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<p>I think this sounds a little harsher than necessary, but it's good perspective I guess...and yeah, if a professor just wrote a letter, then it might be awkward. My take is that it really depends if you know the professor very well. Sometimes students can actually get to know professors very well over several years. And, a letter may often be written by such a professor who knows the student very well.</p>
<p>I give my recommenders (both in hs and now for summer inernships) those huge ($1-$2 in the grocery store) chocolate bars with their thank you notes. The chocolate is always a BIG HIT; the professors always personally come thank me for the chocolate and tell me how they pretty much scarfed it down in their office, lol.</p>
<p>DH is a professor and over the years has received all manner of thank yous. By far the most appreciated are the thoughtful notes (and emails, but not quite as much) from the students he has advised and recommended. The sort of tchotchke mentioned by BlueLake are thoughtful, but tastes often differ and after teaching for decades (in husband's case) you might guess that he doesn't need one more. A more practical gift, say a Starbuck's card, feels very awkward knowing what my husband makes and how little money his students often have. One actual gift that for some reason feels ok is when a student returns home, then brings back some traditional food from his country or state (e.g. Indian sweets or pralines from the south).</p>
<p>edit-- Just noticed that there is a second page of responses. Good idea with the chocolate bars. If I were lucky, I might even get a little piece. ;)
edit 2-- I think H would feel very uncomfortable receiving a $40 or $50 gift from a student, whether he was currently teaching him/her or not.</p>
<p>i plan on giving gifts to the profs who wrote me letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>one of them i've known for 5 years, i've been to her apartment for cocktail parties and to get advice from her (she lives around the corner from me), i held her newborn baby (awwwww), she's treated me to lunch a few times, and last year after she advised my honours thesis, i gave her a card with a detailed note and some old prints i found antiquing that i knew she'd find interesting. i would've bought her a bottle of wine but she was still pregnant then. now that the kid's popped, i'll get her a bottle for this year's recommendations.</p>
<p>the second prof who wrote my letter employed me as his research assistant, and it's pretty unusual in my department for professors to take undergrads as RAs. we've also had drinks together at the campus pub (well, when i got there, he was already 5 drinks in and invited me to join him). one shelf on his book case is dedicated to bottles of jim bean, so i plan to add to his collection. i'd get him something fancier, but JB's his favourite. why deny the man?</p>
<p>the third prof who wrote my letter is also thoroughly fantastic, and i'm fairly close with him as well. even though i graduated last may, i'm taking one of his classes right now just for fun. it might be awkward to give a gift to a guy who is currently teaching me, but i don't really care. he drove me to my stalled car and stayed with me while i waited for the tow truck. i've met his kids, we trade music, he sends me rare torrents to download, and we have lengthy discussions about bill hicks and richard pryor and paul mooney. the man's getting some alcohol from me. he hinted at bourbon, but i'm sure a nice scotch would go over well too.</p>
<p>i guess what i'm trying to say is, history professors are borderline alcoholics, and while fancy gifts or gift certificates may be weird or unnecessary, most people appreciate a bottle of something nice (if you know that they drink).</p>
<p>I absolutely gave a nice hand-written note, along with a small box of 2 chocolate truffles from our local hand-made candy shop.
I did this because it has got to be a total hassle to be writing and mailing and emailing those LORs..even though it's "their job," or that's how some people see it...
At least for me, I've been out of school for a year...so they probably thought I was done harrassing them with various needs.
Also, I am going into a Ph.D. program this fall...and although I'll be meeting lots of new and exciting professors there...I want to be in the good graces of my original recommenders..in case I ever need them for another recommendation (for fellowship, grant, etc.).</p>
<p>Also, it's courteous.</p>