Creating a Christmas Hamper for Teachers

I thought I’d follow-up on the Christmas Cards we made last year, with the Christmas hamper for teachers which formed a large part of our after school life last year.

I’ve written many times about why we do this at Christmas and the end of the school year. I think it’s really important for my children to understand why and how to be grateful. I know a teacher might prefer to receive a gift card, and so that completely makes sense. But I hope, teachers will also appreciate the odd home-made gift. The ones that children have participated in creating, and in the process understand what we are giving thanks for. I hope it makes them understand and appreciate the teaching profession.Our hampers last year were a mix of homemade, gifted and bought gifts. I honestly try not to inflict too much homemade, but do like everything to be borne from the thoughts of my children.

For Christmas hampers I want them to be things that I would want around over the Christmas holidays. Cozy under a blanket watching a marathon of Christmas themes. Because if were responsible for 30 6 year-olds five days a week, my only hope for sanity would be found in Christmas movies.

Last year we stayed with a previous favourite, the tea Christmas wreath, an increase in my travelling probably best represented by the increase in featured tea bags. I love this because it really does cost about 50p in materials (pegs and paint) and the children get fully involved in the process.

We carried on with personalised mugs. And I know everyone says teachers don’t need any more mugs, but I’m not entirely convinced. The children told me what they liked about their teacher and I tried to best find a quote which included the words they had used.The other homemade part of the gift was the introduction of hot chocolate. Hot chocolate and marshmallows has long been a favourite of my children for watching Christmas themes. We decided to make them more of a treat and ‘Christmas-ise’ the stirrers. Who wouldn’t love chocolate stirrers with crushed candy canes and mini gingerbread men?Our hot chocolate stirrers were really easy to make. We used wooden spoons and an ice-cube tray as ‘props’. The hot chocolate was used with a mix of melted chocolate, cocoa powder and icing sugar. This means it’s good hot chocolate – ridiculously sweet and chocolately.

This recipe has the benefit that once the chocolate is melted in a bain marie, children can get involved. They can mix the ingredients, form into the ice-cube tray and decorate.I was really proud of last year’s effort. I hope the teachers’ appreciated it. And I sort of don’t mind if they disposed of the homemade elements given their low-cost. But if they’re anything like me, these will have been the elements they’ll have appreciated the most.