I need your help, but it will be fun (hopefully!)

[PoohBearsHole]

It is my beloved Nanny's birthday soon (a big one!) and I want to get her something really nice from both my dh and I and something from the children. I was thinking something personalised and have an idea from the children that will be both useful and something that she will hopefully like (ds recently broke her glasses case that she had had for years so am thinking along those lines from the children).

Anyway I would like to get something from dh and I but don't want it to be a bottle if I can help it. However I don't want to embarrass her - quite frankly she loves my children as if they were her own, helps out around the house so when I return from work it is sparkly and the dc's washing and often our has been done, doesn't squeal when the cat brings in something nasty and adores the dog too - by getting something too expensive (as written she would be worth every penny) or not expensive enough.

Any thoughts?

Her favourite perfume if you know what it is? Does she wear scarves or something like that?

We got our nanny a mug with some artwork that she'd done with DS printed on it. Plus some smellies (Molton brown) and chocs.

What about gift vouchers plus little gifts eg slippers for the your house so she feels at home? (we did that at winter) personalised stuff from the kids?

For my great aunts 90th birthday, I download two tracks from each decade .( so 20's to present day) and your children could make a cd cover, maybe add a photo of them holding birthday suprises.

I probably can't be of much help, as being a bloke I'm probably not that in touch with what a women would want. However, of the personalised things I have ever got from children, only one thing I have kept - a mug with a child's picture on it. It has now lasted 12 years (it's beginning to fade a bit now) and is still in use.

Unless you intend on discussing with your nanny exactly what it is THEY want, then I would suggest you go for vouchers - such as Amazon, which can be used on multiple different things. Boring perhaps but it's the safe option. If they like ebooks, they can download them. If they like music, they can download that. If they like DVD's... books, whatever it is they can probably get it there.

Combining a voucher with something personalised from the children is a good idea.

You don't work somewhere well known but not visited by the public do you? One thing I have kept is a 10 Downing Street Pen, not the most exciting of things but I probably would never have got one, unless I knew someone who worked there.

Mug above( not u nanny your idea) is nice, glasses case is a bit blah and if your child broke it replace it anyway.

Could u afford spa treatments if she's the type to enjoy this, or meal vouchers to a nice restaurant or cinema, theatre tickets ??

Difficult as don't know her but sure shed be happy as u made the effort any how.

thebody - feel free to call me Nick
I agree re the glasses case. Though personally I have quite a few, as get one each time I get new glasses. Do people really have Special glasses cases?

nick I do! I have Prada, Chanel and Givenvchy glasses cases, although my Chanel sunglasses are 3 years out of date and are now used for going in the pool/sea but the box contains a pair of current specs.

I agree re vouchers for part of the present. What are her hobbies/interests?

often it is the card and the words that the parents write that are more significent.

Let her know how wonderful she is with words

Thanks for the replies! Re Glasses case, I asked her about replacing but it still works well its just the spring that is gone so glasses are still safe and she did say it was on its way out and that she had been letting him play with it.

Thing is she keeps hinting about glasses related things: i.e wanting a string to go around her glasses as she is always leaving them here so I was thinking that dd might be able to make her one? I am just not sure how.........

Was thinking about a mug so will go ahead with that one, might be hands of each child and artwork, and I think I will take the hint on the vase she has seen too as she keeps asking me where it is from. I think she is quite good at hints! Might just get a glasses case to replace the one she has .

I would do vouchers but I know she is very much more about the thought. I got her some ferocious warming booze for xmas to put in a flask she was taking skiing and she and her dh loved that, I think because she knew I had been thinking about something for both her and her dh for holiday. However if I can't get the vase she likes then I will go down the voucher route for a large well known store

Thank you, the mug is right up her street and something fun for me and the kids to do as a pressie.

Could you make her a string like a friendship bracelet that your dd could do?

does she like gardening? you can buy roses that are named-you may find one with her name-or special occasion eg theres a rose called 'Happy Birthday' which i got for my SIL on her 40th.Its something to keep too.Cant remember the website but just google it.....

I liked the mug/car/cat that the children chose and painted themselves at the local pottery place. The mug had a handprint on and all had name and date. I also liked a crystal bowl (big enough for fruit) Does she collect anything? I also liked a purple cat ornament I got from one childs holiday, I love (and collect) cats and purple, so it was nice that she had thought of me. Don't know how old your children are but how about giving them some money and letting them buy something that they think their nanny might like ? Or get the children to write a letter saying what they like about your nanny ?

biff - 4 and 18 months so might be a bit young although dd would love to be given money to go shopping