First, it's not necessary to buy teachers gifts at all. The teacher will not think less of you or your child and will not miss a gift he or she doesn't get. I know some teachers who would prefer not to get any gifts at all.
That said, maybe you'd really like to show your appreciation, and you're looking for something that best accomplishes that. The simplest way to go is to write a heartfelt note. This may seem like too little or too lame, but believe me, a genuine note can really make a teacher's day. Particularly at this time of year when students' minds are already on vacation and they're telling me things like "is" is a noun and "of" is a verb, some genuine appreciation goes a long way. The way to write a truly valued note is to be specific. Has the teacher gone above and beyond in some particular way for your child? Does your child really have a connection with that teacher? Could your child write the note? A note that says, "Thanks for being my teacher. I learned a lot" is not going to be memorable or meaningful (particularly if "alot" is spelled as one word). But a note that mentions an incident in class, an interesting thing the child learned, or special attention a parent is grateful for will really stand out.
You don't have to spend a lot (two words) of money to thank a teacher. The best gift I received was for my birthday. One of my students had been telling me all week that he was going to buy me something for my birthday, and all week I'd been telling him it wasn't necessary. On my birthday, there was a lunch cooler on my desk. Inside was a chilled Dr. Pepper and a printout of funny English errors from an internet site. There was also this note, "Sorry, my mom wouldn't take me to buy you anything, so I got you this." But it was a great gift! Dr. Pepper is my favorite soft drink, and he had paid attention to something particular about me as a person. Also, he had thought of it himself.
So you don't have to spend money, but if you want to anyway, here are a few more ideas. Avoid things that are specific to a sense of style or taste unless you really know what the teacher likes. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone likes candles, and there is such a thing as too much bath soap. I can go either way on candy. It's one size fits all, but, let's face it, teachers can be a sedentary bunch (it's all that grading). Do they really need the extra calories? A fruit basket with some funky, seasonal fruit might stand out more.
Gift cards are, of course, always appreciated. Most teachers supplement their classroom supplies out of their own pocket, so gift cards to an office supply store or a bookstore are good choices. (When buying bookstore gift cards, don't forget local independent bookstores. You can buy a gift card from www.booksense.com that your favorite teacher can spend at independent bookstores all over the U.S.) Other gifts I've appreciated were a gift card to get my nails done (chalk: bad for nails) and a mother actually packing me lunch for a day (one less thing to do--yes!).
This is not to say that I haven't appreciated every single gift I've ever received. I have. Whenever someone takes the time to say "thanks," it gives you a warm feeling. However, as you search for the perfect gift, I'll leave you with this final thought that I got from a really great room mother. She told me, "I try not to give things that require dusting." Yep. That's a good one all right.
