What Teachers Really Think About Group Gifts: 2026 Teacher Survey 

When it comes to teacher gifts there’s plenty of advice for parents – maybe a little too much advice. The real value comes from the other side, so we decided to go straight to the source and ask what teachers actually think. 

There are plenty of opinions about what teachers should receive at the end of the school year.

But what do teachers themselves prefer? GroupTogether set out to find the answers, surveying 140 teachers about the gifts and cards that have made the biggest impact, plus what they’ve actually spent their eGift Cards on and which gifts left much to be desired. Let’s jump in. 

The 2026 Teacher Gift Survey at a Glance 

Survey date: 2026 

Respondents: 140 teachers
Audience: Teachers who had previously received a GroupTogether gift/card

Survey method: The survey included open-ended questions about teachers' favorite gifts, least favorite gifts, how they spent their gift and memorable messages, providing qualitative insight alongside the headline figures.

The survey was made up of teachers who had first-hand experience of receiving a group teacher gift, with some respondents having received more than one GroupTogether gift or card.

There was one powerful answer that came through loud and clear: 90.7% of teachers surveyed said they prefer receiving one class gift rather than individual gifts. That's 127 out of 140 respondents, compared with just 13 teachers who preferred receiving individual gifts.

So, parents, you may finally have permission to stop coordinating 27 separate presents. 

It makes sense. One thoughtful gift from the whole class can feel like a collective thank you, rather than 20 slightly different versions of a best teacher mug.

And there's another practical upside for parents: Pooling everyone's contribution means the class can put the money towards something the teacher will actually use, rather than everyone trying to guess what one person might want. 

So, What Do Teachers Actually Do With Their Gift?

Here's where things get interesting – when teachers have the freedom to choose how they spend their gift, the answers are wonderfully varied.

The research found recurring examples across clothing, shoes, groceries, meals, spa and massage treatments, holidays, homewares and technology, suggesting that flexibility can be much more useful – essential, even, considering the wide variety of preferences – than trying to guess the perfect physical present.

And some of the answers are more than relatable.

One teacher said they used their flexible eGift Card for “Uber Eats/dinner ladies (so amazing as a Mom of 3 little kids 5 & under), Apple.”

Another said, “I use my GroupTogether cards for Myer at the Boxing Day or January sales.”

In other words, there doesn't seem to be one universal answer to “What does a teacher want?” It could be a nice dinner. Something for the house. Maybe a little retail therapy in the Boxing Day sales or an overnight getaway.

The common thread? It’s choice.  

It turns out, that “perfect” teacher gift your class is after might not actually be any one thing. When teachers talked about their favorite gifts and the things they remembered, the group card, photos and personal messages came up again and again. 

One teacher said, “I received a gift card, and the best part was all the messages from the kids.”

Another described receiving “A book collating their cards, photos of them and the class over the year. It was very special.”

And maybe the clearest sign that the words matter came from a teacher who said, “I keep cards and the beautiful words from parents are never forgotten.” 

That's an undeniable reminder that a teacher gift can make a difference, but oftentimes it’s actually the group card, signed by every student, that really tugs on the teacher’s heart strings.

The Messages Teachers Remember

One teacher remembered being told: “That I was the teacher who brought them out of their shell and knew them.”

It's hard to beat that. For teachers, the most memorable part of a class gift may be the reminder that what they did during the year actually mattered – that they noticed a child, helped them grow or made them feel understood. 

And that is exactly why the humble card deserves more credit than it gets.

The Gifts Teachers Probably Don't Need Another 20 Of

Teachers also revealed the gifts that are more of a nuisance than a delight – and be forewarned, some of these are your absolute classic teacher gifts that you might have been buying for years.

We asked teachers about the worst gifts they'd received, and certain familiar suspects started appearing: Mugs, candles and chocolates topped the list.

Look, we’re not saying it’s time to panic-call all your previous teachers and apologize for the yearly mug – plenty of teachers also made it clear that they appreciate the thought behind every gift.  

Still, there were some helpful insights if nailing the gift is your goal – one teacher summed up the problem rather perfectly, stating she'd often end up with: “20 individual mugs, 20 individual boxes of chocolates, etc.”

Another said: “Plenty to choose from. An ice cube mold was probably the all time low.”

The point isn't that teachers hate mugs…and apparently ice cube molds. It's more that if 20 families are all trying to choose a gift independently, there's a reasonable chance you're going to end up with 20 versions of the same thing. 

Which brings us right back to that 90.7% statistic – one bigger gift can beat lots of little ones.

The survey also points towards an interesting difference between individual presents and pooled class gifts. Several teachers described using the value of their GroupTogether gift towards something bigger or more useful – including watches, holidays, homewares and technology.

Think about it – instead of 15 people each trying to spend $10 on something the teacher might like, a class can pool those contributions into something the teacher can actually choose for themselves.  

The best teacher gift isn't the most expensive; it's the one the teacher actually wants.

The Hidden Message the Survey Reveals About Teacher Gifts

If there's a bigger picture hiding in the numbers, it's this: Teachers don't necessarily want more stuff – they want something useful and personal. 

The perfect class gift isn't about finding one magical object that every teacher will love – it's about giving them the ability to make their own choice, while making sure they still receive something that can't be bought in a shop; a collection of messages from the people they taught. 

A GroupTogether teacher card is one of the best ways to allow the entire class to sign, add photos and GIFs – with absolutely no limit.