It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas—either from the decorations or your bank account. We know how much you care for your students and want to give them something for the holiday, but we also know you can’t spend a ton of your money on presents for every student. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of inexpensive and thoughtful gifts you can give your students this holiday season!

1.Experience Coupons

This gift is free, and your students will love cashing in their coupons. Create a coupon book for each student in your class, allowing them to use their coupons whenever they want until the end of the year. Coupons included can be free homework passes, hat day, stuffed animal day, free time, switch your seat, line leader, errand runner, etc.

2. Personalized Coloring Books

Another free and fun gift is personalized coloring books. Using actual pictures—of your students, school, etc.—turned into coloring sheets via Colorscape, these books can be printed, stapled, and gifted to students for a truly unique gift. You can even include new crayons or used crayons melted into fun holiday molds or the first letter of each student’s name!

3. Melted Crayon Ornaments

What teacher doesn’t have little bits of crayons? Give these crayons a second life by melting them into molds, either holiday-themed or personalized for each student. Add a straw at the top of your mold to leave a place for a ribbon. When cooled, attach a ribbon. Voila, you have fun melted crayon ornaments for your students!

4. Homemade, personalized, and laminated bookmarks

Every student can use a bookmark. Get creative and design homemade and personalized bookmarks for your students. Laminate and cut these bookmarks, and you are done. You can even add a little jazz to the bookmarks by punching a hole in the tops and adding fun string or ribbon.

5. DIY ornaments made as a class

Surprise your students, and save yourself time, by gifting your students ornaments they get to make in class. Oriental Trading and Amazon have tons of fun and cheap options, from DIY ornament kits for the whole class to wooden ornaments to paint or color with markers. If nothing else, you can get crafty and let students use their imaginations with supplies you already have in the classroom. Beads and pipe cleaners can be used to make candy canes or wreaths, and popsicle sticks can be made into trees or reindeer.

6. Movie/PJ Day

Who says students need an actual gift? Treat your students with a movie and pajamas day. They get to wear their pajamas to school and watch a movie with their friends, and you can get some much-needed prep time before the holiday break. It’s a win-win!

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7. Scholastic dollar books

Scholastic always has $1 books. Gift each of your students a book to keep instead of borrowing. If you won’t get the books in time, create coupons for your students to use, choosing their own dollar book on your next book order.

8. Classroom supplies

Your students are always asking for pencils, right? (If you said no, we need to know your secret!) Gift your students their own classroom supplies to keep at school. Bendable pencils, rainbow pencils, scented pencils, pull-apart erasers, and brain teaser erasers, are just a few of the many fun classroom supplies you can give your students.

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9. A classroom gift

Think big! Instead of individual gifts, give a classroom gift that all of your students can enjoy together. Buy a board game or two for your classroom, or create a classroom movie day coupon or extra recess that is redeemable any time before the end of the year. Your students will love these gifts, and it will save you time and money.

10. Keepsake classroom bracelets

Friendship bracelets have been ultra trendy in 2023. Your students will love the keepsake customized bracelets to remind them of their year in your classroom!

12. Color-Your-Own holiday mugs

You can bulk order these color-your-own mugs for your classroom and send your students home with a festive creative activity.

13. Happiness journals

Studies show people are happier when they show gratitude for the things they have. In addition to helping your students practice their writing skills, a happiness journal can positively impact their mental health and manage stress levels. Win-win!

Tip: Remember, whatever you decide to give your students this holiday, they will absolutely love it because it is from you.