If you’re like me, this means you’re totally freaking out, not only about how you’re going to get anything done all summer, but also putting together something special (but not bank-breaking) for teachers to thank them for taking care your most precious cargo all year.

At our preschool, my daughter has 5 different teachers that help out with her class, plus the (awesome) director, makes 6 gifts we like to give for each holiday and end-of-the-school-year thank you. So as you can imagine, that can really add up to a lot of time and money.

Also I’m going to print this week with the magazine I work for, so I’m a bit short on time – and creativity – suffering from brain drain.

But that did give me an idea…actually I think it was filed away in my brain from a Pinterest post I saw once, but like a wise creative director once told me, nothing’s original!

So here’s the skinny on this easy and efficient summer gift (perfect for hostesses too if you’re heading to any pool parties or backyard BBQs).

1. Roll up a favorite magazine from the newsstand (I of course used Susquehanna Style, Harrisburg, Lancaster and York’s guide to savoring the good life – locally). Tie with twine, ribbon, whatever you have.
2. Wrap the magazine with a fun beach towel and tie with more twine, ribbon, etc. (Costco has nice beach towels for about 10 bucks. Walmart has cool microfiber towels for just under $5 and others that range from $5.77-$12.)
3. Make a tag & finish with a bow. (I made our tags look like beach balls using a circle punch and markers – a nod to summer poolside or beach reading – but you could do anything!)

I put them all in a basket to take to school so the teachers can pick the patterns they like.

*If all else fails I hear teachers like coffee shop gift cards (our last minute go-to in a pinch)! Make it special by treating them to a local cafe.

**Even better, since it’s summer, support your favorite local ice cream shop with a gift card and a sweet treat for the sweet teachers who put up with our tiny terrors!

For the rest of us moms, here’s to surviving summer without too much day drinking! (But for the record, Baileys in coffee and mimosas before noon are totally acceptable in my book.)

Kid swaps are helpful too as some of my friends and I have found. (I promise I don’t day drink with your kids gals!)

But seriously, I’m looking forward to a relaxing summer with my little…parks, playing, picnics, no more rushing off to school, just lingering in our jams longer and seeing where the long summer days take us. More on how to slow down your schedule here, just relax and enjoy life.

If these gift ideas give you one less thing to stress about, I hope it helps tick one box on the mental checklist, because I know it’s been on my mind for weeks…and of course it came down to the night before the last day of school! (But since I work for a monthly magazine, I am definitely driven by deadlines!)

Cheers to all the sweet teachers, awesome mamas figuring it out…& summer!

Keely