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Not sure what type of gift your child's teacher really wants? Wanting to avoid giving them something which they thank your child profusely for only to discard in the trashcan the minute they get home from school? Want to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a gift your child gave re-gifted to another teacher. The following items were listed by real teachers as some of the things they REALLY look forward to receiving.

School is stressful enough for all parties involved in the gift-giving chain without parents or students having to rack their brain trying to think of the perfect gift to present to said teacher only to present the said gift to the teacher which he or she doesn't want must feign delight in. Boy, that sentence was a mouthful!

A common solution most parents take to finding the perfect item for their child's teacher is to head over to Pinterest for possible suggestions for gifts that will have the receiver of said gift gushing the rest of the school year about the coolest thing they have ever received in the classroom. Others head over to the world's number #1 retailer Amazon searching for "teacher gifts". Most often these methods lead down a rabbit hole of disappointment and wasted time. So what's the answer? Sites such as Instagram can offer some valuable information on what really lights up a teacher's eyes when it comes to gifts received. Some of these might surprise you but they are all from the horse's mouth so to speak. So without further ado is the good the bad and the ugly.

The Bad & The Ugly When It Comes To Teacher Gifts

It may come as a surprise but one of the most popular gifts given to teachers every year is one of the least favorite gifts received by teachers every year. Were talking about the proverbial coffee mug. Most teachers with at least a few years under their belts will be awash in coffee mugs. The site of another fresh-faced student placing a poorly wrapped coffee mug on the desk is enough to make any teacher head to the teacher's lounge for the strongest drink they can find. Surprisingly more than one teacher mentioned they wouldn't mind receiving a Starbucks tumbler mug as a gift.

Teachers, like the rest of us, are becoming more health-conscious so treats such as baked goods and sweets while tempting was a gift item teachers discouraged parents or students from giving. As one teacher stated, "nothing makes my mouth water more than a plate full of chocolate chip cookies or a tray of brownies but in the end I know they are not good for me so I end up throwing them out after a few nibbles". Other types of baked goods were also discouraged simply because a teacher might not like them due to their dietary preferences.

One final gift-giving item that teachers frowned upon receiving was scented gifts. Not everyone likes the same smells and some scents can cause allergic reactions or make it difficult to breathe so unless you are very aware of what fragrances a teacher likes it's best to steer clear of these perfumed items.

Now that we've got the bad and the ugly out of the way let's get to the good stuff. The thoughtful gifts that teachers, principals, and administrators really enjoy receiving.

The Good When It Comes To Teacher Gift Giving

One of the top gift suggestions teachers mentioned at least on Instagram was something many schools don't allow on their premises. Can you guess what it is? Alcohol! Yep, that's right. Apparently, dealing with students all day long screams alcohol. Wine was the most preferred liquid courage mentioned. But be very careful with this type of gift! Actually, giving alcohol to a teacher on school grounds could cost them their job. One way to actually give without getting yourself or the teacher in hot water, so to speak, is to give a gift card to a liquor store, restaurant, or grocery store.