Top 10: Holiday Gifts For A TEFL Teacher

My favorite answer to any question which I’ll apply to this one too is: it depends! You do need to know something about the person you’re buying for, and even what’s available locally and what’s not will depend on where the person is. The only no-no in my book would be “big” things - as in heavy books or unwieldy objects.

With the assistance of the Travel Gear Blog and my own great imagination, here are my top 10 pics:

1. Non-perishable food from home which isn’t available in the teacher’s host country and can be sent easily. Kraft Macaroni seems to be a hit with Americans, as are Twizzlers and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The latest Emerging Trend though is apparently International Delight Amaretto Creamer (in the packets that don’t need to be refrigerated!) and chocolate peanut butter Balance bars!

2. Books with a travel or living abroad theme like Material World, one of my favorites, or the Culture Shock! series - several exist for different countries.

3. Gift certificates for downloadable iPod music - best if recipient actually has an iPod and I’m sure Santa knows that I don’t - or Skype credit (though this isn’t as straightforward as it could be).

4. Pictures from home. One teacher who couldn’t go home for Christmas got photos of his family with their arms around a literal “cardboard cutout” of him.

5. For the highly motivated teacher interested only in the classroom, how about board pens, Blu Tack, Scotch tape or White Out.

Not really.

Some neat ideas from the Travel Gear Blog:

6. This cute quilted laptop bag.
7. Leg warmers! (Think they are dorky? Au contraire!)
8. Spray to waterproof your map.
9. Save a life with the flashlight that doubles as a smoke alarm. I’m with Bob on this one : “Unless you hate freedom, you might want to consider purchasing one.”
10. Another food idea: dehydrated holiday meals. Yummy.