Australian teachers have spoken: one gift from the class beats individual presents – and what they actually want is a gift card paired with a heartfelt class card. In a new survey of 143 teachers, 88% preferred a single class gift. When asked to rank gifts by what they’d love to receive from parents, gift card got the top vote (69.23%) followed by a card (17.5%).
“Teachers don’t need 25 candles or even a reusable coffee mug,” said Ali Linz, Co-Founder of GroupTogether. “They want a heartfelt keepsake paired with something they’ll actually use. A gift card from the whole class and a card that each child signs is the bit they treasure. GroupTogether makes it super easy to do both of these all in one. It’s better for everyone.”
Teachers were clear about the best gifts they’ve received. As one put it, “$50 gift card…I could use it anywhere I wanted,” while another said, “Cards written by students are the best.”
On the flip side, some of the “worst gifts” received by teachers include “Six mugs at one Christmas time…I don’t have the space”, “Anything with ‘World’s Best Teacher’ on it!!” and even “Earrings (I don’t have my ears pierced) and alcohol (I don’t drink).”
GroupTogether data reveals families chip in $26 on average per child. Even if 20 kids in the class contribute, you can quickly see how this adds up to one truly impactful gift for the teacher.
“Let’s retire the mug. One class gift, one gorgeous card and a teacher who actually feels appreciated,” says Linz. With GroupTogether, everyone can sign a card with the option of chipping in a little too. Soooo easy!”
Key findings:
● 88.1% of teachers prefer one class gift over individual gifts.
● Top voted: Gift card (69.23%) & greeting card (17.5%) of first-choice votes. ● Runners up: Chocolates or food hamper (3.5%); Flowers/plants (2%); Pamper gifts e.g. candles & hand cream (2%); Personalised items (2%).
● Bottom of the list: “World’s Best Teacher” merch and mugs / reusable coffee cup. ● Average chip-in: $26 per child.
