Every teacher loves a gift card. Gift cards may seem impersonal, but they let the recipient pick something out that he really wants or needs. Teachers have relatively low salaries, so teachers would appreciate the gift of choice in his next holiday package.
Choose a gift card to a local restaurant so he can treat himself (and possibly his wife) to a night out. Or consider a gift card to a movie theater. You can even package this gift card with traditional movie-theater snacks. You may also put together a package that includes microwave popcorn, candy, and a gift card to a video store for a fun night in instead of out.
You can also purchase a gift card to a local retailer or teacher store so he can buy the things he needs for his classroom. Teachers spend entirely too much of their own money on things their students need.
Choose a gift that matches the subject area your child's teacher teaches. After all, you know he's interested in that subject if he devotes his career to it. Give a gift certificate to a book store to an English teacher, or a pass to the science center to a science teacher. History buffs might enjoy a DVD movie of a historical event, and art teachers might like a pass to an upcoming traveling art exhibit. If your child's teacher is also a coach, he might enjoy tickets to a game from a hometown team.
Every teacher tries to remember all of his students, but it can be even easier to do that if the student gives him a personalized gift. Put a photo of your child into a decorative frame and have your child write a thank-you note to go with it. Or have your child make something special, like a craft or home-baked gift. These kinds of gifts mean a lot because the teacher knows that the child took the time to make the gift.