Creating a gift basket for your child's teacher is a great way to show your gratitude for the attention and assistance paid to your children. The time you dedicate to putting together an assortment of gift and food items, chosen just for the teacher, is your way of personalizing your gift as a gesture of your appreciation.

If the teacher drinks coffee, make this your theme. A natural colored wicker basket is the ideal container. Place straw, crumpled brown paper, or shredded newspaper in the basket before placing the gifts. Add a decorative coffee mug, gourmet coffee, envelopes of flavored coffee, and small packages of cookies or chocolate candy. You can wrap the finished gift in cello paper or a cello bag tied at the top with raffia or curly ribbon. Place the gift card in the basket with the gifts so it doesn't get lost.

It's not necessary to spend a great deal of money on these gift baskets. Visit your local dollar type store for baskets, organizers, or large coffee mugs to use as containers. They usually carry an assortment of colorful shred to use as filler, ribbons, bows, gift tags, and lots of small gift items that are nice when making gift baskets.

Movies, music, and sports are other themes that should be appropriate for many teachers. Simply choose a container, filler materials to help hold your gift items in place, and well wrapped food and gift items. Gift cards are always great gifts when you are unsure of the preferences of the teachers.

An assortment of bath products and aromatherapy items is a nice idea for a female teacher. Fill in empty spaces with rolled washcloths, bars of soap, votive candles, a loofah, net sponges, etc. If you include food gifts make sure they are well wrapped as the scents from the bath products may seep in.

Your gift basket can be as simple as a wicker basket lined with a colorful cloth napkin or tea towel. Place a loaf of freshly baked bread (or several muffins) wrapped in see through bags or wrap and tied with raffia in the same color as the napkin or tea towel. Add several tea bags and a couple of small jars of preserves or jelly.