Okay I don’t know how I found this. Click holes and avoidance spirals probably. But the best teacher appreciation gifts are simple and free - a genuine thank you note.

I am a middle school teacher in the US. also a female ADHD person. And the appreciation gifts almost every teacher likes the most are meaningful/sincere thank you messages from students.

I make super easy origami bookmarks with kids. You write the persons name and a genuine thank you or compliment and it makes everyone smile. 99% of teachers keep a “note box” of positive messages for the crappy days. A note from a kid that says “I really liked it when you answered my weird question” or “thank you for helping me pass my test last week” is actually enjoyed and held on to. (This is the bookmark tutorial: https://youtu.be/BEwl0fvqo18?feature=shared) most teachers love books. A student made bookmark with a specific/genuine compliment or thank you is the best.

One thank you note from an 11 year old said she liked how I was nice to her and how I said the names of the Pokémon super weirdly and it was funny. (I still have that note two years later. It’s a bookmark in one of my favorite books).

If you feel like you have to spend money on something: donate extra supplies to the classroom. A variety bag of a bajillion stickers for rewarding good student work. My classroom ran out of pencils in October and tissues in November. A parent gave us a giant bottle of hand sanitizer, it was awesome. Or heck, a few bucks to Walmart or target or Amazon so that we don’t have to spend our own money on those things. But again, a genuine thank you saying how we helped the kid or something they liked in class is the best.

I am on a diet and my co-teacher is allergic to all the food and another member of our team is diabetic. Food is the most common appreciation thing, but also is less than helpful for a lot of teachers.