Nanny Christmas present

[starsinyourpies]

Can any nannies advise on what is a good Christmas present? I usually do something crafty from the kids and cash. One year did a massage voucher but that was less well received....

Is cash generally most welcome do you think?

Not a nanny myself, but the general consensus seems to be cash... She can do whatever she wants then rather than be constricted. No one ever dislikes cash.

I'm probably in the minority, but isn't there something quite vulgar about giving cash as a gift? Do you know what any of her interests are outside of work?

Cash
Train fare home for the weekend if her parents (or whoever) live some way away.

We used to pay for our au pairs to fly home for the week, or sometimes coach fare (mostly east European).

Cash.

It's really not vulgar. It means the recipient can get whatever they want. Whatever you buy they could find out the price of in seconds on google if that's what you are worried about @rottiemum88.

Cash isnt vulgar when you're on the receiving end!

We always gift cash, plus a lovely homemade card from the kids (so obvious we invested our weekend time thinking if her and trying to do something nice) and a gift (toy) each of her kids, which my kids help choose (again, hopefully comes across as thoughtful). Always seems well received.

@helloxhristmas

Cash.

It's really not vulgar. It means the recipient can get whatever they want. Whatever you buy they could find out the price of in seconds on google if that's what you are worried about @rottiemum88.

It's just that cash in itself seems like a value judgement to me, like 'this amount of £ is what I think you're worth'. At least with presents, if you pick something the individual likes, it shows some more effort/thought has gone into the process, irrespective of the price 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks all for the response. Hopefully combination of thoughtful child-made present and cash is a winner! Will stick with that formula.

@rottiemum88 given we pay by the hour I guess she already knows how much we think she's worth .

Don't know why some people have such hangups about cash - it's a means. Unless you know what someone actually needs/wants specifically or you know they too have hangups about being given cash, cash is better and they can get what they prefer themselves.

Buying a gift to make you the giver feel better doesn't necessarily mean it's something the receiver will find useful. Besides, the cost of your gift is the same as the cash value.

I always do small but luxurious gift (so a Space NK gift set or really nice candle) plus cash. Plus a card that the kids have vomited glitter and stickers and whatnot all over!

The post wasn't to you specifically, rottiemum. Only that I've seen many people who feel some kind of way about giving others cash when they have no idea what those people want and cash is what they'll need to get what they want. It's neither good nor bad.

I like things that are practical and can be kept a long time. I have a coffee mug that a child gave me one Christmas which he had drawn on (at age 3) and was glazed. I still have that mug 18 years later.

I also like Chocolate so a big box of qualify chocolate is always nice to get, or a year subscription to chocolate by post such as Hotel Chocolate Tasting Club.
I also like good quality red wine.
So you need to know what your nanny likes - ask them.

@nannynick thanks she definitely likes wine so probably a nice bottle as well. 👍🏻

I always had a weeks wages in cash and something little from the kids

@Blondeshavemorefun wow a week wages, now I feel stingy!

Not at all. I worked for families who could afford it and lovely with it

Many nannies on threads over the years have never had a cash bonus let alone a weeks wages

@Blondeshavemorefun yes I think we try to be generous employers in other ways as well so hopefully it all evens out.

We give our Nanny a bottle of whiskey 🥃😂

I have had various gifts over the years. The ones that stand out and mean the most to me are the ones done by the kids like ceramic tree decorations and ceramic mugs which I will always keep.

I don’t ever expect a gift but I have one boss who always tries to get something g related to my interests or favourite foods. The fact she takes note of this means a lot!

Late to this thread but wondering too. I searched back and it seems like a weeks wages in cash is standard as a Christmas bonus, plus a gift (maybe £50?!)

Book voucher, tickets to film or theatre, something that the nanny is interested in.

@FreeButtonBee

I always do small but luxurious gift (so a Space NK gift set or really nice candle) plus cash. Plus a card that the kids have vomited glitter and stickers and whatnot all over!

as a nanny this would be right up my street. Luxurious treat, something handmade from kids, fat wedge of cash, card with lovely thoughtful words of appreciation from the parents. Other memorable previous gifts have been bottle of champagne, extra paid time off over christmas, early finish on the last day of work before christmas, meal out with kids paid for, tea party with local nannies and their charges

Tbh, I prefer a gift that shows the family know me well as I, personally, think cash is the easy option but I know lots of nannies who would disagree 😉 My favourite gifts have been a long,warm hoodie (perfect for cold school pick ups) , a Tweety Pie watch chosen by the children and a voucher to stay in a castle.