My mom is a teacher and I've see a whole slew of bad teacher gifts over the years. Here are a few tips on good gift-giving for teachers:

1. Skip anything involving soaps, note paper, picture frames, candles, or any other trinket item. Nobody actually likes potpourri. It will just be re-gifted, which is likely how you got it in the first place.
2. Consider getting together with other parents to get one nicer gift instead of a few little things.
3. Gift certificates to a useful place(Target, Walmart, a mall) are always a good choice.
4. Flowers die.
5. If you can't spend the money, just write a note of thanks. It'll mean more than something from the dollar store. Sometimes it really is the thought that counts.
6. If your child has been difficult or otherwise required the teacher's extra attention, definitely write a note and thank the teacher. I've heard all about your little darling and you have no idea what he/she has put my mom through this year.

Great idea for a topic, especially the which teachers to include. My son has his regular first grade teacher, a reading teacher (another first grade teacher), speech teacher, as well as the extras: phys ed, art, music, library, and computer. He also sees the guidance counselor regularly for a lunch bunch group that he takes part in. So, there are lots of potential teachers to buy for. For holiday gifts, I gave ornaments that my son made to his teacher, the reading teacher, and speech teacher only. But, then I felt bad for leaving out the others.

I've made Cookie Mix in a Jar before and that seemed to be a big hit. You just have to get the ingredients for the cookies that you want to make and the Mason jars. I'll actually probably do this again since I still have Mason jars from the last time.

This is not something that I did, but a mom in my son's class last year gave the teacher a tote bag filled with summer things - sunblock, sunglasses, etc. I have no idea how much she spent, but I thought it was a neat idea.

My sister, who is a kindergarten teacher, urges me never to give bath products of any kind and recalls her favorite end of year gift as a campaign sign by a candidate running for city council who shared her last name. The child in her class apparently made his mother stop the car, "procure" the campaign sign (I don't think she got all the details of how that happened. . . ), cross off the candidate's name and insert her name.

When I was a class parent in my son's preschool, I organized the parents in the class to each email a recipe to me. I also got parents to volunteer their child to decorate some unpainted wooden recipe boxes from Michael's. I formatted the recipes, printed them on recipe cards, and put a set of recipes in each decorated box. All of the teachers got a box.

The class included students from diverse backgrounds, so it was wonderful to see Bolivian Banana Empanadas, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Philipino Chicken Adobo, Irish Soda Bread, etc. At the top of each recipe, I put the family's name, e.g. Butterscotch Brownie Recipe - Johnny Doe's family.

It was a big hit, and I did it as a winter holiday gift this year in my son's new school for the pre-K class. Some families wanted to do something else on their own, rather than participate, and that was fine too, but I think the recipes are a nice keepsake, not too much work to organize, and don't place a burden on families that can't afford to donate to a monetary gift.

I organized something for my daughter's preschool teacher. I planted a cherry tree in the playground for her and also made her a photobook (I used Clark Photo) of all of the kids in her class. The Photobook was $31 (inc shipping) and the tree was $90 (I planted it myself) and I was able to collect $ from most of the class making it only $10/person. She loved it. I figured it was better than a Barnes & Noble gift card!

Edamommy

As the husband of a teacher, I can tell you that one apple-themed Christmas tree ornament is one too many. Magnify that by 28 and you get the picture...

As a teacher, I LOVE giftcards to places like Target, Barnes and Noble, Starbucks, or another place you know the teacher may like. I also love getting handsoap from Bath and Body works to keep in my guest bathroom. I had a parent who got donations from all of the parents and gave me one large giftcard to a place and it was great.

I also like the suggestion of a cookbook especially so families with limited finances can still give. However, if the family does have limited finances, I would most appreciate a child made card instead of kitch from the dollar store.

I figured by the end of the year teachers were as tired of packing lunches as I was so this year, I emailed the teachers in advance and told them we'd like to pack them a nice lunch on a designated day. They could order in advance or not and specify any allergies/dislikes. Lunch - a nice sandwich, fruit, iced tea, homemade cookies - was packaged with an ice pack in a cute bucket and was delivered by my son. It got rave reviews. Also the gift of "not cooking dinner" i.e. a gift card to Eddie's has been very popular too.
Or a handwritten thank you note is always a big hit.

As a teacher of six years, I appreciate all I am given, but can honestly say the things that mean the most come from the kids, and not from the parents. Have your child write a letter, poem, or create a homemade craft to show thanks. rather than purchasing something. IF you feel the need to purchase something, go for a gift card. I have so many teacher mugs, teacher trinkets and cute items like that I don't know what to do with them! I am appreciative of all I receive, really, it's not necessary, however, if you feel the need, take my advice above...

Last year, my daughter wrote a thank you note to her kindergarten teachers and we included gift certificates for manicures. Was around $30 altogether. They were awesome teachers and she was in full day kindergarten so I thought spending a little more was OK. When she starts switching classrooms, we'll have to come up with something less expensive!!