Suggestions for gifts for school bus drivers -- mostly male
 

Looking for suggestions of gifts that I can make for the bus drivers at my school for Christmas. Most of them are male which makes it harder. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Love to see pictures as well.
thanks so much,
Sandy

anyone

A few years ago, I bought some Jiffy Popcorns...the kind you cook on the stove top...decorated them, added some ribbons on the handles...and gave them to the bus drivers. Near the holidays, Target sells them in the dollar spot!

I go to the Dollar Store and buy small glass jars (or collect them for free from friends and family), fill them with candy and decorate. This works well for the mail lady, too.

On the first day of school, my son gave this bag-in-a-box to his bus driver, filled with Hershey chocolates. The tutorial for making these is right here on SCS, and it is very easy to size down or up.

The first time it snows (or first day back in Jan) we give snowmen soup.

I give gift cards for McD's or Chick-Fila at Christmas (who can't use those?).

good luck!

A travel mug with packets of hot chocolate, instant soup, coffees and teas?

Small kits for kid emergencies- packets of kleenax, bandaids, wet wipes, cleaning wipes, etc.?

altered containers (I like the tubes from drink tubs, like Crystal light?) filled with homemade cookies or candies?

Often you can find inexpensive guy things, like LED flashlights, mini tool kits, folding utility knives or hex wrench sets, at places like Harbor Freight Tools. Or Radio Shack (always check for clearance!). I buy 'em when I find 'em, and put them in the present drawer.

And microwave popcorn, I think, is easier than Jiffy pop. And almost any break room anywhere has a microwave!

Containers of homemade Chex mix?

Packages of Windex wipes for the mirrors? You could say something about being able to see clearly now?

Those round keychain discs that have 4 screwdriver heads around the outside edge? I keep one in my purse, and it has come in awfully useful many times.

Pairs of inexpensive work gloves?

Post-it notes with a mini pen, on an altered coaster clipboard? Men make notes, too, you know!

Those are a few things that might work, or even get you brainstorming and thinking of other stuff!

Thanks so much for all of the wonderful ideas. Very much appreciated.
Sandy

Food. Homemade cookies, cakes, gift cards for Dunkin Donuts or Subway. I think the cutesy handmade card stuff just gets lost on them, I don't bother.

I noticed this thread thru the newsletter and I had to add to it...

Last year I made a matching card and pouch from Lauren Meader's Timeless Templates. I put the same things in it like you do the snowman soup ~ Hot Chocolate, marshmellows, candy cane, hershy's kiss. My DD's bus driver loved it!

Just my two cents ;)

Love the school bus- that's great!

This past Christmas I took a disposable coffee cup and filled it with hugs and kisses for our bus driver. I also tucked a gift card to Dunkin Donuts in it. I am not sure how to add a link to a picture in this reply, but I will post it in my gallery. The best part was the smile on his face when my girls gave it to him. Bus drivers around here are seldom thought of :o(

Since we have just one stop in our neighborhood...all the parents got together and donated $10 and bought "Mr. Cool Jay" a very nice Lowe's gift card! We just put it in a nice card and gave it to him the last day of Christmas break!

happened about this post. noticed you are upstate
click on my link in my signature. the oct one
the sign up ends friday
but you still have a month to get ready
we all would love to have you join us!

I ran across this on a site that was written by a Dave Arnold. Sounds like good ideas

Bus Driver Kit

Tootsie roll - so you can "roll" down the highway
Sponge - to soak up the rain, so you don't have to drive in it
Mounds - for the mounds of miles that you drive
Marbles - to replace the ones you've lost
Gem - to remind you that you are carrying precious cargo
Aspirin - take two every day
Cotton Ball - to cushion those rough roads
Rubberbands - for when your patience is stretched
Tums - for all the nervous stomachs
Mirror - to remind you how important you are.

Bus Driver Kit

A stick of gum - To remind you to stick with it!
A paper clip - To help keep things together.
A pencil - For the next time somebody says "get the lead out"
An eraser - To erase any mistakes or misunderstandings.
Crayons - To "color" your days bright and sunny
A tissue - To wipe away a tear-- your own or someone else's.
A poem - To share the beauty of words.
A penny - So you have enough "cents" to realize what a good job you are doing
A piece of string - For when you reach the end of your rope - this will keep you going a bit longer
A band aid - For healing hurt feelings, yours and someone else's.
A candle - To find your way to the bus on those dark mornings.
A rubber band - A reminder to stay flexible
A cotton ball - For the rough roads, seek the cushioned support of your family and friends.
A recipe - To make when you have all that extra time in the summer!
A joke - Laughter is the best medicine.

Bus Driver Poem
Special Person Author:Carolyn Henry

She is a special person, I'm sure you'll all agree
She's the kind of person, I wanted her to be

She is very responsible, in caring for your child
She won't let them be rowdy, and they can't be wild

She drives the bus they ride on, each and every day
she makes sure they are careful, on the bus when they play

She does your job for you, when you send them out the door
They are hers to care for, Until they are home once more.

Do you ever think about her, and the job she does for you
Do you ever say Thank you, for watching all this crew

She's not in it for the pay, there's not enough for that,
She wants to take care of them, and that is where its at

Do you put yourself in her place, as you send them out the door
Do you know she worries, until they're home once more

That is your most precious possession, she is holding in her hand
She knows this and wishes, someone would understand

She is your School Bus Driver but don't you sell her short
She is caring for your children, and she's doing it from her heart.

Poem for bus drivers

Heroes
There are heroes in our land today that never receive any recognition
Some of these are a child's first acquaintance of education.
Now a teacher might be the first one who comes to your mind,
But I speak of the bus driver for which the kids wait in line.

For a moment, put your self in the bus driver's shoes,
And I'm sure you will find that it's a job you might not want to choose.
Just think what it would be like to baby sit for sixty kids or better,
And remember you must chauffeur this bus load of kids regardless of the weather.

I must admit, to be in front of a classroom with 20-30 kids wouldn't be a picnic,
But to drive 60 kids over icy roads would set my nerves on edge and make my stomach sick.
A school bus driver is like the postman and must go regardless of rain, snow, gloom, and darkest of night,
But no postman ever had to have 60 kids, clean up their mess, or break up a fight.

A child can have a bad day at school without any warning,
But can be forgotten when a bus driver says, " Have a good evening, I'll see you in the morning".
Ask any student, what heroes of theirs never received any fame,
And I'll bet a bus driver will be among those that they name.

Author: Dave Arnold

These fun kits are made simply by adding all of the "ingredients", printing the list of items and their meaning and putting it all in a jar with a nice decorative jar topper. These are inexpensive kits, especially if you can recycle the jar from your kitchen (keep your eye open for nice jelly and relish jars at the store.

Cleaninliness is next to impossible
 

Right now, I think that decorating one of those huge tubes of antiseptic wipes would be appreciated. I'll bet the school gave them one, then expects them to somehow make it last all year!

thanks for all of the great ideas and taking the time to post the pictures and the poems and the kits and everything else. They are all fabulous ideas and I really appreciate your effort.
Sandy

What about doing an altered clipboard (with manly DP) and have some stamped note paper under the clip so that the bus driver can make notes ( take down names!! etc) You can add a stamped pen. SU (I am not a demo!) sells a small 4 1/2 inch version that will not take up too much space. Just another idea to add to all the delightful edibles that have been suggested.

I got my bus driver a gift card to Mills Fleet Farm ($20) and a thing of assorted licorice. I was thinking of also making cookies but I don't want to go too far. I for got to add that I'm not getting him coffee because he has a habit of sneezing when he drinks his coffee and it makes a really big mess. I would like to get him coffee, but I don't think I can since he'll probably sneeze when he drinks it and he makes a big mess. Hope I helped :)

I love my daughters' bus drivers! They have the same ones each year and so we have gotten to know them. I give them lottery tickets tucked into decorated bags that I fill with handstamped treats (nugget and Ghiradelli holders, hot cocoa holders, etc.).

Insulated leak proof travel mug (Contigo is a good but inexpensive brand) filled with a coffee/donut shop gift card and packets of tea, cocoa, cider, and good instant coffee (Via from Starbucks, for example).
Tie a nice ribbon round the outside, add a hand stamped tag and you're done :)