RE: Gift to instructor?
As most of the others have said, I help people learn for the joy of seeing them succeed. I too remember my solo flight and kind of re-live it when a student solos.
If a gift is oferred I try to politely refuse. If they insist, then I accept graciously.
I think something like a gallon of the instructors preferred fuel might be okay and appreciated, but I wouldn't go further than that.
Dennis-