• Show your teacher appreciation with more than an apple.Apple and the alphabet. image by mashe from Fotolia.com
  
  Teacher's Day occurs each year during Teacher Appreciation Week in May. This is the time to give gifts to the teachers in your life to show them how much their hard work and care means to you and your family. The best gifts are both useful and thoughtful, so concentrate on items your teacher can use.
  
  

Supply Gifts

• Teachers often spend a lot of their own money on school supplies; this is especially true of those who teach elementary grades. A gift card to a teacher supply store or office goods store helps relieve this burden. Include a handwritten card thanking the teacher for everything she has done throughout the year. Those who enjoy giving gifts with a personal touch may choose to assemble a gift basket for Teacher's Day. Include some regularly used classroom supplies, as well as a few personal items just for the teacher, such as a gourmet chocolate bar, coffee shop gift card or other treats.
  
  

Personalized Gifts

• Consider small, personalized items for the teacher in your life. Give him a nice pen with his name engraved upon it. Items he can use everyday in the classroom are usually appreciated. Monogrammed coffee cups, metal drinking bottles and book bags are gifts that are both useful and personal. Fill cups with tea or gourmet drink mixes, or place a book you think he will enjoy in the bag. Giving expensive gifts is inappropriate, so if you want to give something extra nice, such as a watch with a message of thanks engraved on the back, have the entire class pitch in.
  
  

Gifts that Pamper

• Teachers have very little personal time during the school year. Planning lessons and grading papers keeps them busy long after the last student has gone home for the day. Help your teacher carve out a few minutes of relaxation in the midst of her busy schedule. Present her with a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant, and treat her to a night on the town. You could also assemble a movie night gift basket for her. Combine gourmet popcorn, hot cocoa mix and a DVD, and present it in an attractive basket or popcorn bowl. Avoid inappropriate gifts, such as R-rated DVDs or bath products.