Gifts for Yoga Teachers: What They Actually Want

What do you get a yoga teacher as a thank-you?

Something that looks after them, because most of their day is spent looking after other people. Teachers often teach early, late and in between, travel between studios, and hold space for a room full of students. Good gifts make that easier: a warm hat for the commute, tea for between classes, or time on a mat as a student.

What are good gifts for yoga teachers under $25?

1. Loose-leaf tea or good coffee, price varies. A local roaster or tea shop beats a supermarket brand.
2. Grip socks, $18.99 (ours). For teachers who demonstrate in cool rooms or teach mixed formats like yoga sculpt. Choose a neutral like the Basic White Crew. Shop yoga grip socks.
3. Everyday socks, $12.99-$14.99 (ours). For the walk between studios.
4. A candle or incense from a small maker, price varies. Only if you know they like scent.
5. Hotel Café Après Notepad, $12 (ours). For sequencing notes and playlists.

What are good gifts for yoga instructors under $50?

1. The Comfiest Cloud Sock with Grip, $26.99 (ours). For their own time at home, after the last class.
2. The Helaine Mini Canvas Duffle, $35.99 (ours). A small bag for socks, a top and snacks between classes.
3. Bluebird Merino Wool Beanie, $40 (ours), or the Aspen Merino Wool Ear Warmer Headband, $42 (ours). Both 100% merino, for winter commutes.
4. A book, price varies. Ask a bookshop for something in the area they teach: anatomy, philosophy, meditation. Or a novel that has nothing to do with yoga.
5. A class or workshop with another teacher, price varies. Teachers rarely get to be students. A workshop in a style they're curious about is the most thoughtful option here.

What is a good group gift for a yoga teacher?

• A massage or bodywork session, price varies. Teaching is physical.
• A continuing-education course or training contribution, price varies. Ask the studio owner what they've mentioned wanting to take.
• A grip sock trio, $54 (ours), with a card from the whole class.
• The Founder's Club Half Zip Crew Sweatshirt, $100 (ours). A warm layer for after class. One person picks the size.

Keep contributions optional and let one person collect and buy.

What is a good gift for someone finishing yoga teacher training?

A new teacher has spent months and a lot of money on training, and is about to start teaching for little pay. Practical gifts help most:

• A contribution toward liability insurance or a registration fee, price varies. Ask them what they still need to pay for.
• A good bag for teaching, price varies. New teachers often carry props, a speaker and a change of clothes between studios.
• A few pairs of socks, from $12.99 (ours). They'll be on their feet and moving between rooms all day.
• A book on sequencing or anatomy, price varies. Ask a more experienced teacher what they'd recommend.
• Coming to their first class. Free, and the gift most new teachers remember.

What gifts suit different kinds of yoga teachers?

Match the gift to how they teach:

• Hot yoga teachers: a quality yoga towel, an electrolyte mix, and a warm hat for leaving a heated room in winter, such as the Bluebird Merino Wool Beanie ($40, ours).
• Early-morning vinyasa teachers: good coffee and the CA Mug ($55, ours).
• Restorative and yin teachers: an eye pillow, a candle or a book on meditation.
• Teachers of mixed formats (yoga sculpt, yoga and Pilates fusion): grip socks ($18.99, ours), because those classes often move fast on a slick floor.

What should you not give a yoga teacher?

• Props and mats. Teachers usually have firm preferences.
• Gift cards to the studio where they teach. Many already practice there free [VERIFY: varies by studio].
• Slogan merchandise ("Namaste" mugs and the like), unless you know their taste.
• Anything expensive from one student, which can feel awkward in front of the class.

Is it okay to give a yoga teacher a gift card?

Yes, if it's for somewhere they spend money outside work: a café near the studio, a bookshop, a restaurant. If you'd like to give a Café Après gift card, confirm we sell them first [VERIFY: confirm gift cards are sold].

What should you write in a card to a yoga teacher?

Name something specific: a pose you finally got, a cue you still hear in your head, a class that helped on a hard week. Two or three honest sentences mean more than a long message.

Shop the edit: See our gift sets, or read gifts for yoga lovers for the student in your life. Buying for a Pilates instructor too? See gifts for Pilates instructors.