To ask for gift ideas...

[WinterIsHereJon]

...for our childminder?

Posting for traffic, sorry!

We have used the same childminder for almost six years, for both DC. Youngest starts school in September so I'd like a gift for CM that conveys how much I appreciate her. She's the Mary Poppins type and I doubt I could have been as happy at work leaving the DCs with anyone else. She's one in a million . Any ideas beyond the obvious flowers/wine/chocolates?!

Could you make her a photobox album of memories, plus a bottle of fizz?

Sorry a box of memories of someone else's child is not a gift. It has an obligation- you cant bin it.

You may like the children as a childminder but they are not your children. It is a job and getting memories about them is a bit like someone in an office being given you copy of your time sheets and expenses claims for the last 5 years when you leave a job.

I disagree spring. Childminders has quite likely bonded and feels fond of the children, nobody bonds or feels fond of time sheets and expenses, your comparison is unequal. I think that the album is a nice touch as long as its not huge and isn't the only part of the gift

A lovely spa day voucher / some foreign currency if you know she has a holiday booked / a beautiful tree for garden if that's her thing. Sorry but I agree that photo albums are an obligation not a gift.

Cash. Nothing beats it. Always appreciated.

I agree about the memory box, its not a gift for the CM. Vouchers or cash and a thank you card she can keep.

I would make a card with the children with their photographs in to remind her of them and then as a gift some sort of pampering - spa day, manicure etc

See what jewellery she wears and what colours she likes? This is what we did thankfully it was Pandora and therefore quite easy to identify and then choose something she'd like.

Spa day - on her normal working day so she doesn't have to use holiday (if money allows)

If not still a spa day

If your CM is anything like mine then she'll already have a squillion photos of DC already! Including some lovely ones of them together. Knowing this I wouldn't give photos as a gift.

Haven't got an idea for a gift but if you get her a thank you card then ask your dc what they loved about your cm and what they'll miss about her, then you could write it in the card.

Thank you card or letter with some memories. Recommend her to family and friends.

Agree with looking at her jewelry and getting something similar - but not the opposite. Someone once gave me a cross on a chain "because you don't have one" - yep not Christian, that's why I don't have one.

Something like a sovereign (or half or quarter) that is a keep sake but can be cashed in if she ever needs to.

For practical stuff baker ross vouchers would be useful.

Voucher, either for a big department store or for a spa day/beauty treatments if she's into that sort of thing.

Alternatively, a good quality diary/organizer personalised with her initials would probably go down well, depending on your budget.

Then your DC can make a card she can keep. Just no to a memory box or photos - that's no gift.

I'd hate a spa day. Please be certain she'd love it and would have time to do it before you get it.

A voucher - costa coffee or similar?

milfordcollection.com/epages/BT0312.mobile/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT0312/Products/3&Locale=en_GB

Amazon do them too.

A voucher to any department store, a heartfelt thank you note would be lovely.

Agree about the photo album, it's not really a gift for her. Also the Costa coffee voucher isn't really much.

A letter listing all the good things about her for her folder

A lovely pen

Diary