Education

What parents - and teachers - really think of those Christmas gifts

Class collections are part and parcel of holiday period - but there are mixed feelings over the practice

"I do like seeing the staff thanked because teachers don’t get bonuses," says one principal. "But I can see that some parents are put under pressure." Photorgraph: iStock

Jen Hogan's face
Jen Hogan
Tue Dec 19 2023 - 06:00

It’s usually sometime around mid-December that WhatsApp groups around the country start pinging with messages from brave volunteers, offering to undertake collections for the class teacher’s Christmas present. The contribution requested can vary hugely from school to school and even from class to class, within the same school. Amounts from €5 to €15 per child are not unusual, but they can go as high as €20.

Whether it’s a class collection leading to a combined class gift, or 30 individual presents, Christmas gifts for teachers, particularly in primary school, have becomes a normal feature of Christmas for families and schools. But how do parents and teachers really feel about them?

Sarah, a mother for four, is not a fan of Christmas gifts for teachers. “It’s our first time ever using a secondary school, so we want to make a good impression”, she says. “But our child is in first year and we have nine teachers, and one head teacher. So, are we supposed to give a bottle of wine to each teacher? It’s very pricey. There’s no class app so we can’t do a collection”.

“In our junior schools we’ve got WhatsApp groups, so it’s €10 each”, she continues. “It doesn’t seem like a lot, but the teachers get €260, €280 at Christmastime. I think that’s a lot of money. I don’t give my dearest loved ones a present of €280.

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“The school also expects us to donate to their charity at this time. And I just think with the price of everything, they’re asking a lot. I really think the principals should step up and actually say “our teachers are great. But instead of donating to our teachers, let’s just concentrate on the charity that the school is choosing this year. I’d respect the school a lot more if they did that.”

“Teachers are very lucky with all that their job comes with”, Sarah says. “They get pensions. They have summers off ... They’re very fortunate people in a permanent job and I just think to get a gift at Christmas and in the summer from the pupils that they are paid to teach, it’s a lot for the families. A lot of families have multiple children in the schools and it all adds up and we’re all counting our pennies at the moment”.

Mum of three, Clare, says she’d like to see Christmas gifts banned. “We went through the teacher-gift motion at Christmas and summer, mainly because you don’t want any side effects towards your kid. I’m sure most teachers wouldn’t treat kids any differently, but I think it would stick out. And besides that, I wouldn’t want my kid feeling bad seeing other people give their teacher a gift.

It’s a good way to show our kids it’s good to show appreciation and thanks

—  Kate

“I think schools could easily communicate a ban – they do it easily enough for no sugar lunches and party invitations”, she say.

Mother of two Rachel, meanwhile, says the practice is “strange”.

“In the corporate world so many policies on anti-bribery etc, declaring any gifts received,” she says.

Kate, who has two children disagrees with the anti-gift sentiment. “I do gifts for teachers, principals, vice-principals, and class-assistants. And the hobbies too. They work. They get paid. They get taxed. They are also influential in moulding our little people, so a little something for all they do is not a lot really”, Kate says.

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“[They deal with] all the whingy mams, the kids that get overlooked, the bullies. And they do it with a smile every day. I don’t mind letting them know we see it and appreciate it. Also, it’s a good way to show our kids it’s good to show appreciation and thanks”, she says.

Lucy says she “100 per cent agrees with giving them. Teachers are amazing and they don’t get paid enough”, she says. Mum of three, Helen says she’s a “huge fan of gifts for teachers”, but says she “hates the group gift from the class. Prefer to fly solo”.

For parents of children with additional needs, gifts for teachers can have an added dimension. Sinead has two children and says “it’s lovely to give, and I’m glad I can give, but like with many other things when you have a child with a disability, it costs more.”

“I know they don’t expect it, but there is a societal expectation, including my children. I contribute to the class present for each teacher which is usually a tenner each. Then I have the SNA finishing the week before Christmas and the other returning from maternity leave. Then we have the special education teacher.”

“A tenner for a group present is grand, but what can you get for a tenner for an individual present?”, Sinead asks. “This year I’ll be spending 80 quid on school presents.”

School principal and parent Moira, says she thinks “it’s important for children to see us acknowledging the person that they spend most time with, after their family – just a token”.

“As a principal I do like seeing the staff thanked because teachers don’t get bonuses. But I can see that some parents are put under pressure. A lot of our classes do this €5 chipping in thing, which is lovely. It’s really, really nice”.

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“We don’t ban it in our school but I do send out an email saying ‘there’s no need to be sending in gifts’”. “I suppose I feel other people who are in jobs get Christmas parties paid for, or different bonuses that you might get at Christmas. And teachers and SNAs obviously don’t get that and neither do childcare workers in crèches. So I do think the odd bottle of wine at Christmas is lovely for them to get, from a principal’s perspective too. Because obviously I can’t spend my budget on presents for them either. I think from both sides it’s a positive, as long as you can afford it. And as long as it doesn’t get out of hand”, she says.

Tom says the practice of giving teachers gifts at Christmas has existed since before he was principal at his school. It operates typically as a class collection.

“It’s something like a fiver per student . . . and they give a one for all to the teacher”, he says.” It’s something I have absolutely no involvement it, but I think it happens in the majority of classes”. “If other parents want to do their own thing, they do their own thing, but I don’t think that happens”.

Tom says he doesn’t express an opinion on it because there’s a case to be made on both sides on the discussion. “There’s inflation, a cost-of-living crisis and all that. Then there’s other parents would say teachers are paid well and are doing their job”, he says.

“It varies from school to school. In affluent schools you’re going to get individual vouchers, individual presents. You’re going to get over the top stuff.” “Some schools will put out notices to say ‘no presents please. No collections please’. I don’t think that’s within our remit. I think if parents want to do something, it’s a token. If they do, they do and if they don’t, they don’t”

“I think that’s a good healthy relationship to have. If they want to do something, we can’t stop them and we shouldn’t stop them either. They’re all adults”, he says.

An official for INTO said “It is for individual schools to have their own policy on gifts for teachers and teachers do not expect gifts at the end of the school year or at Christmas. Teachers have said that a handmade card is the most meaningful and memorable gift to receive.”

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