What are you giving your nanny for Christmas?

[GhostofChristmasNatt]

With past and wonderful nannies have always gone out in sentimental haze and spent too much money out of gratitude. Current nanny is basically lazy, messy, not wildly reliable, feckless etc (upside is she likes boys and they like her and she is kind-hearted). So what would be reasonable to get in circumstances? Or small gift plus some cash (she always broke as useless with money) - if so, how much? Any thoughts gratefully received, my brain is a bit broken...

This is only my second year with a nanny but this is the 2nd year I will give tokens. last year M&S but this year Gap as I now know she likes their clothes.

gave our p/t nanny cash (only 40 quid) and a small leather notebook

she seemed very happy with it this morning

Tokens a good idea but not sure where she gets her clothes from (lots of black shroud-y things), hmmmm

what about Boots, the chemist is the place where i really come out thinking how on earth did i spend 25 quid when all i needed was some cough mixture for ds IYSWIM.

Ah, well she does like cosmetics, so that could work. Will mull. Any more rthoughst on amount would be gladly received.

cash

How much, enid?

She sounds a bit disorganized. (i.e. bad with money, not reliable). What about a nice organizer. And maybe a £20 gift certificate somewhere.

well last year she was working for us 4 days a week until 3pm and I gave her £100.

Now she only does 1 day so I am giving her much less

It's a lovely thought, uwila, but I think she needs reprogramming if she is ever going to change, not sure a filofax would do it (she would lose it like the 4000 mobile phones, childrens jumpers etc). I'm minded to go for £100 and a box of chocs then she can lend the £100 to feckless (nbut nice) boyfriend and eat the chocs as consolation..

sounds perfect

Mine got a flight to the arse end of nowhere - not trying to get rid of her, that's where she's from! Paid the extra so that she could fly into her local airport rather than have a 4 hour train ride from the capital. Also gave her a (small) bottle of her favourite perfume and some colouring books for her nieces.

gave mine an italian cookbook (she is marrying an italian in july!), some perfume and £250. children made her a photo frame and a little heartshaped pot in one of those paint your own pottery places. she has been with us 3 years, works full time and it bloody marvellous though

£250 and bits sounds right for wonder-nanny. £100 and chocs was right for slack nanny (and she seemed pleased...)...

we did: exotic teas taster box (she likes tea); Japanese silk scarf with cats on (she likes cats); cat toy (for her cat, dd insisted); the obligatory bottle of champagne; and a bonus. She rescued us from a bad situation in May, and I'd like her to think of staying with us for at least another year.

a litre of baileys and 6 bottles of cava for my part time nanny. Not that my kids drive her to drink, or anything.....

A plain white dinner service, a set of cutler and six wine glasses - all from Ikea - as she's just moved into her first flat on her own. Also a birthstone that she saw in a catalogue of mine and liked from the children.