Just a thought...

I am just curious.....why does society find it necessary to give 'career-themed' Christmas gifts???? Does a hair dresser really want a blow dryer ornament!?!??! No. Does a teacher want a teacher nutcracker?!?!? NO (And yes-- I saw one at Kohls!) Does a nurse want a nurse wall hanging?!?! NO. (I know, there are exceptions--- and some really do want these things, but most don't...) Useful things are understandble...pads of themed paper for note writing, for example.....but not decorations.We don't decorate based on our careers. I do not want apple baskets, apple paper weights, apple wall hanging, ruler boxes, crayon cups, school supply clocks or a vase wrapped in pencils....it's just goofy in my opinion. We are people too and love the 'normal' gifts just like anyone else does.

I'm not sure if Pinterest is helping with this or hurting it. I see such goofy teacher gift ideas on there and think, "That's just a waste. Not a teacher I know wants that." Maybe I'm rude by thinking this, but really.... Whatever your profession is, do you want your home decorated in it?? No? I didn't think so... and there's only so many places in a classroom to stick all the themed stuff.  I know, a gift is about the thought, but sometimes, don't you just want to say, "Whatever money you spent on this, I would have rather had the cash or that money spent on chocolate!" Ok, that would be really rude, but you get my point. Now don't get me wrong. Because I'm in education, most of the things I've noticed are teacher related...There are some really cute ideas on Pinterest for teachers that are useful--- cups full of pens or markers, candy jars with a giftcard inside, summer kits with a towel and magazine, personalized cups.... but why do people think that a gift for a teacher has to be themed? We like gifts and don't want it to necessarily be something for our classroom. We are people. We like a fun and thoughtful gift just like anyone else. We don't live at school and have plenty of glue sticks and pencils already in our rooms--- we don't need a cake made out of them. A basket full of school supplies is a gift for the room---not a gift thanking the teacher. If you want to do that cutesy basket, that's fine, but just donate it to the classroom.

So much of this stuff labeled as a 'teacher gift' is just not practical....thoughtful maybe, but not practical. Spending time wrapping little pink erasers to look like taffy... come on, are you serious?!? Besides the time you wasted, now an already stressed and tired teacher has to unwrap all of those...meaning that they will get set to the side and unwrapped in about a year when a volunteer parent needs something to do.

Maybe I'm totally out of line for thinking this, but I think most teachers would agree. You don't buy your hairstylist a box of foil and white towels do ya?? Do you buy your nurse some tongue depressers and bandaids? What about your mail man..do you buy a box of envelopes and stamps? Or how about your babysitter... do you get her a pack of hot dogs and a coloring book?? No. We don't buy other professionals a gift to help them do their job the next day....We buy them a gift because they're a person. We buy them a gift that's in their interest, not their career. Why does it make sense to some people to provide a teacher who spends countless hours busting her hump in her classroom, SOMETHING for her classroom??!?!


Ok... stepping down now.
Until Next Time..
Krista

PS: If you're one of the guilty ones who give "teacher gifts" and you want an idea for something else to give that hardworking teacher..... think of what you would give a friend--- purses, chocolate, gift cards, a pretty blanket, Tervis tumblers, a bag... a gift for the person, not the career.