- Apple for the teacher? Get an Applebee’s gift card instead. Or get a gift card for another restaurant and attach it to Trader Joe’s apple butter, apple sauce, or Scrabble Apple game.
- Getting hand sanitizer or mittens or a good oven mitt- attach a gift card with the note, ‘Thanks for the helping hand.”
- You Rock! Add an iTunes gift card to a Symphony candy bar, rock candy, or Pop Rocks. Write, “You Rock!” on the note.
- XTreme. I’m extremely grateful for all the time and effort teachers give my kids. A gift card to Starbucks or a favorite lunch place attached to Xtreme candy plus a note of “Xtreme” thanks would be appreciated. “I’m Xtremely happy you are my child’s teacher.”
- Smarties. There are a ton of “Smart” food products out – Smart water, Smart food, Smarties. Add a gift card to a bag a Smarties with the note, “Thanks for all you do to teach our children” would be a smart move.

I could go on…but I think you get it. Gift cards can be viewed as impersonal. But with something as little as a candy bar, a homemade bookmark, or a recipe – any gift card can be turned into a thoughtful gift.