Au Pairs and Christmas

[Weegle]

Just interested...

is your AP staying with you over xmas or going home?

are you giving them a bonus? if so how much?

are you buying them a gift, if so what?

ours is here xmas day but flying home 26th over NY. I'm not planning on a bonus (skint) but I've bought her quite a few pressies - book, chocs, smellies etc as I want her to feel welcome and aprt of the family on xmas day.

Ours went home on the 14th, and doesn't return until the 6th. She's having her wisdom teeth out at home though sometime this week. Luckily DH will be around for the next few weeks, so it fits in well with our plans.

I didn't give a Christmas bonus, but she's only been with us just short of 4 weeks.

I bought her a few pressies though - a couple of pairs of PJ's, slippers, a nice throw for her room and some bed socks. I also sent back a goodie bag for her parents, with English tea, cornish biscuits, lemon curd, marmalade.... lots of 'English' things.

Missing her terribly - she doesn't have a lot to do round the house, but what she does do makes a huge difference to my general stress levels! Not sure I'd ever cope without an ap with DH away now!

Weegle our AP didn't arrive until mid Oct, so too late to sign up for classes at WK and is going home in Feb. It's a shame really as she hasn't met anyone and must be really lonely.

My ex Mother's Help (part of a Slovak couple and now a good friend) tried to befriend her but finds her surly manner a little offputting.

I've come to this thread very late on but just wanted to say (to anyone else like me who scans the au pair threads for info and tips) that our au pair (German, has been with us less than a week but is settling in well) specifically wanted somewhere rural and isn't at all interested in cities. She wants fields or the coastline around her, so don't despair if you are far from a city. Some positively seek that and actually turn down the London jobs! She's the exception, of course. Lots have turned us down because we are too far (2 hours travel by bus/train) from cities.