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What Teachers Really Want For End-Of-Year Gifts

They've worked hard all school year. Here's what they'd prefer you get them as their summer break approaches.

Most teachers will happily accept anything they get from their students (and their families) at the end of the school year. But what do they actually want?

HuffPost posed the question to the HuffPost Parents’ Facebook community to ask what teachers’ really would like to receive at the end of a long school year. As summer break approaches, keep their suggestions in mind.

The school year is long. Here are some gifts for teachers to show them how much you care.&nbsp;

“1. We don’t expect anything and appreciate everything. 2. Hand written cards and notes mean more than you could imagine and are saved. But if we are talking actual gifts that I have appreciated, I do have some favorites... Flair pens are ALWAYS welcome. Some parents have asked what my favorite Starbucks drink is and then they actually deliver it (great way to start the day).” ― Jen Trotter Milke

“I don’t drink wine and I rarely drink coffee, so unfortunately I always have to re-gift those things. I love anything useful! Especially things like cute notepads, post-its, pens, art supplies, etc. And my kids know that I worship books, so getting me a book or a gift card is always loved. But while I appreciate any token of thank you from my kids and their families, heartfelt note or letter or drawing is what I cherish!” ― Gina Costanza Sitte

“As a teacher, I must say my most memorable gift was when each child in the class brought each teacher a flower. We ended up with a beautiful bouquet of all kinds of flowers.” ― Geri Gorman Boegner

“Gift cards! gift cards are great as well as personal ones to Target or Walmart/ other places the teacher may have on their favorites.” ― Kate Patterson

“My favorites are handwritten notes of thanks from the kids or parents. I keep them under my desk calendar to read on the tough days. It’s also awesome when the parent sends me a POSITIVE email and copies my principal on it! That means so much!” ― Jenny Werner Burke

“I recently heard from one of my son’s former teachers that her favorite gifts hands down were ones of membership to places she would love to go to but never had the money to go... We’ve done family memberships (which are good for a year) to Botanic gardens, museums and aquariums by pooling together money with the rest of the families in our classes to make the money go further.” ― Patricia Bell

“Helpful??? Supplies for hands-on projects that would typically come from my own money. Appreciated? Handmade and/or personal gifts” ― MiaLynn DB

“I value a note or letter from a student. I know it is not as practical as a Starbucks gift card, but it helps me to know that my efforts are not in vain. The idea that I make a difference... that feeds my soul.” ― Heather Hein Vernon

“One year all my students’ families pooled money together for a gift card to a spa. Best.present.ever.”― Beth Zarling

“Nice pens, pads of paper for ‘to do’ lists.”―Christina Snyder