7 Teacher Gift Ideas Under $20 (That Teachers Actually Want)

Teachers get a lot of mugs. (A lot.) This year, give something they'll actually use up and enjoy during the busiest, coldest stretch of the school year. Here are our favorite teacher gift ideas under $20, plus an easy way to cover the whole grade team at once.

What makes a great teacher gift?

• It gets used up. Consumable gifts like tea, cocoa and home fragrance don't add clutter to a classroom or a home.
• It's ready to give. Pre-packaged gifts with a nice label save you wrapping time.
• It's easy to buy in multiples. Homeroom teacher, specials teachers, aides, the school nurse, the bus driver... the list grows fast.

7 teacher gift ideas under $20

1. A Medicine Ball Tea Kit

Teachers are around every sniffle in the building. A Medicine Ball Tea Kit has everything for one cozy honey-lemon-mint mug: two teas, a lemon elderberry packet, a honey spoon and a dried lemon slice. Under $6 each.

2. Hot Cocoa Shots

Our Deluxe Hot Cocoa Shots come in adorable vials layered with rich cocoa and toppings. Just add hot milk. Perfect for a snow-day treat.

3. A Simmer Pot Kit

A Holiday Spice or Lavender Fields simmer pot kit lets them fill their home with a warm, natural scent over winter break.

4. The tea + cocoa pairing

Pair one tea kit with one cocoa shot for a "warm drinks" gift that covers tea lovers and chocolate lovers alike.

5. The Single Teacher Gift bundle

Our Teacher Gift Bundle combines a Medicine Ball Tea Kit, Hot Cocoa Shots and a Lavender Fields simmer pot for $16.99.

6. A gift card to a local coffee shop, paired with a tea kit

Tuck a small gift card behind a tea kit for a thoughtful two-part gift.

7. A handwritten note

Free, and often the gift teachers keep the longest. Add one to anything on this list.

Buying for the whole team? Get the 5-Teacher Set

Our 5-Teacher Set includes 5 Medicine Ball Tea Kits and 5 Hot Cocoa Shot sets: enough for a whole grade team, specials teachers or aides. It's $59 and ships free.

Shop all teacher gifts →

When to give teacher gifts

• Winter break: the last day before holiday break is the most popular time.
• Teacher Appreciation Week: the first full week of May.
• End of the school year: a thank-you for a great year.
• Get well: when a favorite teacher is out sick, a tea kit is a sweet "feel better" gesture.