Heads up, there's class Christmas Card Exchanges

Just a warning, to those who might not know, there are Xmas card exchanges at schools in the UK. Just like Valentines day that we did back home. You can get a list of the children's names from your child's teacher. You can send the cards at any time. My daughter got 3 last week already.

Didn't want anyone to be caught off guard, as I was the first year when my daughter got all of hers on the last day before the holiday break, and I was SOL.

I've said it before. but it's worth saying again

THANK YOU LEAH !!!!!

I'd have seriously screwed this one up...I knew absolutely nothing about it. Poor kid get's picked on enough without his mother forgetting the flipping cards <groans>

Cheers,
Red

YES, THIS IS TRUE, says mother who stood at the Alldays for 10 minutes this morning while precious sons chose the perfect cards!  MY 11 year old throws out any cards given to him by a girl!!  Wait about 5 years.  What about teacher gifts, I have most of mine lined up in front of me, bought at Bath and Body Works in Chicago, so the brit teachers will be mystified!!

So, are these just "regular" Christmas cards? Or are there packs of cards, like the Valentines?  

Teacher gifts -- what do people generally give?  Is there a generally accepted price range?

I haven't even gotten our Christmas cards sorted, now this!

Uff-da!!

Stephanie

I have no idea about the cards but I can field the Teachers gift question with some expertise.

My Mom has been a teacher now for 35 yrs and every year it's fun to watch her open the presents her students give her. She honestly treasures all her students but I can't tell you how many times she's gotten something that very discreetly gets put away in a drawer or a closet. I remember one year it was 3 bottles of Charlie...  

So with all that in mind, pretty ornaments are always a good choice (there's always a chance your childs teacher might not be religious so chose carefully, also a nativity scene could be a bust with a jewish teacher  [smiley=stunned.gif]) Other great gifts are teacher themed (little apples or Worlds Greatest Teacher logo) mugs, magnets or picture frames. Last simple house gifts, small frames, candles or bath stuff always goes over well.  General rule of thumb in the States is not over $20....I'd assume it's the same here.

In the end the teachers will always sort things out in the faculty room...for years a diabetic teacher at my Mom's school would discreetly trade all her chocolate treats with another teacher...she was allergic to frangrances so they'd swap sugar for scents   The kids were none the wiser and everyone was happy.

Hope this helps
Red

When you're looking at Christmas cards, theres usually the smallish packs of 20-30.  With a cartoony drawing. Animals, angels,etc.    Usually about a pound or two.  They're everywhere.  Sainsbury's, Woolies, Tescos.  That's what most people give.  
I've never spent more than 5 pounds on a teacher's gift.  Don't know if that's usual.  We gave the dated mugs from the Disney shop last year and they were a big hit.  

When you're looking at Christmas cards, theres usually the smallish packs of 20-30.  With a cartoony drawing. Animals, angels,etc.    Usually about a pound or two.  They're everywhere.  Sainsbury's, Woolies, Tescos.  That's what most people give.  

Cool Thanks Mindy...I need to pick those up tonight apparently.

On a side note - I was worried Ian hadn't gotten any Christmas cards given he hadn't mentioned anything about receiving any. So upon returning home from school, I asked him about it...turns out my eldest anklebiter has received about 10 already  
He hadn't mentioned them however, because well over half of them have the word 'love' in them
Ah yes the 'Attack of the English Girls' still continues in my California boys life and he's grouchy about it.

He calmed down when I explained he didn't have to write 'love' back in his cards, it's not mandatory. Apparently one of the girls told him he had to...Oops...LOL.  

This reminds me of when Emily(13) was in year one.  There were some people that she REALLY hated and didn't want to send Christmas cards to.  I gave her the whole 'if you don't send one you can't send any, it'd be rude, yadayada' speech.  So she said 'Okay, but I'm not writing LOVE'.  We still tease her about that.

Thanks for that reminder Leah. Luckily when we first arrived here, our daughter was such a social butterfly that she had already found out about the tradition in plenty of time for us to do something about it.
One further word of advice - Woolworths. Normally I'd never pick up Christmas cards there, but for little kids to give to friends they cost abotu 6p for a pack of 12000 of the ugliest season's greetings you've ever seen.

By the way, if you're having trouble finding decent cards, check out any National Trust shop.