I'm a kindergarten teacher, so I'll give you some ideas based on my experience...

*a kindly written thank you note, even citing specific instances for thanking, is always appreciated

*something decorated by your son

*consumables--coffee, tea, stationary, a basket of fresh local fruit

*a book to be used in the classroom

NO mugs. ;-)

Gift cards to book stores are always appreciated by teachers!

Gift cards and a nice hand-written note.

Teacher friends of mine always appreciate small gift cards, or even better when all of the kids go in on one large gift card. I know one who received a $100 gift card to a local spa from her entire class. So much better than 20 mugs!

Tea Wallets from this store are adorable ... and helpful if the teacher is a tea drinker, as I am. (At home I was all about loose leaf teas, but at my Baltimore public school I was happy
to find hot water!)

Depending on your budget, you could even personalize it with an initial (an extra couple of dollars I think) and give it to the teacher in question along with some nice tea bags.

http://halfpinthousehandmade.bigcartel.com/product/tea-take-alongs

I once brought breakfast for the teachers the last day. Bagels, cream cheese and oj. You could do muffins and coffee or any variation. They all told me they really enjoyed it.

so i just found this picture and how i wished i had a kid (im just 23) where i could send these ADORABLE APPLE CUPCAKES to school with them...kids and teachers would love them. and youd get great bonding time with your son/daughter making them...theyd be the hit of the class :) ENJOY

http://ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/easy-apple-cupcakes/2009/03/28/

My mom is a teacher and was just giving me the lowdown on her end-of-year gifts. Her #1 thing is a nicely written note- she read me several that she loved this year. After that, she does appreciate gift cards. She gets SO many bookstore ones, she's always very grateful for ones to the closest mall or even Starbucks.

My friend, JoAnne, linked you to my shop - I sell A LOT of those tea wallet/tea take-alongs at Christmas time for teacher gifts. I also have zippy bags that can be made in fabrics of your choosing with the teacher's initial appliqued on.

Shop is here: http://halfpinthousehandmade.bigcartel.com/

Use the code ROADTRIP10 through the end of this weekend for 25% off everything except priority shipping upgrade!

A plant. This year I lucked into a sale at the big box hardware store nursery section - 10" hanging pots with assorted annuals were only $5 each. That was a great find since I had 10 teachers & assistants to buy for this year! I've done Gerbera daisies in the nursery pot wrapped in pretty tissue before too - they look much fancier and $$ than the $3 or $4 they cost plus the few cents a piece for tissue paper. And I've been seeing mini-orchids around for not that much $$.

Also - my mom was a first grade teacher for 20-something years and the meaningful cards/notes/letters always meant more to her than the big pile of cr*p she ended up giving to charity each June.

Ha! So timely. I had to send out hubbie to get teacher's gifts this morning. I agree that consolidating with other families and getting one big gift/gift card would be nice.

Other ideas:

1. notecards
http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Vera-Wang-Note-Cards-Parasol/3902.040/444590.html

2. reusable bag
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/envirosax-ultracompact-reusable-shopping-flora-green-p-1082.html

3. Body Scrub
http://bit.ly/aGajo7

I don't know if many teachers use rubber stamps anymore, but my daughter's teacher has - so I bought her a customized rubber stamp with her name from Cupcake Tree on Etsy. It is adorable, and really very affordable too (I packaged it in a cute take-out box with some small ink pads and a few extra cute stamps). I'm a big Etsy shopper and have found beautiful lanyards (for gym teachers or others who wear name badges, have keys around their necks or whistles) and also beautiful book plates that I will keep in mind for future years. :)

I bookmarked this idea from Frills Fluff and Trucks – I am saving it for next year though: http://frillsfluffandtrucks.blogspot.com/2010/05/teacher-appreciation-week.html

This year I think I'm making scrub salt with my 3-yr-old son... he enjoyed it very much making some for his Grandmas for Christmas! See instructions here: http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2009/11/homemade-christmas.html

I'll surely add a thank-you note, maybe hand painted by my son!

I used to teach preschool, and just LOVED getting Starbucks or smoothie gift cards. Even $5 goes a long way!

The whole class from our preschool made a picnic basket for our teachers. We got a nice wicker picnic basket from World market, with some unbreakable wine glasses, cloth napkins, plates, cutlery etc. And then all the parents brought the goodies to be enjoyed, such as lemon spritzers, crackers, spreads, nuts etc. Everything nonperishable. With hand made cards from the kids, thank you notes from parents and a little frill around the handle, it looked nice. I do think the appreciation from the teachers felt genuine.

my husband is a teacher, and sure, he's male, and so his preferences may differ a bit from women but number one favorite gift is a sincere note. If it's important to the student/parent to give a gift and not just a note, go for something non junk-food. Gift cards, stationery, a potted plant or flowers.

I just saw this posted on Craftzine...and it's a great idea

Crayon initials!!!

http://www.frugallifeproject.com/2010/06/diy-crayon-initials.html

As a teacher myself:

*No mugs!
*No bath salts, creams, lotions,etc!
*No cutesy figurines (knickknacks)
*Nothing with an apple theme
*Don't agree with the bag idea either

As many other teachers have mentioned, that as a teacher what we most treasure is a thank-you from the parent or the student if able to write. I have saved every single letter and they are part of my professional portfolio.

We don't expect or even want gifts, but we do appreciate a parent's gratitude whether in writing or verbally. I cannot tell you how much of an insult it is, to spend nearly 9 months of your life teaching, guiding and nurturing a child to never have any recognition on part of the parent.

If you really want to give a gift, I think that gift cards are the best to bookshops or coffee places!

"Oh a handwritten note is our favorite...but we really want gift cards to these places, not this place because I get tons of those, get me one to a place like this...."

Thanks everyone for all your amazing ideas. I am leaning towards gift cards to a local organic coffee shop - that seems to be universally acceptable and liked! I am definitely including a hand written note expressing my gratitude to the teachers. Their job is unbelievably hard.

My friends from Etsy, I wish I had the time to order from you. But I am storing your information for the next holiday season.

Regards,
Madhu

Not sure of your budget, (and depends on where you live) but what about gasoline gift cards? Seems highly practical.

Movie basket: include a bottle of soda, a $1 box of candy, one bag of microwave popcorn, and a $5 gift card to Blockbuster. The whole thing is less than $10.

I would hope that my child's teacher would think of the thought that went into a gift from a child and be gracious, even if they had already received a hundred of the same. Maybe the child picked out the cute mug with the apple on it..

I don't think that there are, or should be rules on what to give - a gift is from the heart. I like the input from the teachers on how important a written thank-you note is - this is something that we often overlook, but really, it is quite meaningful isn't it?

As a teacher, I think that its pretty funny that this post is about creating good gift ideas and then we get picked on for giving honest opinions.

While every gift and note is appreciated, you also have to realize that we get a fair number of the same gifts every year that we teach.

As for myself, a donation for the classroom is always appreciated especially when school budgets for supplies keep on getting cut; books, good quality scissors, or art supplies could be helpful.

For those short on funds what about offering to come in and help with the end of year cleaning!