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IT'S so difficult to know what to buy teachers for Christmas.

I always want to get them a gift to show my appreciation for all their hard work over the term, but don't want to stick to the 'norm' of giving them a mug - particularly as we now know how much they hate them.

Woman holding four Christmas gift bags.
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I wanted to prove that you don't have to spend a fortune on Christmas gifts for teachersCredit: supplied
Several red gift bags decorated with "Merry Christmas" and ribbons.
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So I put together my own gift bags for just £6 each - and I think they look pretty good!Credit: supplied

But with the cost of living crisis leaving people around the country stressed about money this Christmas, I was also aware that I needed to stick to a strict budget.

Especially as I have two teachers and two teaching assistants to buy for!

So I decided to see if I could create a gift bundle for each of them myself - for just £6 each.

Bag it

The bag the present comes in is arguably the most important part, as it's what the receiver sees first.

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As with most Christmassy things, if you shop for something specifically marketed as festive, the price is bound to shoot up.

So I decided to make my own Christmas gift bags.

I used some plain red gift bags, which cost £3 for five from , alongside a stamp - £5 from - and an ink pad I already had.

I then stamped 'Merry Christmas' all over the gift bag to give it a festive touch.

As another Christmas flourish, I used red, green and white ribbon to tie up the bag with flair.

This cost me just £5.99 on Amazon for reels of all different colours, and I'll definitely be able to use it again in the future.

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Merry & bright

Another 'classic' Christmas present, but one that is almost universally loved, is a candle.

It's also something that can be given regardless of gender, as my 10-year-old son Lucas has a male teacher, while six-year-old Millie's teacher is female.

So I decided to hit my local Lidl to see what I could find, and emerged with one of the Deluxe candles, which retails for £3.99 but looks a lot more expensive.

I popped that in Lucas' teacher's bag, while I picked up a £2 gingerbread candle in a tin from Asda to go in one of the TA's bags.

Two Purewick scented candles: Merry Berry and Cosy Cashmere.
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A candle is always a good shout, and these ones from Aldi are festive and cuteCredit: supplied
Two gingerbread scented candles, £2 each.
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I also loved the tin that these gingerbread candles from Asda came inCredit: supplied
Two Himalayan salt tea light holders.
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While these B&M salt tealight holders are something a bit differentCredit: supplied

was another good option, especially as it's currently reduced from just £4 to £2.

It comes in a cute star or heart shape, as well as a traditional 'rock' design, and

And Aldi's , which retails at £2.99, was also too good to miss - especially with cute slogans such as Fab Yule Ous and Sleigh All Day.

Scent-sational

Another gift that's always a winner is something smelly.

While they undoubtedly get a few of these to choose from, courtesy of their students, it's also something they're likely to actually use.

Three Lacura perfumes: Cardinal, Empress, and Prism.
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For female teachers, these gorgeous perfumes from Aldi make the perfect gift bag additionCredit: supplied
Box of gingerbread-scented bath fizzers.
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And these bath fizzers are a cheap and cheerful idea - I'm not sure about the brussels sprout one though!Credit: supplied

So, for Millie's teacher, I grabbed a pack of miniature fragrances from Aldi for £2.99.

The Hotel Collection set features some of Aldi’s best-selling scents, including Lime, Basil & Mandarin, Blackberry & Bay, or Bergamot & Oud.

And to make it even cuter, the set comes in adorable bauble-style packaging, meaning it can be hung from the Christmas tree too. Bonus!

I also picked up a bath bomb from Asda during my supermarket shop, as the come in at just £2 each.

I wasn't sure about the questionable sounding brussels sprout-scented option, so decided to play it safe with a cute snowman one.

She can have a nice, relaxing bath after a day with my little horror then - with a festive candle lit nearby.

Fun and games

When it comes to stocking fillers, the shelves are fit to burst with them at this time of year.

From fart guns and toy poos, to family card games and joke books, there's a huge range to choose from.

Christmas Santa magic cube, £1.
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I'm sure Lucas' teacher will have hours of fun with this magic cub over the Christmas holidaysCredit: supplied

And while I don't feel I've quite reached the pally level required to give one of my kids' teachers a fart gun, I did find something I thought Lucas' teacher would like.

A festive !

What's not to love, really?

It was even budget friendly, as it cost just £2 from Asda.

Tuck in

Another option that's often a hit among teachers is something to eat or drink.

But instead of giving the standard box of chocolates, or a boring mug, I decided to go for something a bit different, thanks to the from B&M.

Cozy Coco hot chocolate mix, gingerbread candle and diffuser set, and Rest & Relax candle.
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While teachers aren't keen on getting a mug for Christmas, this hot chocolate one from B&M is a bit different, while the diffuser set and candle are also sure to be a hitCredit: supplied

This one's just £3, and has a box of hot chocolate powder inside a festive embossed mug - making it a bit more special than a standard mug (at least, that's what I'm hoping!)

And as an added extra for the gift bags, I picked up some 60p individual mint chocolate Maltesers Reindeer from Asda to pop in.

Finishing touch

Once I'd split up the gifts and put them in the decorated bags, I stapled the top and added the ribbons which I then curled with scissors.

I used a piece of card, on which I stamped with the festive stamp and drew some holly leaves, as a tag - attaching it with some rustic brown string.

Lucas and Millie can then write the tags for their teachers, and they make a cute little keepsake too.

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I ended up putting together the gift bags for just £6 each - a real bargain when you consider how much some parents spend on teacher presents every year.

So don't forget to check your supermarket for stocking fillers ideal to gift to teachers, as there's a huge array to choose from.

Several red gift bags decorated with curling ribbons and "Merry Christmas" printed on them.
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I stamped the outsides of the bags and used red, silver and green ribbon curls - as well as a homemade gift tag - as a festive finishing touchCredit: supplied
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