I’m not sure what’s more difficult this time of year: trying to get your students to focus or shopping for everyone on your list at school! I’ve had a lot of people with special teachers in their life reach out on instagram and ask for gift suggestions, as well as friends looking for gifts for their student teachers and others looking for Secret Santa/ teacher friend gifts. Everything on this list is under $50 and there are separate lists according to who you’re shopping for! Merry Christmas and happy teaching!

Teacher Gifts for Yourself (or a loved one!)

It’s the best time of year to treat yo’ self! Here are some of my favorite items this holiday season, whether you’re shopping for yourself, family member, or spouse!

My current obsessions:

This cute keychain charger so you no longer have to carry one in your teacher bag!
6-can mini fridge: small enough to fit on your desk and hold a few cans of La Croix, Diet Coke, or under eye pads!
A blinged out version of the classroom microphone you see all over instagram. It’s bluetooth compatible, so it would be perfect to connect some short tunes for transitions or your favorite classroom Spotify playlist!
A downloadable hand-lettering holiday book. I love A Perfect Blend’s teacher fonts, so I freaked out when I saw she created a hand lettering guide! It’s perfect for creating anchor charts and, in the words of Leslie Knope, jammin’ on my planner.
The HP Sprocket prints pictures directly from your phone! My coteacher and I have been using this in the classroom nonstop. There’s even a card app for easy classroom Christmas Cards and low prep end of year gifts!
EVERYTHING LEOPARD. I consider it a neutral for work because it works with black, brown, or denim. My favorites are these flats and cardigan.

Gifts for Student Teachers & New Teachers

We have some college students doing field hours at our school, so I created this list with them! Everything is under $50, with most items around $10!

Their favorites (and mine too!):

A budget-friendly wireless earbud set (Airpod dupes!) for study sessions in the library. Pair them with erasable highlighters for note taking during class!
An ID holder and lanyard for classroom keys- something every new teacher struggles to find
A cute and trendy pack of ban.do planner stickers and a special set of teacher planner stickers!
“Readers Gonna Read” shirt for teaching literacy or curling up with a good book at home
College girls love Alex & Ani bracelets, so the apple one is a personal one she’ll cherish!
For male and female new teachers, a USB case is so necessary! I take mine everywhere because I’m always falling victim to losing them in the copy room or having them rattle around the bottom of my bag.
This teacher clipfolio is useful for attendance and grading while also storing important papers inside!

Gifts for Your Teacher Bestie

Your bff probably has everything, so here are a few things she may not have! I asked some of my close friends for their input on this one and added some gifts under $30 that I would love to receive from my bff (hint hint)!

This tote bag has all of the words that describe any great friend, and it’s perfect for taking home a stack of papers to grade or to put gym clothes in for after work!
Teacher off-duty socks definitely get the message across for the next two weeks your bestie will spend binging Netflix on the couch!
A magnetic teacher notepad is perfect for a classroom fridge, metal desk, or whiteboard- pair it with this fun set of “best teacher ever” pencils for a sweet gift around $20!
This before school & after school wine glass/mug set will make your best friend think of you whenever she pours that glass of wine after school!
“How teachers swear” is the FUNNIEST coloring book I’ve seen in a while! Only teacher friends understand!

Gifts for Male Teachers

So this was a super feminine list, but I can’t forget about the boys! Since I couldn’t include beer (Fletcher’s words, not mine), here are some items that will come in handy in the classroom. My best-kept secret is Kiehl’s facial fuel… I got it once at an airport not realizing it was men’s and it’s been a staple in my beauty bag ever since!

Gifts for your Secret Santa

Let’s face it… you’ve probably speak to this person once a week at the most and have no clue how to gift for them. Here are some no-fail gifts at reasonable prices that any coworker would love!