Giving your teacher or your child’s teacher a Christmas gift is a nice way to thank them for the important job of providing education. It’s also an easy way to atone for shenanigans or poor attendance records before he or she writes up report cards.

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to find the perfect gift for the teacher on your shopping list. Gift cards, gift baskets, items relating to the subject he or she teaches, food or beverage packages and more are all available for under $30.

GIFT CARDS

A recent poll found that two out of every three Americans will give gift cards as gifts this Christmas - and most Americans prefer to receive them.

According to the TD Bank Holiday Shopping Poll released earlier this month, 64 percent of Americans say they plan to purchase a gift card this year. They’re perfect for teachers - about whose personal lives you likely know little about, but about whom you can usually guess at what store they’d like to buy gifts.

Popular gift cards are those for electronics and media stores; Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Best Buy all sell gift cards at record rates during the holiday season.

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GIFT BASKETS

Amazon is selling a Godiva Connoisseur Basket for $50, which includes several kinds of whole chocolate and hot chocolate mixes.

The online retailer also has an extensive stock of Art of Appreciation gift baskets that cater to specific tastes. For instance, gift baskets include snacks of various flavors from sweet to spicy to savory.

The Popcorn Factory has gift baskets as low as $20 with a variety of popcorn, pretzel and chip flavors.

SUBJECT ITEMS

Getting a gift related to the teacher’s subject is an easy way to show you or your child has been paying attention so far this year.

For English teachers, think about older editions of classic literature or books read in class. Ebay and library sales are great resources for securing old text for cheap. Or, get a Best America 2011 collection - the series collects the best essays, short stories, offbeat literature and more in annual editions.

For music teachers, try a personalized songbook or a favorite record. For history teachers, find a non-fiction book like Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. Take what you know about your teacher and browse for products on a bunch of retailer’s websites to find the perfect gift.