Vader Was Framed Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Hi Folks, It's that time to start thinking about gifts for letter writers since they have done us an enormous favor in spending time to draft letters. What are some of the best gift ideas you already have sent, are thinking about, or have seen in the past, etc? I'll be shipping gifts as I am not in the same location as my LORs. Thinking about sending them some nice alcohol + another gift + hand written thank you note. What are you doing? Canis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk210 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 i've been trying to wrack my brains for ideas. i'm absolutely stuck myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earresponsible Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 (edited) I am giving my writers a thank you letter with a gift card (to restaurants near university). I am doing this because I have developed strong connections with them over the past few years. I was a TA for two of them, and one of them was my boss for a job. You should give your recommenders whatever you think is enough. Have you thought about waiting until you hear back from schools or are you going to give them gifts beforehand? I plan to give my gifts in mid January. Edited January 5, 2014 by MrAuDguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belle00 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Since I really enjoy baking, I'm going to get together some really nice gift baskets of baked goods for my references. Nothing like ruining some New Years resolutions for people . I'm also thinking about tossing in a bottle of red wine and will obviously include a heartfelt, handwritten thank you note. However, I was wondering the same thing as Mr. AuDguy. When is appropriate to give the gifts? Many of my applications won't be done until February 1st. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earresponsible Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 @belle00, I think I am giving my gifts when I get back to school next week. All my apps have been submitted. I know some people give gifts after they hear back from schools but I think the whole point is to thank them regardless of the admission results. AWall2014 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWall2014 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) I gave each of them (4 total) thank you cards right after they submitted them. However, I've been meaning to get them an additional gift but haven't had the finances to do so. Thanks for reminding me with this post! I just need to figure out what to give...I'm thinking possibly another card towards the end of the semester that gives them an update of my admission status, my final decision, and a copy of one of my grad photos. Edited January 7, 2014 by AWall2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmm Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I think it is nice to give gifts, because it is a huge favor. (Sure it's part of the job, but it's also a lot of work). I have written a few letters, and it generally takes me several hours to get the wording right. I gave gifts to my recommenders, and I think they were appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckbro Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Planning on doing this once I know where I get in and have made my decision. I like the gift card idea although for my primary research mentor I am ordering an sciencey kind of gift for her new office in addition to the gift card as she is leaving the University. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen of Kale Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I gave my local LORs beer and my long distance ones fruit from Harry & David. I kept the amount of $$ under 25 in both cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPsych Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm thinking about sending my recommenders edible arrangements and a handwritten thank you card. Thoughts? OCD or Perfection? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphi Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) I'm thinking about sending my recommenders edible arrangements and a handwritten thank you card. Thoughts? Edible arrangements seem a bit over the top?! Edited January 14, 2014 by iphi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphi Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I gave handwritten thank you cards and a Godiva chocolate bar each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPsych Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Edible arrangements seem a bit over the top?! yeah you're probably right...I'm pretty close with all of them and they do have small arrangements but they are costly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader Was Framed Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 finally shipped my gifts - went with a few personal, small items totaling about $50 with nice hand written note gently laid on top of white tissue paper. baller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifesaver Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I need to do this, too. Anyone have specifics on what they bought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarab Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I need to do this too, but I've been so broke! The idea about a thank you card and a chocolate bar sounds nice. Is it too late to send them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinosaurus Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I have a question. Two out of three writers are on the admission committee at my first choice school. It seems inappropriate to give them anything before the results are in. I was thinking thank you notes and little presents afterwards, but on the other hand, it seems a bit weird as well. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarab Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I have a question. Two out of three writers are on the admission committee at my first choice school. It seems inappropriate to give them anything before the results are in. I was thinking thank you notes and little presents afterwards, but on the other hand, it seems a bit weird as well. Any thoughts? Maybe you could write them a thank you note and after decisions are made get them a gift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cupofnimbus Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I really struggled with some of mine, though all of them are local. I wanted to give them something thoughtful and nice. Now that the semester is started up and they aren't run down from holidays and the start of the semester, I'm going to visit a few of them with some baked goods and a note. One of them I see on a daily basis, so I'm taking her for a nice lunch. The last one is allergic to EVERYTHING (this is not really hyperbole--when I saw him last, he was undergoing extensive allergen testing to figure out what was ruining his life), but I know he eats citrus! So I sent him a nice box of seasonal oranges. Thank you gifts can be hard :c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maleficent999 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 If you're mailing them, where did you send them? I only have the home address of one of my letter writiers. I suppose I could ask for the rest on the premise of sending a thank you note and then send my gift but I'm not sure. I've thought about hand-delivering them since my alma mater is only 2.5 hours away but I'm so awkard it might be a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cupofnimbus Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 If you're mailing them, where did you send them? I only have the home address of one of my letter writiers. I suppose I could ask for the rest on the premise of sending a thank you note and then send my gift but I'm not sure. I've thought about hand-delivering them since my alma mater is only 2.5 hours away but I'm so awkard it might be a bad idea. Combination of home addresses (if you have them), or to their school address (which might be less awkward for you). You could also call someone on department staff and ask how to arrange for sending gifts to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likemythesis Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 For two of mine, I found these locally made soaps in my hometown that had cute names like Carolina Girl and Bad-ass Babe. Given that they were people I was on a more informal basis with, I felt comfortable giving them those. I also drew cards for them as well. The one I wasn't as close with I gave a gift card and wrote her a long message in a card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakuu Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Easy for me because one of my LOR worked in Albania and often talked about raki so i bought him a bottle of turkish raki My other LOR was pregnant so i got her some baby clothes from our university campus store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsharpe269 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Hey guys... I didnt know that gifts to LOR writers were normal? I never thought about it but my instict tells me that it is a bit over the top? I would like some opinions on this. Also, do you give gifts for things like fellowship/schoalrship recommendation letters? I dont want to be over the top suck up. Maybe a hand written thank you card would be sweet but not quite as much? what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarab Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Hey guys... I didnt know that gifts to LOR writers were normal? I never thought about it but my instict tells me that it is a bit over the top? I would like some opinions on this. Also, do you give gifts for things like fellowship/schoalrship recommendation letters? I dont want to be over the top suck up. Maybe a hand written thank you card would be sweet but not quite as much? what do you think? Well, it's their job to do them, so you don't have to get them anything. I think it's just a nice way to recognize their effort and to maintain that relationship for the future. And a thank you card should be enough! Someone in the anthropology forum said they're going to send each professor a mug from the university they end up at. I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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