Letter of recommendation etiquette?

[Musicmom]

What is proper etiquette for thanking the teachers who write letters of recommendation for your dc’s college applications? Dh says (and I agree) that it’s a significant amount of work to write a good letter of recommendation, not to mention if it needs to be tailored and sent to a number of schools. Do you send a just a thank-you note? A small gift? An honorarium? Anyone know what’s most appropriate? We’re asking for letters of recommendation from the tutor of an online math course ds took just recently, and a music teacher who’s known ds since he was 7.

Thanks in advance!

[Kareni]

I don't believe that there is a standard formula; however, I can tell you what
my daughter did. After making her final decision from the acceptances that she
had received, she gave each of the women who wrote her recommendations a bouquet of flowers, a few edible goodies, her thanks, and the news as to where she would be attending.

Regards,
Kareni

[Gwen in VA]

An honorarium is right out -- ethically it's not acceptable.

My kisa wrote a thank you and gave a small gift shortly after the rec was written and then wrote a BIG thank you when the good news came.

[Musicmom]

Thanks Kareni and Gwen! These ideas make a lot of sense to me. (And thanks for confirming my suspicions about an honorarium... I wasn't too comfortable with that idea!)