Xmas pressie or money- a question to those with a cleaner

[kayleigh]

Do you give your cleaners money or a gift ? And if it's a gift how much do you spend in relation to what you give her each week ?

In the past I have given my cleaner a weeks money (approx £25) as a xmas present. But this year I have a new cleaner and would rather not fork out that much. Am I being mean ?

[yoko]

well as shes new to you i dont think you need to go overboard-how about some nice bath stuff,or bottle of booze,chocs?boring maybe,but as you dont know her that well i would think it would be appropriate.i have reincarnated myself from nurse to cleaner and thats the sort of thing id like,but seeings as i clean disgusting offices with disgusting men its highly unlikely!!actually,id just like them to learn to wee IN the loo!!sorry!

[handlemecarefully]

Kayleigh,

Certainly not! (you are not being mean, that is).

I think the christmas present need only be a token one....after all you do already pay her for her work....

I am getting the cleaner either a really decent bottle of wine, or M&S Brand champagne (less than £15 and maybe its just me, but tastes fine to me)

[twiglett]

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[aloha]

I'm getting her a few presents - and will probably 'round up' her money a bit too. She buys presents for ds and us! I think that's unusual though.

[Metrobaby]

I think £25 is v generous ! I give my cleaner a tenner too and a small gift for her ds. Our cleaner comes fortnightly. My cleaner actually prefers money as she says money is tight for her and they are saving to move back to Portugal.

[CountessDracula]

Both, I usually give £20 or £30 + a token gift.

[Boot1]

I will probably give mine a little pressie, maybe bottle of something.

[Azure]

I give money - £10-£15 (oops, maybe a bit mean). My cleaners have always been Polish and rarely speak English, so I think money is the safest option for me.

[linzoid]

You all sound very generous to me. I am a cleaner myself and i have never been given anything at christmas. How about that for gratitude!!

[princesspeahead]

both. small gift and also about a weeks money. particularly since mine buys presents worth about £10 - £15 for each of my three children which makes me feel a bit guilty. she is a woman who clearly wants grandchildren of her own but in the meantime enjoys spoiling mine!

[fisil]

We pay ours for the week she doesn't work over Xmas. We wouldn't usually pay holiday pay, so it kind of works out.

[bunny2]

In the days when we could afford a cleaner I gave her an extra weeks money plus a bottle of bacardi (her fav tipple).

[Wills]

I'm buying mine a manicure. My cleaner cares passionately about her finger nails. She really really really hated it when dd1 started to move and I had to put child safety locks on the kitchen doors.

[Wills]

Sorry - should also have said that we're very close to our cleaner and she always buys the dds presents as well.

[kayleigh]

You have been very helpful. I think i'll compromise and go £15 cash plus a bottle of something, or box of choccies.

Thank you