Every year at this time I have a dilemma. It's this. Do I do a gift exchange in my class? Some teachers do. Some teachers have a book exchange. Some do treat bags and everyone brings a little something for everyone else. I can never decide what to do. It's really fun for the kids to bring a gift for a classmate. They love the giving. And it's fun for them to get a little toy from someone else. In the past, when I've had a gift exchange, I've had all the boys bring something for a boy and the girls bring something for a girl with a $5 limit. (I always bring a couple of wrapped gifts in case someone forgets.) It's always been fun with a few exceptions of kids not being happy with their gift or wanting what someone else got. But is a traditional gift exchage outdated? Unwanted? Silly? What do I do. Here are my options.
A. Traditional gift exchange with $5 limit.
B. Book exchange. (I give my students a book every year no matter what we do.)
C. Treat bags with everyone contributing small treats for each other.
D. No gifts exchanged. Just a party with treats and games.
E. None of the above. (Share your ideas.)
What do you think?
7 comments:
I like A. Traditional Gift Exchange. Either that or an exchange where you draw names so kids know exactly who they're giving to when they plan the gift. :)
I agree with Katrina. I always liked (um... still like) getting "surprise" gifts. Something that I wouldn't have bought for myself and isn't on my "wish list." So I always loved school gift exchanges where you'd get cool chapstick or a hair do-dad or a little toy. Fun!
A, B, or C. most def not D.
:)
we brought things for the family promise folks last year and i love the idea of contributing to world vision. i'd go for d. so now you decide. whose advice do you trust more? ada or me?
Well now that makes it seem like Kathy is a better person than I am.
However, I'm used to it. Jen IS MY SISTER. :)
i know how you feel, ada.
So here's what I've decided to do. I'm going to give the parents options. They can send a small treat for each student, send a gift to support a child from our church's giving tree, or both. That way the kids will enjoy both the giving and receiving. That's my decision and I'm sticking with it. And next year when I post this same dilemma, please remind me of this.
Ada and Kathy, all I can say is that it's a good thing you can't read minds. If you could read mine, you wouldn't think I was such a goody-two(to,too?)-shoes. And besides that, after your comments, now I HAVE to be good.
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