Easy-Peasy End of Year Teacher's Gifts

Well, believe it or not, the end of the school year is almost here, and you guys, I COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE ANY HAPPIER about it. I think I may be the only parent on the planet who prays for the end of the school year to come quickly. Don't get me wrong, I love school. Come fall, I'll be all gung-ho for school supplies and uniforms and all the things (except homework- I hate homework- don't even get me STARTED about all the freaking HOMEWORK). But. I reach a point in every year when I am just done. Usually, it's right about spring break time when I start thinking that I would really just like to NOT have to send everyone back to school for another day. Honestly, if we could just start the school year after Labor Day and end it before Memorial Day, I would be perfectly happy with that.

Part of the problem is that there is just SO.MUCH.STUFF. crammed into the end of the school year. Field trips, events, awards ceremonies, sports, class projects.... a list as long as my arm of things that need to be done or attended. All on top of the regular school day-homework grind. So I always feel like I'm missing something, or I've forgotten something and there's almost always something that has been left until the last minute because I just couldn't find time to do it.

And that something is usually gifts for my kids' teachers. Those wonderful souls who spend all their days with my kids trying to help make them the best possible people they can DEFINITELY deserve a gift (actually, they deserve way more gifts than I give them, but that's a whole other post) and yet, somehow, I always find myself putting them together at 1 a.m. the night before the last day of school- or even ON the last day of school. But this year. THIS YEAR, I got them done early, and I am so proud of myself that I thought I'd share them with all of you, in case you need a cute idea.

Every year, I try to give the teachers something that is really just for them- not classroom or teaching related, per se- and usually something inspired by summer. And you just can't get any more summery than lemonade, right? It screams summer. It's the official drink of summer. And I love lemonade (hopefully these teachers do, too!). I found everything for these easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy gifts in the dollar spot at Target (possibly my favorite place in the entire world), and I love the way they went together!

Each gift includes:

  1. Lemonade pitcher ($5)
  2. Reusable plastic cups - they look like Solo cups, but they're sturdier ($3 for a set of 4)
  3. Wooden spoon ($1)
  4. Multi-colored reusable ice cubes ($1)
  5. Lemon-shaped reusable ice cubes ($1)
  6. Paper straws ($1 for 24)

I arranged all the items inside the pitcher, and then I added a cute gift tag made from a wood lemon cut-out ($1 for 4) and a little mason jar-shaped note card ($1 for 8). I punched a hole in the top of the notecard and added it on the twine already strung through the lemon cut outs. I wrote each teacher's name on the front, and on the back I wrote: "Thanks for making this year 'easy-peasy lemon-squeezy'". I had each child sign the tag for their teacher and then I tied them on and I was done.

I think I spent $12.50 per teacher (we have 3 teachers that we are giving gifts to) and they took me about 10 minutes to put together. I think I'll probably pick up some small succulents to give them as well, but I love these lemonade pitchers!