Picture-perfect teacher gifts

I am convinced that some of the most amazing people in the world go into special education--as teachers, therapists and paraprofessionals. Each Christmas, I wish there was a way to truly express how grateful our family is for the magic they work in our lives every single day.

Sadly, I'm constrained by a budget--and the fact that this magic requires a heck of a lot of people.

We do write thank you notes--and I hope that the people who work with Xander know that I mean every word.

When it comes to gifts, it's hard to think of ideas that aren't tacky but won't eat up our entire holiday budget. This year, I was really excited to think of one--which I will share in detail later. I'm going to order poinsettias from the local activity center, which provides a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. It's where Xander will spend his days after he leaves school--and where many of his teacher's and paras' graduates wind up.

I can easily drop these off at Xander's school. But his after-school life skills program is pretty far from our house and I began to worry that with all of the hustle and bustle, I wouldn't have time to deliver the flowers. So I wanted an alternative, something that could fit in the backpack he brings to the day program.

These picture-frame ornaments from Michaels fit the bill perfectly. To make the gift extra special, I tucked each one into a red chevron-patterned paper bag and added a tag that I designed to match the gift. The best part--these tags can be used a lot this year, as I'm giving family photos to several people on my list. I'm putting them in larger frames, wrapping in tissue paper, then sticking the sticker on the tissue paper, putting the gift in a box and wrapping. So simple, but adds a layer of delight!

Want to print some tags out for your picture-perfect presents? Click here. If you have one handy, a 3-inch circle punch works great for cutting these out. If not, a pair of scissors works well too.

What are you giving your child's teachers this year?