How not to show your appreciation

I am quite amused by the kinds of Teacher's Day gifts that my sister received from her class of rich and spoilt brats. Just like Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, Teacher's Day has also evolved from a special day to show our appreciation to our teachers to another commercial ploy by bookstores, gifts and flower shops to milk more money from the parents of the kids. Instead of thinking what one should do to show some appreciation to one's teacher, the kid of 2009 now thinks what he or she has to buy in order not to "lose out" with their classmates on the gift-giving. I remember when I was in school all I ever thought about on Teacher's Day was what kind of card I would draw and what message to write on it for my teachers. I think the most expensive thing I had ever given to a teacher was a Zebra brand red ballpoint pen that my Chinese teacher mentioned in passing when asked what she would like to have for Teacher's Day (the other thing she asked was that we made fewer mistakes in our work so that she didn't have to use up so many red pens).

My sister offered me the cookies that one of her students made (which I kindly declined due to my lack of confidence in a Primary 2 boy's baking skills). I thought that was the only decent gift she received. The rest were those tacky Popular brand notebooks/paper thingy or stuff toys or flowers or photoframes and even a Parker pen.

My point is, I really don't know what the parents today are thinking in allowing their kids to splurge on expensive Teacher's Day gifts. I don't see how these gifts can teach their kids to show their appreciation to their teachers. If I had a kid I'd refuse to buy anything for him to give his teacher on Teacher's Day. He can either make something himself or do nothing. At least his present to his teacher would have been his own effort.

On a related note, I once had a wealthy friend who would just treat his friends to expensive meals or plurge on expensive gifts on them to show his appreciation or to apologize. I remember feeling frustrated and telling him that actually a simple face-to-face "Thank you" or "Sorry" is more than enough for me. As our society gets more materialistic, I think it will become more important to instill the value of showing due appreciation in the approprite way. Afterall, all the money in the world can't buy the important things in life - love, happiness, appreciation, respect, etc.