Christmas gifts ideas for teachers

Econominical Christmas gift ideas your children can give to each of their teachers -- gingerbread mencookies.

It's nearing the Christmas holidays and your child wants to give a gift to each of his school teachers. Unfortunately, there are five or six different individuals at the school that are important to your child.

His teachers, the custodian who helps him get his ball off the roof and the secretary who allows him to call home when he's forgotten his homework; these people are important to your child. How can you ask him to choose only one or two of these special people? That would not be fair to him. Neither would it be fair to say he couldn't give anything to any of these influential individuals.

In reality, however, who can afford to buy something for each one of them?

Why not give a gift that truly comes from the heart? Taking the time to bake something lets the recipient know how special he/she is. It's easy to buy cookies, but it takes time and effort to make them by hand.

Why not encourage your child to bake gingerbread men cookies, decorate them with icing and candies and offer them as a Christmas gift to each of his teachers?

If you have more than one child, this activity can be done with the whole family. Spend an afternoon in the kitchen, bonding and baking, laughing and smiling.

You will need:

* a good recipe for gingerbread cookies

* cookie cutter in the shape of a gingerbread man

* tubes of colorful icing

* small candies for decorations

* styrofoam plates (large enough to hold one gingerbread man cookie)

* plastic wrap

* Christmas tags

* ribbon/bows

Once you have prepared your dough and have rolled it onto a flat surface, use the gingerbread man cookie cutter to make your shaped cookies. Place the gingerbread men on the baking sheet and bake them, following your recipe.

Once cooled, they will be ready for the creative ideas your children will have. Cookie decorating is the most fun when it comes to baking.

Note: it is important that the cookies are cool before you begin icing or the icing will melt.

Cookie decorating can be simple (for the younger children) or more complex for the older child.

Simple decorations can include:

* outlining the gingerbread man

* use icing to stick small candies for eyes and buttonholes

More advanced decorations can include:

* using the icing to draw an outfit on the gingerbread person (i.e. a dress, a jacket and bow tie, hair, shoes, etc.)

* make expressive facial features

Stick the candies onto the gingerbread cookie by placing a small amount of icing underneath them.

When the cookies have been decorated, place them aside so they may dry completely. If you try to wrap them when the icing is wet, the decorations will smear.

When the cookies have dried sufficiently, place them on the styrofoam plates and cover with plastic wrap. This plate will prevent the cookie from breaking. Wrap the plate with ribbon and attach a bow. Write out a card and tape it to the package.

To ensure that the cookies do not get broken in transit to school, why not place them in a large plastic container.

The recipients of this Christmas gift will be touched by the effort you and your child have made. He/she will also enjoy the tasty treat.