or drawing on the envelope.

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