Pat teachers on the back with a parent organization gift certificate for a massage. After standing in front of a classroom all year or crouching down to help little students with their work, teachers can enjoy the benefits of massage, which Everest College claims includes reduced lower back pain, heightened immune systems and lessened pain. Find a massage chain or spa in the local yellow pages or online, many offer the option to purchase gift certificates right from their websites. Teachers will be able to choose their preferred style of massage, from light touch to deep tissue, for a "lesson" in relaxation.
Get the whole PTA (parent-teacher association) involved with an evening craft activity to shed some light on teacher appreciation. While apples have long been associated as a symbol of teachers, repurposing the fruit into something handy makes it an even smarter gift. Set up carving stations along school lunch rooms and have older students assist younger ones with carving out the middle of apples to serve as candle holders. Options include cutting a long, thin hole for a taper or wide, squat holes for tea lights. Another option is to hollow out the apples and fill with small teacher-related supplies, such as colored paper clips and push pins. Coat the apples in polyurethane to prevent them from browning and spoiling.
Give teachers of graduating classes or students moving up to a new school a way to remember their students by assembling a class photo after school and creating personalized, custom picture frames. Make any flat photo frame teacher ready by preparing a batch of chalkboard paint, which dries leaving an effect like a green or black classroom chalkboard. Chalkboard paint is also available prepared at paint and hardware stores. After slipping in the students' photo and painting and drying the frame, add the teacher's name and the date in chalk. If there's extra room, let students scribble personal messages around the frame in colored chalk.
Relieve teachers of the need to prepare dinner after a long day of lesson planning with a gift certificate to a meal preparation store. Websites such as Easy Meal Prep list free directories of meal preparation stores by state and city. The process involves the teacher going in to assemble meals from pre-cut and sorted ingredients, relieving all of the prep time. Teachers can also request meals be made for them and be readied for pickup. Find a meal prep place in your area and inquire about their charges; in most cases, gift certificates are for a certain number of meals or servings, such as six.