There was an article in the weekend paper about it.

Ridiculous! Teachers don't want it either. In a more enlightened age it may be consigned to the dustbin of history along with proms, and those daft stretch limousines.

What kind of gifts are there and do you think they do this in South East Asia? 

I hate this!

I hate this being turned into an "expectation"  (not by the teachers....  but the shops)...  making it into something you are supposed to do.

There have been years when my kids have taken a gift for their teachers...  its been the exceptional teachers... the ones that were special...  the gift was a token of gratitude for this.   The last one was actually a bouquet of flowers for my sons Year 6 primary school teacher, who went above & beyond the call of duty to help us find him a place at a decent secondary school (she spent an evening of her own time ringing round contacts from schools in the neighbouring county to see if they had places)....   The flowers were from us (parents) as well as my son.

In secondary school its tended to be the kids having a whip round & buying a collective gift... off their own backs...  which I think is fine.

In a survey of 1,000 of its members, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) ATL found 93% had received gifts. The most popular present was chocolate (85% of gifts), but other gifts included opera tickets, champagne, a Tiffany bracelet and tickets for the Test match.

Primary school teacher Chris Clarke said: "Although I am very grateful that pupils and their parents appreciate what I do for them, I do feel that in our school there is a culture of present-giving that can become almost unhealthy."

When I finished my long stint of teacher training practice I was bought a few gifts from some of the kids and their parents - the most memorable was a can of Special Brew 

http://women.timesonline.co.uk...s/article6717671.ece

Where once a parent may have given a small present to a teacher who had given his or her child extra help or particular encouragement, the end-of-year show of gratitude to teachers is now less of an option, more an obligation — literally in some cases. A friend tells me that at her children’s school, one of the class mothers takes it on herself to collect £10 per child — no cash, no name in the class card. My friend has twins and is, therefore, spending more on a present for a woman she barely knows than on her husband’s birthday gift. The lucky teacher receives £300 worth of vouchers each Christmas and July — not a bad bonus for doing her job.

Every year this picks up worse.

Now gifts in the card shops and local stores and supermarkets. 

I think schools should put a block on it. Limit it to cards only.

As a teacher, I have to admit to having donated a lot of my "gifts" to raffles and charity shops as there is a limit to how many boxes of chocolates and smellies one can actually get through. While it is appreciated by teachers, I feel for the parents who feel they have to do this, particularly when times are hard, as they are now. I never thought any less of anyone if they gave me nothing - I did the job because I loved it.

Having said that, the most memorable "thank you" I ever had was when a group of children in my class of 8-10 year olds got together and made me a cake and iced it themselves with "Thank you Mrs *****" written on the top. THAT was the best gift you could ask for. Never forgotten it, 24 years on!!

I never buy presents for teachers at the end of the year, i buy them one at xmas and one when my daughter leaves that school, dats da rules here! I just think, im not going to stress myself rushing to buy the teacher a present, then what about the support workers, oh and the favourite teachers oh and the bus driver and then what about the bus escort 20 million roses chocolates later i bet they dont even want another box of warm chocolates.

The best presents for teachers that we got at Christmas was the oxfam unwrapped scheme. I clubbed them all together and got the 'teach a teacher' gift.

The past few years my eldest son has brought a note out with him from the class teacher saying that she appreciates the gifts she gets at the end of the year but that year won't be accepting anything other than 50p which she will donate to charity on behalf of her class.  I think that was the right way of going about it.

My youngest sons teacher was a dragon. I'd have been asking HER for 50p if she had sent out a note.

Well...if it includes DVD's, Video Games and Ties I'm all for it      

at primary school my children always bought a gift - be it chocs or flowers - a small pressie to say thank you (i leave the binmen a box of chocs/tin of biccys  too), i don't feel obligated the way some stores are trying to make pupils/parents feel but i do want to show my appreciation. 

 Years ago my son had same teacher for two years (as did the rest of the class) one parent collected a pound (i did say a long time ago) and bought a storybook, each child wrote their name in the book but the head teacher wouldn't allow it to be presented during end of year assembly as it was not fair on other staff  (although it was the last year for those pupils)

No kids should be buying gifts for teachers IMO. Only cards.  I am sick to death of the competing by the parents of the kids.  The worst thing is this blasted prom thing.  My cousin has 2 kids and the one is about to have her prom, and some of the girls are actually saying that theie mum has spent £500 on their prom dress and £400 on a limo.  Pile of fecking shit!  Trying to out-do each other all the time.

I only ever bought a gift for one teacher at my sons primary school but that was for a teacher he had 3 years on the trot who was emigrating to Australia...I've never brought them Xmas gift either...if the kids want to write a card for their teachers then they can otherwise where does it stop...the head, the TA's, the dinner ladies?

It wasn't done at all when i was at primary school though at our secondary school the class would do a collection and buy the form tutor a Christmas gift,....only fair seeing as she got a little something for everyone in the class,

Surely the teachers wouldn't want 20 I love my teacher teddy bear ornaments, and 15 boxes of chocolates and  my favourite teacher plaques etc? 

I'm sure they must be sick of it, and more happier with a card.

It annoys me how it makes the children feel, they shouldn't feel they have to do the same as everyone else.