Following the completion of each school year, students and teachers alike deserve a reward. While many teachers don’t expect end-of-year gifts from their students, they’re greatly appreciated. Similarly, students don’t often anticipate receiving presents from their teachers, but the gesture is warmly received.

Knowing that such end-of-year gifts are a good idea, however, is the easy part. The trouble comes when it’s time to pick gifts out. Consider these meaningful end-of-year gift ideas for students and teachers to help you sift through your options.

Meaningful Gifts for Students (K-12)

• Class Picture: While many students dread going to school, most miss their classmates after the school year ends. Taking a class picture and printing out a copy for each student makes for a keepsake they’ll cherish for years to come.
• Small Book: Books make excellent gifts for students, especially if the teacher adds a personalized note on the inside of each cover.
• Movie Day: By the end of the year, teachers, students, and the school budget are all exhausted. Students will enjoy the gift of a movie day at the theater. If finances allow, provide goodies such as soda, candy, and popcorn.
• Personal Letter: For many students, receiving a personalized letter from their teacher is a gift they’ll cherish for a lifetime. Teachers can write meaningful words including encouragement, positive traits they’ve noticed about the student over the school year, and their hopes for the student’s future.
• Summer Gifts: On the last day of school, everyone is ready for summer. Teachers can feed into students’ excitement by providing inexpensive summer toys, such as bubbles, sidewalk chalk, sunglasses, and beach balls.

Meaningful Gifts for Teachers

• Gift Baskets: Students can recognize their teacher’s hard work and say thank you with a personalized gift basket. The present doesn’t have to be expensive—students can find baskets and fillers at the Dollar Store, Target’s dollar section, and Five Below.
• Teacher’s Night Out: Reward a teacher with a gift certificate for a movie, restaurant, or food delivery service such as GrubHub or Uber Eats. They’ll appreciate the opportunity to relax!
• Coffee: Lots of teachers run on coffee year-round. Offering a gift of quality coffee (and depending on the budget, a mug, too) is an appreciated gesture for a teacher.
• Supplies: Just like students, teachers love having brand-new supplies at the start of a fresh school year. Nice pens or a quality planner make great teacher gifts.

Once the perfect gift is purchased, the next thing to consider is how to present it. Awkward-shaped gifts are best placed in gift bags, while standard-shaped presents look beautiful when wrapped. Use a fun school ribbon to complete the package.