Oh, I am not against "token" items, particularly a "cookie" or "teaching others to say a word in 7 languages." I am, however, opposed to extravagent gifting, the kind that I have seen in schools in the North East and the South East...
Case in point: A family (of some affluence) at one of my schools (the highest achieving elementary school in North Carolina - and a public school, I am proud to say...) brought back "goodie bags" that consisted of a pewter Disney collectable, a Disney "school essentials pack" in the shape of a small backpack (pencils, ruler, notepad, erasers, stickers, etc.), Mickey chocolate bars, a miniature statuette of the Contemporary Resort, and a picture of the vacationing child's whole family eating at a character lunch. Now tell me that isn't extravagent???!!!???
When the parent was asked by my colleague about the excessive nature of the gift, the parent replied, "But my child WANTED to do that..." Knowing the child as we did, we were surprised as she is about the most reticent child there is... But Mom & Dad, on the other hand, are two of the most status-conscious and materialistic individuals you have ever encountered. Why drive any car but a Jaguar?? Because it doesn't convey the kind of status like the Jaguar does... Should I go on????? (So the elaborate gifting was more a dynamic of the parents, not the child...)
Doing such things explicitly and implicitly conveys to others what you have done, what they have not done, and is a socialized (i.e., meaning "more acceptable") way of flaunting. Now, try doing that in a "poorer" school (i.e., meaning "lower income families") and you will get a more pronounced response...
And the original poster happened to mention bringing back necklaces. For the entire class?? With all due respect to the original poster, I feel compelled to say "Come on people, let's keep this within some semblance of reason!!!!"
As the poster had mentioned these items were purchased for only a few friends last year. I pray the "voice of reason" will hopefully make itself known in the not-to-distant-future about the current desire to bring back something...
Let's keep the purchases in line with reason and in respect of others who can't return the favor. And if you don't feel awkward in receiving something from some individuals sometime, particularly from someone you don't particularly like, then you must be practicing the age old addage of "not looking a gift horse in the mouth..."
Please pass the Pepto...
