I love the holiday season. I love shopping for the perfect gift, at the perfect price, for the perfect “OH!” when they open it. I love celebrating my big Wolves and my small Wolves.
I’ve done big things for my staff and some smaller type of things. Things that are all drawn out, and things that take just a few minutes, or few dollars. Things that mean a lot or simple things that are tokens of appreciation. #ALLTHETHINGS, y’all.
As a principal, who is on a budget, both at school AND at home…I have to be conscious of how/why/what I choose to purchase.
If you’re wondering what to do or how to even get started, oh administrator friend of mine, first join this Facebook Group where, literally, all we are talking about is the holidays and celebrating your staff for the holidays.
Then, scroll on down for gifts that anyone can handle, regardless of your budget… some of our favorite things…at three different price points!
FREE (or on da’cheap!)
12 Days Of Christmas
Here are several of my variations on the 12 days leading up to Christmas break. You can pack these full of free things like wear jeans, or workout gear, or school colors…and throw in coffee bars, popcorn bars, or other snackie snacks. Easy, peasey.
(Side note: I’ve also done 12 days of GIVING, where we shared acts of kindness!)
Really cheap! (and a free printable!)
Who doesn’t need a good package of chapstick? Just a cute tube with an attached note and you have a PRACTICAL, albeit cheap, gift for all, male or female! Amazon sells 72 lil’tubes for $29.99. That’s a bargain!
Then attach this cute tag and viola! You can add your signature using any kind of graphics editor, like Canva, picMonkey, or an app like Over, Typorama, or my favorite, Word Swag. (yes that costs $4.99 and yes, it’s worth it!)
Still cheaper than say, a new car for everyone!
- Stock the fridge with all their faves! (Starbucks Mocha Lattes were a HUGE hit! Any fun snacks, drinks, pudding cups, etc We filled ours up for less $150!)
- Flair pens for all! (Buy packs and break them apart and give each teacher 2/3 pens…and wish them a Flair-y Merry Christmas!)
- Beanie hats for all! You can add vinyl to these with a cricut/silhouette, or purchase in your school colors. We found some and had our logo added at a local embroidery shop for our staff last year and they LOVED them!
If your team is anything like mine, they will love any effort you give them. We meet as a PLC grade level team each Wednesday and the Wednesday before we get out for the Christmas break and we just sit and eat holiday snacks and chat. We play Christmas music by the fire. It doesn’t take much, just some free time and no stress…you also can’t go wrong with the gift of TIME.
How do you show your seasonal spirit? Share in the comments!
festively and
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