For teachers, Christmas is a magical time when desks are loaded up with Guylian chocolate shells, heartfelt messages in homemade cards, and – if you’re really lucky – a bottle of Baileys.
Gifts and cards are a lovely way to thank often underappreciated teachers for all the work they do.
But one teacher wants to get rid of the pressure on kids and their parents to spend time and money picking out something she doesn’t really need.
Instead of spending money on a ‘best teacher’ mug or a box of chocolates, Louise Gardner, the deputy head and year two teacher at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided School in Dipton, Stanley, asked parents to donate money to a local family in need.
In a letter to parents and carers, the teacher explained that she would be sending blank envelopes home with the children. If able, parents were asked to put in a donation of no more than £2, which would go towards a class fund to buy items for a family in the area.
She wrote: ‘At this time of year there can be pressure from children to buy their teacher a gift.
‘I would like to take the opportunity to say while I am always really grateful for parents’ kind generosity I would like to reduce your stress a little and ask that you don’t buy me a gift.
‘I thoroughly enjoy teaching your children and my job is a pleasure to do.
‘This half term we are focussing on money in maths and the real meaning of Christmas in our RE lessons.
‘With this in mind I would like the children to be involved in the social responsibility of giving and kindness and plan to support a local family.
‘I will be sending blank envelopes home with the children, in which if you would like, you can place a donation (no more than £2). Please don’t put any names on this.
‘The envelopes are to be returned by Monday 9th December where the children will count up the money and shop for the items they think a family would need.
‘This also helps them with their understanding of different food groups and luxury items!’
Mrs Gardner ended the letter to ask that if any kids were really desperate to give her something for Christmas, they could make a homemade card or draw her a picture instead of asking their parents to fork over money.
Lovely, right?
The teacher’s letter was shared to Facebook by Steff Ravenhall, the mum of one of her students, who wrote: ‘Such a good idea’.
The post has been flooded with positive comments from fellow parents and teachers, and has been shared over 8,000 times.
Louise Gardner, 43, now hopes her letter will encourage other teachers to copy her idea.
She said: ‘It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a couple of years. I think it’s become a very commercial thing in recent years: there’s no expectation at all from teachers that they should get gifts, so I don’t really know where it’s come from, but I think parents do feel the pressure.
‘Since I’ve become a deputy head I’ve seen families who’ve come to us and said they’re really, really struggling. As a school we already support the food bank, but when you realise how much your own families in school are affected, you want to do something.
‘People think everybody has and everybody can afford, but they just can’t.’
Louise came up with the idea to collect small cash donations after noticing how few students were used to actually seeing or handling money, as most parents use card payments day-to-day.
She thought that by asking for donations, she’d teach kids about money, take the pressure off parents, and help people in need.
She said: ‘I would like it if the idea helped other schools. I think sometimes teachers don’t know how to say something without sounding like they are not grateful.
‘It’s obviously up to each individual school what they want to do, but I know this what we wanted to do and what we wanted our children to get out of it.
‘We’ve got such fantastic parents, they’re so supportive, and this is our way of saying: “take a little bit of pressure off, don’t worry about us, focus on your family”.’
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