Gift Ideas for Students

Inexpensive Religious Gifts from Teachers to CCD Class Children

Apr 13, 2007
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick

At the close of this school year, give your religious education class a gift from the heart.

As the religious education year winds down, CCD teachers begin to search for inexpensive gift ideas for their students, to show their appreciation for a successful year.

It's not an easy task. If you have more than a handful of students in your CCD class, you'll want to give a meaningful end-of-year gift that won't bust your budget.

Here are some ideas for gifts from the heart that won’t cost you much, but will leave a lasting impression on your students.

Reminder Bag

Give each child a small Ziplock bag filled with the following items, along with a note explaining what each one reminds them to do over the summer.

Toothpick – to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.
Rubber band – to remind you to be flexible when things don’t go your way.
Band-Aid – to remind you to always help people feel better.
Pencil – to remind you to list your blessings every day.
Eraser – to remind you that everyone makes mistakes and to forgive others.
Chewing gum – to remind you that if you stick with something, you can accomplish great things.
Breath mint – to remind you that every day is a fresh start.
Life Saver – to remind you to help those in need.
Hershey’s Kiss – to remind you that everyone needs a kiss every now and then.
Hershey’s Hug – to remind you that everyone needs a hug, too!
Tea bag – to remind you to take a minute to relax every day and think about God.

Prayer Journal

Give each child a small blank book to use as a prayer journal over the summer. You can decorate the cover, or write a message to each child inside the front cover.

Everybody Loves Homemade Cookies

Bake cookies and package three or four in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon and a handmade tag thanking them for a great year. A good “gift cookie” is sugar cookies with M&Ms.

Flowers

Buy a flat of pretty flowers and repot individual plants in paper cups. Wrap a pretty ribbon around the top and you’ve got a beautiful gift.

Dollar Store Delights

Hit your local dollar store or closeout bargain store and see what you can find that would appeal to children.

Give them each a bottle of bubbles and a big piece of sidewalk chalk for some summer fun.
Roll up a coloring book, tie it with thick ribbon and attach a pack of crayons.