Teacher Appreciation Gifts

This guest blog was submitted and written by Jessica Kettl, who wanted to share how she was able to make a meaningful gift for her children’s teachers using maple products from Carman Brook Farm.

This year I wanted to come up with some clever, small, and personalized gifts to give to the kids’ teachers and to my work colleagues. I needed something small because due to COVID, there is only so much I can shove in my kindergartner’s backpack!  COVID rules prevent parents from being allowed to enter the school as well, even to deliver gifts.

I also needed something under $10 because that is the limit according to government ethics rules on gift-giving (I’m a federal government employee).  Additionally, I wanted to come up with something witty, personal, and unique. Oh, and lastly I wanted to incorporate Carman Brook Farm maple syrup, because, well that’s pretty unique and personal.

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

I brainstormed a bit to think of cute holiday messages that somehow related to sugar, syrup, etc. and here is what I came up with: “Have a syrupy sweet holiday season,” “We flipping love you,” “You’re the sweetest ever,” and “Earning brownie points.”  As much as I’d love to give myself all the credit for coming up with these clever messages, I must admit that Pinterest was very helpful! 

For the kids’ teachers we did a combination of “We flipping love you,” and “Trying to earn Brownie Points!” gift bags. With the “We flipping love you,” bag we included a package of pancake mix, an 8 oz. Carman Brook Farm Amber Rich Taste maple syrup, and a spatula. For the “Trying to earn Brownie Points!” we included brownie mix and a syrup. For colleagues and folks that I appreciate, but am not as close to, we gifted them simply a syrup and a gift tag that read, “Hope you have a syrupy sweet Holiday Season!”

The gifts were a huge hit, especially since I’m in a location where maple syrup is hard to come by. For once, I feel that this busy mom knocked it out of the park.  And . . . I achieved my goal in gifting something sweet, clever, and personal within our very limited budget.  I think I’ll spend the next 11 months looking for additional witty holiday messages to include on next year’s gifts. Feel free to share your ideas on Facebook and Instagram with Carman Brook Farm!