In Lithuania, Teachers' Day (Mokytojų diena) is celebrated on 5 October, and flowers are by far the most common gift pupils bring that morning. The short answer to what to give: a medium-sized autumn bouquet in warm colours, sturdy, easy to carry and without a strong scent, with a handwritten card. If the class is giving a gift together, one larger, well-chosen bouquet often makes a better impression than twenty small ones. Below is a closer look at each choice.
What size of bouquet
A teacher rarely receives just one bouquet on this day. After lessons, all of them have to go home, sometimes on a bus or trolleybus, and then each one needs a vase. So the biggest bouquet is not necessarily the best.
- An individual bouquet should be something a child can comfortably carry in one hand. A medium bouquet of a few kinds of flowers looks festive without being a burden.
- A bouquet from the whole class can be larger and more striking, since it is the only one. Still, the teacher should be able to carry it home without help.
- A single flower or a few roses is a perfectly good gift, especially from younger pupils. What a teacher values is the thought, not the size.
If you are giving roses or other flowers by the stem, the custom in Lithuania is an odd number: one, three, five.
Colours and autumn flowers
Early October is the season for autumn flowers, so warm colours feel natural: orange, yellow, wine red, rust and copper shades, cream. Greenery such as eucalyptus ties them together nicely. If you prefer something calmer and more elegant, a white and cream bouquet with greenery always works.
Flowers that suit the season especially well:
- Chrysanthemums. Among the longest-lasting cut flowers, so the teacher will enjoy them for a long time. They come in many colours and flower shapes.
- Roses. Orange, peach, cream or deep red roses look festive and suit a teacher of any age.
- Alstroemeria and gerberas. Bright and cheerful, a good choice for primary school teachers.
- Greenery and berries. Eucalyptus, hypericum berries and other foliage give the bouquet an autumn feel.
The exact flowers depend on what is available that week, so it is easier to describe the colours and mood you want and let the florist choose the stems.
What to avoid
- Strongly scented flowers such as lilies. In a classroom with several bouquets, the scent can become overpowering, and lily pollen is hard to wash out of clothes.
- Very large, heavy arrangements that are impossible to carry home.
- Lots of plastic and cellophane. Paper looks neater and more current.
One bouquet from the class or one from each child
Both are common, and both have their advantages.
One bouquet from the class usually looks more impressive, and the teacher does not have to deal with a pile of flowers. It is typically organised by parents through the class group chat: one person collects the money, places the order and picks it up. For a joint gift you can also choose a larger bouquet, a flower box or a potted plant, for example an orchid, which flowers for a long time. Agreeing in advance also avoids the situation where some children bring flowers and others do not.
Individual bouquets let every child hand over their own gift, and for younger pupils this often matters. In that case smaller bouquets or a few stems each are the better choice.
Some classes do both: they buy one shared bouquet, and the children add their own cards or drawings. It is a simple way to have one proper gift and a personal touch as well.
Wrapping that lasts the school day
At school a bouquet often passes through several hands and spends hours out of water. It is worth asking the florist to:
- tie the bouquet with a water pouch at the base so the flowers have water all day;
- wrap it in paper to protect the blooms on the way;
- choose sturdier flowers that travel well.
Ivory, cream or natural brown paper goes well with autumn colours and does not compete with the flowers.
The card
A card is often remembered longer than the flowers. A few simple handwritten sentences are enough. Younger children can write it themselves or draw a picture. For a class bouquet, a card with every pupil's name or a short thank-you line works well, for example: "Thank you for your patience and for this year. Class 4b." Prepare the card at home in advance so you are not writing it on the way.
Order ahead and collect without rushing
The morning of 5 October is busy for many families: school, work, and flowers to pick up on top of that. Florists have more orders before any holiday, so it is best to order your bouquet at least a day or two ahead. That way it is ready and all you need to do is collect it.
In 2026, Teachers' Day falls on a Monday. If lessons start early, the easiest option is to collect the bouquet first thing in the morning or the evening before, on Sunday, and keep it somewhere cool overnight. A bouquet tied with a water pouch will be fine until morning as it is. Without one, unwrap it, put it in a vase of water, and wrap it again in the morning.
The basic rules overnight: away from radiators and fruit, in a cooler room or hallway.
Gitanos gėlės in Šilas
Gitanos gėlės is a florist stand inside the Šilas supermarket at A. Baranausko g. 26, Kaunas, open every day from 8:00 to 23:00, so you can collect a bouquet early on the way to school or the evening before. You can pre-order a Teachers' Day bouquet by SMS on +370 656 38880 or at gitanosgeles.lt, giving the size, colours and pickup time you want. Bouquets start from 15 €, roses from 2,50 € per stem.
