• Put a new spin on a teacher appreciation gift.apple for teacher image by max blain from Fotolia.com
  
  Teacher Appreciation Day or Week happens once a year, and provides a time for parents and students to show teachers their gratitude for a job well done. Busy parents may not have time to put together a complicated gift, but teachers appreciate even the simplest gesture of thanks. Make or purchase easy teacher appreciation gifts for all your child's teachers and you will make their day a special one.
  
  

Apple for the Teacher

• This gift makes fun of the classic "apple for the teacher" by going above and beyond the standard apple. Instead of a regular apple, parents or students can give teachers a gourmet caramel apple; these are available in bakery sections at grocery stores or in specialty chocolate shops. These apples are larger than life and coated in sweet goodies to show the teacher that you care and want her to indulge in something decadent just for her.
  
  

Supply Restock

• Schools give teachers a limited amount of supplies for the classroom, and most teachers end up spending their own money to keep the things they need on hand. Parents can help teachers with this cause by putting together a gift bag full of office supplies. One trip to an office supply store takes care of this gift; parents simply have to fill a basket with unique or creative pens, notepads, stickers or other office supplies. The teacher will appreciate the gesture and the fact that he can be stocked for supplies without using his own money to buy them.
  
  

Gift Cards

• Gift cards can seem like an impersonal gift, but teachers really appreciate the chance to buy something they need. A gift certificate to a local large retail store or teacher supply store will let them choose items they would like to have for themselves or their classroom. A gift card to a local book store or candy shop lets her get a special surprise for herself, while a gift card to a local restaurant might allow her a night out on the town with a friend or a loved one.
  
  

Tickets, Please

• It is fairly easy to order tickets to an event online, and teachers appreciate the chance to enjoy a day or night out. Tickets to a museum, art gallery, theater show or sporting event give the teacher the opportunity to enjoy local entertainment without having to spend the money for it himself. Parents can tailor the tickets to the teacher's area of interest to ensure a successful and easy teacher appreciation gift.
  
  

Sweet Gestures

• If parents or school administrators have to purchase gifts for several teachers at once, candy is an easy way to keep the cost down. Using the names of the candy to play into the theme of the gift shows creativity without breaking the budget. Teachers might appreciate receiving "Kudos" in the form of a granola bar, a pack of gum to thank them for going the "Extra" mile, or even a bonus of "100 Grand" in chocolate. These gifts take very little time to purchase and assemble, and a quick note attached shows the teacher you care.