Ngày Nhà giáo Việt Nam (Vietnamese Teachers’ Day), on 20 November, is the most important day of the year for pupils to show gratitude to their teachers. A gift on this day is a sincere way of thanking a teacher for the care and effort they have put into bringing you up. Two old sayings sum up the tradition: Uống nước nhớ nguồn (“When you drink water, remember the source”) and Tôn sư trọng đạo (“Respect the teacher, honour the teaching”). Both are regarded as part of Vietnamese tradition and identity. Below, Flosa suggests gifts for 20 November that can say thank you to a teacher on your behalf.
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Gifts for a female teacher on 20 November
In Vietnamese a female teacher is addressed as cô and a male teacher as thầy, and gifts are often chosen with that in mind. To make it easier to pick something for your cô, here are some suggestions that are easy on the budget and will still brighten her whole day.
Fresh flowers and a heartfelt wish
Fresh flowers are without doubt the most common gift on 20 November, and the most fitting. A simple, attractive, elegant arrangement sent to a teacher means a great deal. Flosa suggests these flowers, each associated with gratitude to teachers:
A bouquet of sunflowers, which turn towards the sun: bright and always warm
A bouquet of roses, standing for affection and deep gratitude
A bouquet of lisianthus, a refined way to show respect for a teacher
A bouquet of carnations, as a sincere thank-you to the person who taught you
Fresh flowers with a light scent are felt to bring positive energy, and there is hardly a nicer thing to give your teacher.
Because demand is so high, fresh flowers sold on 20 November tend to be rather expensive, and many people choose soap flowers or silk flowers instead, which cost less and last a long time. Those who are good with their hands sometimes arrange the flowers themselves for a teacher they are fond of.
Younger pupils with little money to spend need not worry either. A single meaningful rose for the teacher is perfectly acceptable, because on 20 November a rose stands for affection and deep gratitude towards teachers.
A fruit basket with flowers: a practical, elegant gift
Fruit baskets have long been a suitable gift for many kinds of people and many occasions. On 20 November in particular, a fruit basket is seen as practical, appropriate and not wasteful. You can lift an ordinary fruit basket by adding a few fresh flowers: it catches the eye, looks more elegant, and lets the meaning of the flowers express your feelings.
A fruit basket with flowers is a very fitting gift for Vietnamese Teachers’ Day. It is small but respectful, shows that you care about the teacher’s health, and comes at a reasonable cost.
Fabric for an áo dài: a meaningful gift for a female teacher
Because of the nature of the job, female teachers very often have to wear the áo dài (the traditional long tunic worn over trousers) on public holidays, anniversaries and school events, and in some places they wear it every day in class. A length of fabric to have one made is therefore a welcome gift. Choose a simple pattern in a quiet colour that is easy to wear every day.
A handbag: attractive and practical
Every woman needs a handbag for small things such as a phone, a purse, lipstick and powder. For a teacher, choose one that is a little larger, so that it holds her lesson plans and the teaching materials she needs in class.
Skincare: a thoughtful gift for a female teacher
Women of any age like to look their best, so skincare never really stops. With that in mind, you could give your teacher a set of moisturising or anti-ageing creams from a reputable brand on 20 November. She is very likely to be pleased with it.
A portable voice amplifier
One of the most meaningful gifts you can choose for a teacher is a small, compact voice amplifier, the kind of personal speaker with a microphone that teachers wear in class. It not only supports her teaching but also does a great deal for her health, protecting her voice and vocal cords.
Gifts for a male teacher on 20 November
Is a gift for a male teacher just as hard to choose? Here are some suggestions from Flosa. They suit a former teacher, a form teacher or a private tutor equally well. Do not forget to add a warm, respectful wish for your thầy.
A briefcase for lesson plans
Have you noticed that male teachers usually carry a briefcase for their papers and lesson plans? It is something they are rarely without, and they seldom replace it. Take the opportunity to give your teacher a new one. Nothing is more pleasing to a teacher than finding that his own pupils are so thoughtful and affectionate.
Sports gear
Outside class, most male teachers like to keep fit or practise a favourite sport, so a sports gift is sure to be well received. You could give a pair of trainers, or a set of good-quality clothes for daily exercise. Either shows your affection and real concern for him.
A good-quality pen
Teachers use pens a great deal, so give a well-made, durable one that will not let them down while they are taking notes or marking. For a teacher who signs many documents, a signature pen is a first choice as a gift for 20 November. It is useful, and it also shows your affection, tact and care for the people often called người lái đò (“the ferrymen”, who carry each class across the river), working day and night at the task of trồng người (“cultivating people”).
A smart tie
A tie is an essential accessory for men, and especially for those who devote themselves to guiding their pupils through their studies. A well-chosen tie brings out the wearer’s elegance and professionalism. On 20 November it is a meaningful way to show respect and gratitude to your teacher. Along with the tie, you can give him a bouquet of fresh flowers to express the same feelings.
A good watch
A watch is another meaningful and elegant gift for a male teacher on Vietnamese Teachers’ Day. It is not only a fashion accessory but also a useful object that helps him keep track of time and manage his work.
Points to keep in mind when choosing a gift for 20 November
Choosing a gift for a teacher has never been easy: you need real tact, and you need to see the teacher often and observe them, to find something they will like. Even so, there are a few tips for pupils and for parents, which we share below.
Choose according to your budget
What makes a gift meaningful is the feeling the giver puts into it, not its material value. So do not worry about how much a gift ought to cost; look for one that fits your own means.
If money is tight, you can choose gifts such as fresh flowers, a shampoo and shower gel set, a scarf or a shirt, which cost from a few tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand VND. If you have more to spend, you can choose something more luxurious, such as jewellery or a watch. Whatever the gift, your teacher will like it for the thought behind it.
A sunflower bouquet, a meaningful gift for a female teacher on 20 November
Choose according to the teacher’s age
Teachers come in a wide range of ages, so you need to know roughly how old yours is in order to choose something suitable that will actually be used. For example, for older teachers choose gifts that are good for their health; for younger ones, choose something fashionable.
Choose according to the teacher’s interests
It is not easy to know what a teacher likes, but if you are a little observant, their everyday habits and gestures will soon tell you. Gifts chosen to match the interests of the person receiving them are always the nicest and the most meaningful.
A fruit basket for a teacher
Buying gifts and good-quality fresh flowers for 20 November from Flosa
If you do not yet know where to buy good, reliable fresh flowers as a gift for your teachers on 20 November, you can visit flosa.vn to choose an arrangement and get careful advice from experienced florists.
These are our suggestions for meaningful gifts for teachers on 20 November. For a teacher, what matters most is not the present but the feelings of their pupils. Pupils who are well behaved and study hard are the greatest gift of all for the “ferrymen”.
