If you are brainstorming ideas for Christmas gifts for parents from students, then you’ve found the right place! This digital and printable holiday gift for families is a great student Christmas gift to parents, but it also works for Hanukkah and other holidays, too. It can even be used as a gift for parent volunteers!
This activity and craft was recently updated for distance learning. It is perfect for student-made gifts for the holidays because it helps to strengthen your students’ relationship with their parents and caregivers and other loved ones. It also helps to further develop a stronger home-to-school connection. The final product is such a great way for families to learn about what is happening during their child’s school day.
This gift is meaningful and special, but is also low cost and easy to make in the classroom. It is something I cherish using in my own house with my three children. I have found it really helps us stay connected when life gets busy. It will quickly become a favorite annual project and your students’ families will surely thank you! It truly is a gift that keeps on giving!
Learn more about my favorite Christmas gifts for parents from students below and download the resource so you can be ready for the holiday season!
The Problems this Holiday Gift Resource Solves
Every December I would struggle to come up with an idea for holiday gifts that my students could make for their families. The obstacles I faced included the following:
1. Saves Time
As teachers, we know we have a lot to cram into each day. While I fully support taking time from “academics” to fit in extra activities that the students will remember most, it is unfortunately not always possible to do so. If you feel like you never have enough time, grab these time-saving teacher tips!
2. Minimizes Cost
I had taken on projects with students in prior years that ended up costing me more money than I had originally anticipated.
3. Small Level of Difficulty
Even before Pinterest, I took on projects that seemed simple, but, in reality, left me pulling my (glitter-sprinkled) hair out.
4. Easy for Students to Reproduce
Many of my students came from non-traditional homes. As a result, they needed to produce more than one gift so they could give something to their parents or grandparents.
5. Meets Diverse Needs
Not all of my students celebrated the same holiday, so I needed to come up with something that was versatile and not holiday-specific.
How this Parent Christmas Gift Helps Students
- Children love being about to give the people they love presents, but often do not have the means to do so.
- When families use this gift night after night, it allows the students to be the center of positive attention from the important adults in their lives.
- The questions elicit very meaningful responses from the children. This allows parents to gain so much insight they otherwise would not have into what is going on in their childrens’ lives.
- It strengthens the home to school connection. When parents and teachers work as a team, all students benefit.
- All too often, kids leave school with one gift they have made and are forced to make the difficult decision of who to give it to if they are not living in a two-parent home. The ease of creating more than one gift allows students to create them for all of the important adults in their lives.
How this Parent Christmas Gift Helps Teachers
- Unlike a craft that will be tucked away, hundreds of parents have reported how much they love this gift because it brings the family closer together.
- It is the perfect combination of no prep, low cost materials and easy to do yet more valuable than any other gift you could have your kids make.
- It can be created as an “ongoing project.” This makes it the perfect activity for the hectic month of December in an elementary classroom. You can use it as a filler activity throughout the month.
Why You Will Love this Christmas Gift for Your Students’ Families
As mentioned above, it is low-cost, super easy to prep, and accessible to all your students, however, what you are REALLY going to love about this resource is the feedback you will get from your students’ families.
I was shocked by how many families took the time to write me a note or mention in person just how much they were enjoying the conversation starters.
Even now, years after having my first cohort make them, I have families mention that they still keep them on the table and other families have told me that the conversation starters trained them on how to ask their kids meaningful questions instead of just, “How was your day?”
How to Use this Resource in Your Classroom
Great news: it’s so easy to incorporate this Christmas gift idea into your busy school day. I found it best to make copies and staple them together into packets for each student. This was helpful because it kept all the pages organized until it was time to cut them out. I recommend having your students work on them as time allows, or sit and do it in one session. Consider giving each student a paper lunch sack to decorate and then place the gift inside of it.
Why Teachers Like You Love this Parent Gift Idea
Check out these testimonials from teachers who’ve used these Christmas gifts for parents from students in their classrooms…
I used this for my holiday gift this year and both the kids and parents loved it. We had fun making it and heard from some families that they have really enjoyed dinner lately! Thank you!!! – Jody B.
My kids were SO excited to have something that THEY could surprise their families with for Christmas! I love that this was CHEAP, EASY, and most of all not something that would get tossed after the new year started! Fantastic idea, thank you so much:)
– Holly H.
I’m using this to help my English learners to speak more at home with their families. What a fun way to get everyone involved!
– Jill P.
These are great! I love the topics and questions. It is also a great way to promote communication skills.
– Gina
I used this as a holiday gift for families in my second grade class and it was a huge hit! What a great way to get families talking!
– Jennifer A.
What is Included in this Christmas Gift Resource?
The following materials are included in this parent gift resource:
- teacher guide that walks you step-by-step through how to implement this resource in your classroom
- letter to families asking for donations for the project (Pringles can, gift wrap, etc.)
- informational letter to families explaining how to use the gift
- container labels including lid cover labels and cylinder labels
- 20 question cards that come in multiple card template options as well as a blank template where students can write their own questions
- additional resource extensions to use for special events and holidays (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, end of the year, back to school, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and more)
- digital versions of the resources so students can create the activity at home or in school
Related Christmas Activities
Check out all of our Christmas activities below!
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This December resource will save you lots of time and money when organizing and prepping these Christmas gifts for parents from students. Learn more about this Christmas gift idea for students’ families and download the resource today!
