Orange You Glad it's Summer {Gift Idea!}

I work with an amazing team of teachers. We've been together for a long time and seen each other through celebrations, births, marriages, divorces, happy times, and heartache. We've become more like family than just friends or co-workers. And we're kind of breaking up. It's sad. So sad, that I have a lump in my throat as I type this. There are 11 teachers on our second grade team, one is moving to a new school and three are being switched to other grade levels. None of the three wanted to go and none of the remaining 8 wanted them to leave. We begged, we cried, we presented our case, we begged some more, we spent a good amount of time in denial, and now we've come to accept it. It's not going to change. Our little team is being shaken up and we just have to make the best of it. Sounds dramatic, I know. But it's really been hard on us. My new principal is awesome and we love him (albeit maybe we loved him a little more before the shake-up) and we're trusting that there's a good reason and this somehow fits into his vision for the school as a whole, but it still blows to be completely honest.

I always give my team a little end of the year gift and this year I wanted it to be really special. After being the team leader for 12+ years, it's hard to come up with new ideas, but I think this one is pretty cute! 


I filled Mason jars with all things orange and added the tag "Orange you glad it's summer?" I thought it was better than a jar full of blue stuff and an "I'll be so Blue without You" tag.

What's inside you ask? Well, every random orange thing I could find 10 of that would fit in a Mason jar. Easier said than done, by the way.


Some of the items in the picture didn't make the cut. The straws were too long, so I trimmed them. And then they looked wonky at the end, so they were out. In real life, next to all of the other orange stuff, the Kit Kats looked more red than orange, so I ate them. The Burt's Bees looked more yellow when I got them home, but they were too good not to throw in the jar. 

Now packing the jars was a feat in itself. In the end, I found it easier to put in the tall things, then layer the short things, and then stuff the scrubbie in last. I used a pair of closed scissors to push the scrubbie in and fill all the gaps. I had to really push down on the top and screw on the lid fast to get it all in there.  You've all seen that fake can of nuts that has springy snakes fly out  when you open it? Well, that's pretty much what it was like to open these. I warned my team to be careful opening them because nothing spoils a moment like a pack of Tic Tacs rocketing towards your eyeball.

It did get rather pricey to make these for 10 people, so I have some tips to cut costs. Try to find things that come in packs and break them up - like the small colored clothespins, Kit Kats, Tic Tacs, Crystal Light and Post-its. Nail polish can be really expensive or really cheap. I found that out the hard way. I found 6 of the same nail polishes that were pretty reasonable and then I needed 4 more, so I threw them in the cart. When I got home I realized that those extra 4 bottles were almost $6 each! So, pay attention to that for sure. The candy sticks were about 20 cents at Cracker Barrel and the orange foot file and scrubbie were $1 each at WalMart. Really though, there's no reason you can't fill a smaller mason jar with orange fruit candies, orange gumballs, or even just tie the tag to a real orange wrapped in cellophane, a bottle of orange soda, or just the orange scrubbie. It's the thought that counts, right? 

Click here to get the tag. 












21 comments

  1. TOO cute! I may using the bottle of soda idea... It is the thought that counts, as you said. :)

    Kristin
    My Carolina Classroom

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    1. They came out great! I love how you signed the tags- definitely adds a personal touch :)

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  2. Love these! Very cute idea!

    Patty

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    1. Thanks Patty! My team really seemed to like them :)

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  3. I know how hard losing teammates could be. They are going to love your gift. It's awesome!

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    1. It's been really rough, but we'll get through it. Maybe someday they'll come back :(

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    1. Thanks Jamie. Now I'm already searching for something to do to welcome my new team back!

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  5. This is a really cute idea and I love that you have cost saving tips, too! I work with a fabulous second grade team, too, and can't imagine losing them. :( I've heard of building "shake-ups" like this. I hope it works out for the good of your school and I hope you are blessed with terrific new additions.

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    1. Thanks Amy. I hope so too. Even so, it takes a while to build up that level of trust you have with "old" friends. But we're pretty normal, down to earth people, so fingers crossed!

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  6. We're losing 2 great teachers/friends from our team, too, and it's been hard. I'm hoping for the best as we are interviewing on Friday for one new teacher. Best of luck to you and your team!

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    1. Good luck with the interview! Some teachers from other teams are joining us we have one open spot, so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. It will be fine in the end...right?? lol!

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  7. I'm still cracking up over the red KitKats...so you ate them! I see nothing wrong with that, by the way.

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    1. Ha! Just keepin' it real! I haven't had a Kit-Kat in a while, they go down pretty easy. It was like a reward between stuffing each jar and fighting to get the lid on!

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  8. That's such a cute idea! I can't believe there was 11 2nd grade teachers at your school! That's a lot of kids!
    Kirsten

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    1. I know Kristen! Our school is huge! Our usual enrollment is about 1200 kids. And there are like 5 other elementary schools realllly close by. It's a big county though, about 200 elementary schools altogether.

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  9. Oh my gosh I did a mason jar thing too, I LOVE yours!!!!!! Happy summer Denise!!

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    1. Yours are stinkin adorable!! I got one of those plastic mason jar cups with a lid as a gift in my Slant box this month. Definitely something they can actually use! :)

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  10. That's a whole lotta orange - and I LOVE it!!!

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  11. Hello, really like the post but all it does is makes me think of casey yes I may be 10 but I had a bf but he passed away from getting hit by a car but after he died I made a page and I am going to make more post and I want to be recognized Casey was pretty much the only one that knew I existed.Thank you so much!!!
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    FTD reviews



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  12. Such a great idea, thanks for sharing. I love how you ate the Kit Kat! :)
    ~Fern

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