Presents and Snacks and Fun, Oh My!

Whew! It's been a week! The kids are so ready for a break...and the teachers are too! Fortunately, this year we have a full 2 week break!  I cannot express how happy this makes me.  I totally need those two weeks to regroup and recover!

We have been trying to squeeze in some fun nothings despite our breakneck pace and packed curriculum in third grade. Here's what we've been up to:

How stinkin' cute are these plates? I have done the legendary Cara Carrol First Grade Parade Snowmen

Plates for years and they always turn out sooooo cute! I love having a project that is ALWAYS successful. This year, I have one student who was in my second grade class last year and she already did the project, so we branched out from snowmen to also include wreathes and trees. This way, we had options, but were not necessarily holiday based.  I braved the snow and clear-coated all of these babies before coming home tonight in the yard outside the school I propped open my outside door and sprayed away, but still made the school a little smelly! It had to be done!

For my student gifts, I put little memo pads from the dollar tree with a winter pencil in little treat bags. I went all cheap this year. I normally buy journals for each student, but couldn't beat 3/$1.00 notepads from the Dollar Tree (and you know the kids love them just as much)!

I also stumbled upon a nice way to give each student a book. I have collected books from my Scholastic benefits, picking up as many dollar books with my free choices as I can. I always had a problem with kids not liking the books I gave them or complaining they have read them. Nothing makes you feel great as a teacher as when the kids whine and complain a both a GIFT you gave them! Last June, I spread the books out on a table and let the kids pick their own and it worked fabulously! Everyone got what they picked from the collection and I one complained!

 For Christmas, I put all the books in a big basket and tied a bow on it. My plan it to tell the kids the books are a gift for our classroom. They can each pick one and the rest will go in our classroom library. (I might be really cheap and save the extras for an end-of-year present....and yes, yes I am thinking about June!)

Finally, I always debate about gifts for colleagues.  It can get sooo expensive. Here's what I came up with (sorry about the poorly focused iPad photo!):

I bought little gift bags that come eight to a pack from Big Lots. I ordered soaps from Etsy (hopefully I will have time to label them in the morning!) and put them in treat bags with little burlap bows. I bundled six blank notecards from a huge pack I got at Joann's and added tree little cookie/candy things.  I'm callin' it good!

I am beyond excited to have some time to sleep, put some order into my life and maybe work on something other than school before college starts up again! I have a few TPT ideas that I just can't seem to get to. Hopefully I will find some time!  

What are you planning to do over your vacation? Have an amazing Friday!