每年圣诞节我都会送老师一些小礼物。我真心觉得老师是个伟大的职业，想在这个欢乐的季节表达感谢。那么，在美国给老师送礼有什么讲究或什么忌讳呢？
送礼的时机
老师不会因为没收到礼物就对孩子怎样，但一份暖心的小礼物 makes somebody’s day，尤其在这个 giving season 是件快乐的事儿。送礼不需太频繁，一年两三次足够了，次数太多则显得刻意。适合的时机有：
- 9月教师感谢周。
- 12月圣诞节。
- 5月学年结束时。
- 其他送礼的时机比如情人节、感恩节、老师的生日等。
礼物的价值
- 了解当地法规，比如 Massachusetts 就规定公立学校教师不得收取价值$50以上的礼物，班级集体送的礼物除外。我住在 Kansas 大农村，我 Google 了一下 Kansas teacher gifting policy，好像没有规定价值上限。
- 看当地物价和学校水平。一年两万刀的私校，$200的礼物恐怕也不奇怪。但若是公立学校，$200就太多了。
- 看家庭能力。心意大于价值，3块5块的小礼物也不失礼哦。$20以内比较常见，礼物太贵老师也压力山大啊。
适宜的礼物种类
送礼物嘛，最紧要就系对方收得开心。开学时老师都会自我介绍嘛，老师平时有啥爱好，喜欢去哪些店，喜欢收集什么东西。呐，你是不是没有头绪呢，要不要看看下面的 idea？
孩子亲手写的感谢卡
我问了现在当老师的朋友，她们最喜欢收到什么礼物。排名第一的是孩子写的贺卡、感谢卡！
鲜花
除非老师花粉过敏，送花是个绝不过时的礼物，鲜花令人心情愉悦。
礼卡
最实际的礼物，而且礼卡永不过期。超市礼卡是最实用的，本地餐厅的礼卡也不错，快餐店的礼卡也行。如果老师喜欢喝咖啡，星爸爸礼卡最合适；如果老师喜欢看电影，可以送电影院礼卡或 Redbox 礼卡。如果要送高级百货店的礼卡，价值最好是要能买得起一件商品，想象一下老师拿着礼卡去逛商店，发现自己还得掏100刀才能买下一件东西多尴尬。若想不到哪间店合适，可以送万能的 Visa/Master gift card。
常见商家的礼卡在大型超市如 Target、Walmart 都有卖，或者去网上买，最常见的如 www.giftcards.com，不但礼卡种类多，还可以 customize（比如用你孩子的相片设计卡面，送老师则可以选择应节的图案），而且激活费较低。
课室用得上的东西
小学生常常弄不见文具，老师的经费有限，很多时候课室里的文具还得自掏腰包，送老师文具就最实用啦。要知道课室内最需要什么东西，参照开学日清单买就对了，像是白板笔、铅笔、橡皮擦、文件夹等，老师每年都会用到。想要在节日特别一点，还可以定制文具，比如印上老师名字的铅笔。
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糖果零食
老师不是超人，她们也会偷偷吃零食的（偷笑）。巧克力、糖果、口香糖、薯片、energy bar、爆米花、饮料都可以，投其所好更好。
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洗手液、护手霜
洗手液和护手霜不太挑肤质，可以随身带着用或者放在课室用。到了秋冬，护手霜简直用得比牙膏还快。想要送人好看一点的话，Bath & Body Work 的不错。
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毯子或袜子
毯子指的是美国人说的 throw blanket，窝在沙发里盖，或者午休时盖腿。袜子则是个不太挑风格的配饰，挑节日主题或更活泼一点的搞怪图案都行。
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带有回忆的照片簿、剪贴簿
能收到学生亲手做的礼物，老师是最开心的。选取学年中有意义的照片，在学期结束时做成照片簿，除了送老师，自己留一份也很有纪念意义。
班级集体礼物
如果你孩子的班上有 room parent，她可能会向每个家长收取一定现金，然后买一份价值比较高的集体礼物。或者你可以当代表，集资买礼物。样本信如下，把< >里替换成你的信息即可：
Hi everyone,
With the holidays just around the corner, I would like to get <TEACHER> a group gift from the class and will be taking up a collection if you are interested in participating. In the past, parents have generally contributed <SOME AMOUNT>. However, please give whatever amount you feel comfortable with if you choose to go in on the gift. (It will most likely be a gift card plus a little something). Contributions can be sent to school in a sealed envelope addressed to <YOUR CHILD’S NAME> and she will bring it home to me. (If you include your name & email address, I will send you an email to confirm receipt of the contribution.)
I would like to purchase the gift in the next week and present it to <TEACHER> on <DATE>. To that end, I would appreciate it if I could get the contributions by <SOME DATE>.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
<YOUR NAME>
不宜送的礼物种类
下面这些东西达咩，No No No
现金
礼卡最实际，但送现金则是下策。一是很奇怪，二是有贿赂嫌疑。不排除个别老师有明示暗示学生送 cash 的情况，如果我遇到这种老师，我首先对她的师德就产生疑问了，然后我会去查 teacher’s code of conduct，或者询问校长这种行为是否允许。能用一张礼卡解决的事儿，为什么要用现金呢？
捉弄人的礼物
小孩子三句不离 shi 尿屁，比如 Target 就有卖仿真的大便玩具，但这些玩具绝对不能送给老师！孩子觉得只是开玩笑，收到礼物的人却会觉得被冒犯了。
太私人的礼物
比如衣服、首饰、家居摆设、护肤品、化妆品等，因为你不了解老师的喜好、肤质和家居风格。我们做为学生家长，通常不会太深入到老师的个人生活。
自己做的菜和点心
就算你是妙手小厨娘，也不要送自己家做的食物。你不了解老师的饮食习惯和过敏史，老师也不了解这食物的配料和制作卫生状况，很有可能你的心意最后喂了垃圾桶。为了大家的健康着想，最好送超市买的包装食物。
杯子、香薰蜡烛
其实这两种礼物不会不适合，相反，它们很适合，太适合了以至于老师可能已经收到太多了。
苹果主题的礼物
我说的是红红的苹果，不是 Apple Inc。在美国，苹果代表着老师[参考]，所以给老师送礼也经常会有苹果的图案或造型。苹果主题是很适合送老师，但如果这件礼物老师用不上，她也没办法转送给朋友，只能堆在家里啦。
在哪里买礼物最实惠
家里有几个孩子，每个孩子又有几个老师，礼物加起来金额也挺可观的。幸好我是省钱小能手，我介绍你们去这几间店买，绝对不会让你的钱包烧一个洞。
- 连锁超市 Walmart / Target 等：糖果礼盒、鲜花。
- 大众百货店 Macy’s / Kohl’s 等：糖果、点心、毛毯。
- Bath and Body Work / The Body Shop 等：护手霜、洗手液、乳液。
- 折扣店 TJ Maxx / Marshall’s 等：高级糖果礼盒、圣诞曲奇饼、点心、护肤礼盒。
- Shutterfly / Snapfish / Walmart Photo Dept / Walgreens Photo Dept 等：照片簿。
- Etsy / eBay / Amazon 等：任何东西，定制文具。
- Dollar Tree / Family Dollar：贺卡。
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