Pretty chitty work

Tomorrow is the final night of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the middle school. My younger daughter has a small part. I volunteered to make the gifts for the musical directors…

The back uses these so they can be hung.
image

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Should be a big hit! Something you certainly couldn’t get at the mall.

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We’re new to this school district this year. So the parent who normally heads up the gift giving sent out an email about collecting money for the gifts. I said “Hey… I’d like to suggest I’ll make something. The cost will be next-to-nothing and it will be personal and wonderful.” She said “They’ve been teaching a long time and probably don’t need more ‘things.’ We usually just get flowers and gift cards. But if you’d like to make something that’s fine… we can add it.” I shook my head and wrote back “Clearly you have your heart set on ‘been done before’ boring flowers and impersonal gift cards. I’ll just send in some money with my daughter.” I followed that up with a “Just kidding.”… but I wasn’t. People are so weird! They’d seriously rather buy flowers and gift cards? How lame. But she wrote back and said “You’re right. We should do something more personal. If you could do something involving the show and have it say it’s from the cast and crew they’d probably love it.” So I came up with the design. My daughter’s 13… The only thing she seems to love is her earbuds and her privacy these days. But I showed her the design and, to my surprise, she loved it! And there we have it. :slight_smile:

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Good for you, Tom…saying it like it was. I agree with you 100% and I’m glad they came to their senses. Just kidding…NOT! :smile:

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I’m sure it will make your daughter feel extra special that her dad made the gifts. :+1:
Back in 1968 - when the movie came out I imagine - my dad gave me a chitty chitty bang bang toy car with a mechanism that made the wings come out and go back in. My favorite toy that year! :grin:

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Heh. She said "Why’d you make it from the entire cast and crew? This is too cool. It should just be from me. " :slight_smile:

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The sign is cute, but I’d caution against judging the parent so harshly. I come from a family of teachers. I guarantee you that none of them would be disappointed by a gift card. They spend a lot of their own money on supplies. They also get a lot of gifts over the years (a classroom teacher could easily get 2 gifts a year X 25 kids X 40 years of teaching) and you only have room for so many thoughtful items in a house. My mom has been retired for 15 years and still has a closet full of things she was given and can’t /won’t use. I’m sure they’ll love what you made, but there was nothing weird about her reply to you.

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Well, now I must shy away from my response to Tom after hearing about the flip side of the coin. Of course, you’re right about all of that. I only looked at it from one side…and I appreciate you educating me about it, again.

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I like to give special, thoughtful gifts, too. I just experienced the deluge of gifts first hand. I always try to pair something small and thoughtful (and, ideally, useful and/or consumable) with a gift card. My kids’ advisors got custom pencils this year with a gift card. I actually think the custom signs with a generous gift card from everyone would be extra special.

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Last year the kids gave their teachers this “award.” I absolutely believe the principal was genuine when he said it was one of the top 3 gifts he’s gotten in his career. And I’d like to think that he’ll display that gift for many years to come. I made my kids’ music teachers (outside of school) keychains with their names on them last year. I saw one of those teachers the other day and he proudly showed me that he uses it. Made me really happy to see that.

I have 0 doubt that teachers receive a bagillion gifts over a long career. But I want my kids’ teachers to receive the gifts that they show off for the rest of their lives. :slight_smile:

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I agree, Tom. I just think there’s nothing wrong with including a gift card as well. Both are likely to be appreciated.

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Update: Mrs. Bean said it’s awesome and she wants to frame it so nobody messes with it when she hangs it. :slight_smile: Haven’t heard from Mr. Yenchick yet. My daughter sees him tomorrow I think.

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