25 best teacher-approved holiday gifts

Bring a little beauty to their desk with some artful stationary. This gift set comes with 12 cards in two gorgeous patterns, and can be used for thank you notes, greeting cards, and any other writing needs.

One of my teacher friends says a nice, heartfelt card is one of the most meaningful things you can give. Fill it out together with your kid to make sure their teacher feels the gratitude from your whole family.

One teacher friend said it made her feel “so special” to get an indulgent mani/pedi from a student. If you have a local favorite, you can grab one from there, but if you don’t know where your teacher likes to get her nails done, or you want to give her some flexibility, pick up a Spafinder gift card. They’re available in amounts from $25 to $500, and can be used at nearly 25,000 spa locations worldwide.

Teachers told me they actually use these! Order some with their name on them for an extra show of thoughtfulness. You can order anywhere from 10 to 200 of these notecards. Just make sure to include a personalized thank-you-for-everything note from you, too.

Prepare for a lot of gift card options: it may not seem that exciting to you, but I heard from nearly every teacher I asked that at the end of the day, a gift card is really what they want. They’ll use it, for one thing, and have we mentioned how criminally underpaid teachers are? Yeah. So help them get their caffeine fix. Gift cards are available for between $5 and $100. They will really, truly be grateful.

If you’ve got a middle- or high-school teacher to get a gift for, give them some street cred with their teenage students: this is the must-have bag of the moment. You can get it customized with patches for initials, symbols, and more, from $15 each. (And if you want them to get full credit for owning an SCL bag, you should go for at least one.)

Give them the gift they really want— whatever they want! You’re a mom so you already know you can get literally anything you can think of on Amazon— just imagine what your kid’s teachers can do! You can give any amount from $1 up to $2,000.

Another gift that just keeps on giving is a Target gift card. Nearly every teacher has a Target wish-list, and if she doesn’t end up using it for supplies, Target is a great place to treat herself, too. They’re available from $5 to $500.

Teachers told me that they love getting gift cards for books— whether it’s to add to their classroom library or for their own reading list over holiday break, it’s always welcome. Barnes & Noble gift cards are available between $10 and $350 and make a great present.

Is there anything more luxurious than getting your groceries delivered? Give your kid’s teacher a double-whammy gift– time and food— with an Instacart gift card to get their groceries brought right to them, no trip to the store required. You can get any amount between $25 and $500.

After a long day in a room full of kids, what’s better than some peace and quiet? Give your child’s teacher the gift of blocking out the outside noise with some noise-canceling headphones— these have 11K five-star reviews and come in four colors. The sound of silence: priceless.

Skincare sets are hot gifts this holiday season, but unless you have a very strong knowledge of your teacher’s skin type, stay on the safe side with a Sephora gift card and let them choose their own products. You can get a gift card in amounts from $10 to $250. The littlest luxuries sometimes mean the most!

For a really special teacher, treat them to this spa-like plush bathrobe that makes ordinary showers and baths feel luxurious. The ultra-absorbent Turkish cotton is also crazy-soft.

Every classroom can use more greenery! Any potted plant that’s easy to care for is a great option, but if you’re looking for something a little extra special go with a pineapple plant. They’re resilient and don’t require too much work but offer a fun reward. And if you order it from The Sill, they don’t even have to wait–it arrives with a baby fruit already sprouted!

Okay, okay, hear me out: I know they said no mugs, but this is no ordinary mug. It uses smart technology to keep liquids at a preselected, perfectly-hot temperature for up to 3 hours, or all day if they keep it on the charging pad in their classroom. No more lukewarm coffee after first period?! See, I told you they’d make an exception to the no-mugs thing.

These roses last up to a year— or more!— with no watering or maintenance required (in other words, perfect for teachers who have precious little time!). The roses come in 17 colors and you can get any letter of the alphabet— perfect to give the classroom a little long-lasting charm.

This is the It water cup these days, and these metallic, holiday-vibes designs are so cool that even if your teacher already has a big water bottle, they won’t mind getting another. Just don’t give them the same gift next year, deal?

People swear by this thing. The small and mighty massager helps even the most-stressed teacher unwind after a long day at work, and the built-in heater is perfect for cozy holiday nights. Would 36,000 five-star reviews on Amazon steer you wrong?

Foodie teachers will love a gift certificate to this gourmet online mecca, which sells expertly packed delicacies from top restaurants all over the country. Gift certificates start at $25 and go up to $1,000. Whether your teacher is craving New York bagels or Barefoot Contessa’s brownies, they can get it on Goldbelly, and they’ll be hungry just thinking about what to choose.

When in doubt, a Visa gift card covers it all. Giving a gift card is a little more elegant than giving cash, but the card functions in essentially the same way– wherever Visa is accepted, this gift card is too, meaning your teacher can buy anything their heart desires. Gift cards come in denominations from $10 up to $500, but note that a $3.95 processing fee applies to each card purchased.

They’ll never forget a great idea with this fun notepad perched on their desk! Cleverly disguised as a school-lunch milk carton, this 500 sheet notepad and pencil “straw” set from Brass Monkey doubles as desk decor.

Only healthcare professionals scrub up more than teachers. Give their parched hands a little pampering with our favorite splurgey hand cream–L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. The French cult-favorite is super concentrated and not only moisturizes but also heals dry, cracked skin as well.

Whether they’ve got a regular meditation practice or simply need a between class pick-me-up, this portable trio of stress relievers can make the most of those moments. There’s the Stress Release Oil Blend Roll On which can be applied to the neck, forehead and shoulders or added to a bath or bowl of steaming water to help bring a sense of calm and relaxation, a Stress Relief Inhaler, and a Relax-O-Ring to massage the fingers for a soothing, effective reset. (Seriously, it feels amazing.)  And to make it even more giftable, it comes conveniently packaged in a stylish case to keep them safe and organized.

If they’d rather rest and reset, the extra cozy neck wraps from Warmies are just the thing. Just pop them in the microwave or the freezer, place on your neck and bask in the lavender-scented calm.

Not sure what to get? Let Knack do the work for you! The woman-owned gifting platform makes it super easy to send some appreciation their way with customizable gift sets that fit any personality. What’s more, you can shop by ethos, choosing sustainable, BIPOC-owned, or even handmade products. But the icing on the cake? Each gift includes a beautiful, custom-printed card and/or video message you can personalize. Prices start at $33.

The only people on the planet who might need a daily dose of coffee more than moms is teachers! Sign them up for a one-time or subscription delivery of the finest, most delicious brews from Bean Box. The super curated Coffee Sampler box includes four artfully crafted artisan blends from award-winning roasters. Prices start at $24