Gifts for Teachers... That They Actually WANT to Receive (Hint: No Yankee Candles or Cucumber Melon Lotion!)

BACK AWAY FROM THE YANKEE CANDLES!

Growing up in a household with two teachers, I saw many a foolish teacher gift pass through during the Christmas holiday season. And it's not that these gifts weren't appreciated, but someone can only have so many cucumber melon-scented lotions, vanilla-scented hand soaps, Yankee candles and apple ornaments. So break out of the mold and get your favorite teacher a personalized gift they can decorate their classroom with - and enjoy not only this year, but for many years to come!

I created a series of personalized gifts for teachers on my Etsy site, created with input from my teacher parents and friends: "Classroom Rules" (with versions available for Daycare teachers, Preschool teachers and even Special Needs classrooms!), "Dear Students" - a note telling students how much they care, "In This Classroom" - a list of class expectations, and "THINK Before you Speak".

How do I know teacher's want these prints? I sold out during the Back to School season with teachers ordering these prints for their own classrooms : ) I sold hundreds of them to teachers wanting to personalize their classroom, and add a splash of personality and fun that they couldn't find in a typical teacher store.

To make it even more special and personalized, you can swap out one of the phrases with something the teacher says all the time - like "Be legendary" or "Remember the Golden Rule".

Use coupon code WHATTEACHERSWANT now through December 31st to save 20% on any Teacher-Inspired artwork in my Etsy shop.

Now go any return those Yankee Candles and scented lotions before you lose your receipt!! And visit Sweet Leigh Mama on Etsy to get those teachers what they really want this year :)

 

Couples That Pray Together Stay Together Typography Art - Get it NOW for Only $6

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169709946/couples-that-pray-together-stay-together?ref=shop_home_active
 

One of my newest designs - Couples That Pray Together Stay Together. Use coupon code COUPLESTHATPRAY at check out to get the 8x10" print for only $6.00 (45% discount) now through Christmas Day.

Expand Your Kids' Palate This Thanksgiving: Inspiration from the Country's Fanciest Hotels by Kendra Thorton

Guest Post by Kendra Thorton, Lifestyle and Travel Expert from Chicago, IL

 

I love the traditional Thanksgiving meal. I feel it is imperative that we always have turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce on our table each year. This year I want to try some new dishes as well as all of our tried and true! Since I have traveled extensively in the past, I found an article on Gogobot’s blog that lists what some of the luxury hotels will be serving to their guests on Thanksgiving this year!

I plan to take some of their gourmet ideas and customize them for my table this year! I hope everyone enjoys the new additions. I want to shake it up a bit this year! The kids need to develop their palate. If the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando is serving up velvety pumpkin soup with lobster, I will too! Delectable and comfort food in an appetizer is yummy! A thick warm soup is just what we need as a precursor to our meal. A touch of elegance to go with our traditional family meal will be exceptional.

• The Plaza, NYC: For Thanksgiving 2013, the Plaza’s menu highlights traditional turkey alongside some decadent remixes of autumn flavors. Pumpkin risotto with duck confit looks like a promising first course, while a Skuna Bay salmon with black truffle holds down a fish option. Plus, a chestnut tagliatelle with guanciale and mushrooms.
• Ritz Carlton, San Francisco: Parallel 37 restaurant’s Thanksgiving menu at San Francisco’s Ritz Carlton is indeed ‘music to our ears’. Classic and decadent, but not without some inventive twists, their warm beet salad with goat cheese – standard on menus across the country – sports inventive additions kumquats and lobster.
• Waldorf Astoria, Orlando: If you’re looking for bona fide excellence, take our advice and choose the Waldorf Astoria. Their Thanksgiving menu at restaurant Bull and Bear stays miles away from the jello salads and small dishes of pickles that are traditional on some family holiday tables. Start your dinner with a velvety pumpkin soup accented by lobster, followed by a turkey with all the trimmings. The side dishes are supposed to be the best part of Thanksgiving, after all. Don’t forget to cordon off a corner of your stomach for a sweet potato donut (sic) at the end.
• Trump International, Chicago: Book a table at Sixteen, the Trump International’s excellent restaurant. Perhaps to contrast the flat plains of the Midwest, the chef has created a menu with positively fanciful categories, like ‘The Poisson & the Pressing of Autumn Fruit,’ or the ‘The Bounty of the Hudson Valley’.

 

• The Venetian, Las Vegas: Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at the Venetian does a traditional Thanksgiving to the nines, commencing with pork belly and finishing off with a trio of pies.  And remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas – except perhaps those extra five pounds.

I also like to use Pinterest for ideas on appetizers and desserts that my kids will enjoy making with me in the kitchen. As they get older, they love to help me out in the kitchen. I have found that the simpler the dish the better because complex equals mess! The less chopping, mixing and measuring needed the better. So, I’ve been thinking of some fast and fun dishes to make that the kids will still enjoy.

Please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving filled to the brim with superb food and wonderful memories!

 

Interested in putting a Guest Post on Sweet Leigh Mama? Email me at sweetleighmama@gmail.com with your idea!