Classic · May 15 and more
Flowers for Teachers’ Day: what to give your teacher
A flower with a handwritten note is the most common gift in classrooms. When Teachers’ Day is in each country and which flowers work best.
- Mexico and Colombia
- May 15
- Spain
- November 27Saint Joseph Calasanz
- Argentina
- September 11Sarmiento
- Worldwide
- October 5UNESCO
When Teachers’ Day is in each country
Teachers’ Day varies a lot from one country to another, because each one honors a figure from its own educational history. The Florario calendar includes the date for Mexico and Colombia, the most searched for:
| Date | What is celebrated and why | Flower | Color | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| every year | Teachers’ Day Mexico has celebrated its teachers every May 15 since 1918, and Colombia does so on the same day in memory of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, patron saint of teachers. A flower with a handwritten note is the most common gesture in classrooms. | Daisies, sunflowers or a small plant | Yellow | Mexico and Colombia |
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Venezuela | January 15 |
| Ecuador | April 13 |
| Paraguay | April 30 |
| Mexico and Colombia | May 15 |
| Bolivia | June 6 |
| El Salvador | June 22 |
| Guatemala | June 25 |
| Dominican Republic | June 30 |
| Peru | July 6 |
| Argentina | September 11 |
| Honduras | September 17 |
| Uruguay | September 22 |
| World Teachers’ Day | October 5 |
| Chile | October 16 |
| Costa Rica | November 22 |
| Spain | November 27 |
| Panama | December 1 |
| Cuba | December 22 |
In Argentina the date remembers Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, who died on September 11, 1888; in Spain, Saint Joseph Calasanz, founder of the first free public schools in Europe.
Which flowers to give a teacher
A classroom isn’t a living room: it’s warm, there’s little water at hand and the bouquet will spend the day on a desk. That’s why it’s best to choose cheerful, hardy flowers:
- Sunflowers: admiration and joy, exactly what you want to tell a good teacher.
- Daisies and gerberas: simple, colorful and very long-lasting.
- Carnations: they last two or three weeks.
- A small plant: a succulent, a cactus or an African violet that can stay in the classroom.
- A single flower: for the little ones, a rose or a sunflower with a note is more than enough.
If the gift is from the whole class
Agreeing on a single gift stops the teacher from ending up with twenty bouquets and no way to carry them home. A good bouquet in a vase, a big plant for the classroom or a bouquet with a card signed by everyone works much better. If you can, add a line from each student: that’s what the teacher will keep.
What to write in the note
There’s no need for a poem. Specific sentences work better than generic ones:
- “Thank you for explaining fractions to me as many times as it took.”
- “This year I liked coming to class thanks to you.”
- “Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t.”
Tip: if Teachers’ Day falls on a weekend or during the holidays, the school day before is the perfect time. And the end of the school year, in June or December depending on the country, is another good occasion.
Remind me 3 days before
Download the reminder and open it with your phone’s calendar: it repeats every year and alerts you three days before, so you have time to order the bouquet.
Frequently asked questions
When is Teachers’ Day in Mexico?
On May 15, since 1918. Colombia celebrates it on the same day.
When is Teachers’ Day in Spain?
On November 27, the feast of Saint Joseph Calasanz, patron saint of teachers.
Which flowers should you give a teacher?
Cheerful, hardy flowers that will hold up in a classroom: sunflowers, daisies, gerberas, carnations or a small plant. Always better with a handwritten note.
Is it better to give a teacher a bouquet or a plant?
If it’s a gift from the whole class, a plant or a big bouquet in a vase. If it’s an individual gesture, a single flower or a small bunch with a note.
When is World Teachers’ Day?
On October 5, proclaimed by UNESCO in 1994.
