With the end of the school year approaching, the MonroeTalkers are chatting about teacher gifts.

I’m a Sunday School teacher and my “school year” ended last week. So I’ve already been on the receiving end of that cycle for the year.

If you are a family on a budget, do not fret yourself over these things. My mother-in-law was a first-grade classroom teacher for many years and ended up with too much “cute stuff” that she eventually had to clear out.

But if this is a custom you wish to observe, here are some inexpensive, practical and cheerful ideas, based on what I’ve been given over the years and what the classroom teachers seem to like:

• Gift card to a craft, book or school supply store. (Another possibility is a gift card to a religious items store if you are honoring a Sunday School teacher.) This is absolutely the most practical gift idea around. If there’s a limited budget in the school fund, the teacher is spending her own money for classroom supplies.
• A bouquet of flowers or a potted plant. Very easy, very inexpensive when you cash-and-carry, very eco-friendly with the potted plants, and sometimes you can support a fundraiser along the way.
• Gift card to a restaurant. This does NOT need involve collecting a big pool of money so the teacher can have a formal sit-down meal with her husband! One of my students gave me a $10 gift card to Panera Bread this year and I am quite happy with that. I’ll buy myself lunch sometime, and pick up a sweet bread to take home to share with my husband.
• If you have talents in the fine arts or folk arts, a one-of-a-kind creation can be a lovely gift with little expense out of your pocket.
• A thank you note or card. Very inexpensive, very sweet.