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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Beaver/Cub/Brownie leaders - what is the 'norm' for Christmas presents?

52 replies

stealthsquiggle · 08/12/2008 13:52

DS has only been a beaver since September so I am ignorant of the expectations (and I don't know any of the other parents so I can't ask) - what if anything do you normally get and for whom? As far as I can work out there are 2 official 'leaders' but they often appear to have a helper as well - so - 2 presents? - 3 presents? - what sort of thing?

HELP - last session is on Thursday and I have been so distracted with other things that I have only just thought about it!

OP posts:
Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 08/12/2008 15:32

bump - pretty please?

OP posts:
overthemill · 08/12/2008 15:37

someone small - i go handmade by child. or something like terrys choc orange - really just a couple of quid and handmade card

overthemill · 08/12/2008 15:39

something small i meant

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 08/12/2008 15:50

Thanks, OTM. I have made cakes for DS's teachers and DD's carers, but there are not 3 spare (2, maybe, but that leaves the 'helper' out) and I just cannot summon the energy to start again and make more, so I think the options are homemade biscuits or something bought...

OP posts:
fatjac · 08/12/2008 16:22

DS goes to Cubs, they have two main leaders and several helpers but not always the same ones each week. I hand in a few bottles of wine, boxes of chocs/biscuits and let them divide them up between themselves. Last year I made up a hamper with panetonne, stolen, mince pies and mulled wine.

overthemill · 08/12/2008 17:49

oh fatjac now i feel mean! but i love homemade things - homemade christmassy shapes from gingerbread recipes are nice and can have holes in them to hang on tree

sophy · 08/12/2008 18:02

It had not occurred to me to bring xmas presents for Beavers and Cubs leaders.
Does everyone do this?

overthemill · 08/12/2008 18:11

its an increasing pressure isnt it? i give toekns to the people who mean a lot/give up their time for ny dd

mrsmaidamess · 08/12/2008 18:12

I have got dd's guider a set of nice soaps from TK Maxx, about £5. I think we are the only ones who give anything to her...but she puts so much effort in each week, I think its the least we can do.

LittleFairySmile · 08/12/2008 18:42

Since being on MN, I have found it interesting and rather worrying that I will need to get gifts for my DC's teachers and group leaders. Yikes. (BTW I'm a Guider and a secondary school teacher usually get nowt!)

blametheparents · 08/12/2008 18:47

I got DS's two Beaver leaders a tin of shortbread from M&S. At £5 each, but 3 for 2 and then 20% discount then they cost a bit less than £3 each. Spare tin is for DH who loves shortbread.
I always buy for Beaver leaders, they give up their time for nothing and I wouldn't want to do it!
Teachers do at least get paid for their work and are profesionals, and yet everybody seems to buy them presents.

mumwhereareyou · 08/12/2008 19:02

I buy my DD beavers leaders a bottle of wine and some nice biscuits. They deserve it as work unpaid and give up a lot of their free time for the Beavers.

ReinDIORdroppings · 08/12/2008 19:03

Message withdrawn

Indith · 08/12/2008 19:09

For some reason at my old unit (some years back) in a different area us leaders would get cards and chocs etc from a lot of the parents. Here we get a couple of cards, maybe Of course it is nice to get something but far nicer are the parents who tell you how much their girls enjoy it and thank you for it.

MerryChristmasPANDAGHappy09 · 08/12/2008 19:14

we had a group collection - the parent rep organised it and asked if people wanted to put in. I am very happy to do so, as the leaders spend a lot of time and effort ensuring my children have fun and learn too.

piscesmoon · 08/12/2008 19:19

I would rather buy them presents than teachers. They are volunteers and don't get paid, and yet turn out every week and do activities at weekends. I think they deserve a little present, especially as Beavers is one of the cheapest activities your DC can do. Anyone who volunteers to run things in their free time, such as managers of football teams deserves a present. If you can't afford a present, I am sure that a card thanking them would be much appreciated. (More so than a present).

MoMoMoMeeeeryChristmas · 08/12/2008 19:49

I am a Guider and a parent of a Guide. For DD's Guider I usually get something under a fiver. (You can't keep spending and shouldn't be expected to buy anything more tbh). As a Guider, I have finished for Christmas tonight and I received 4 bottles of wine and 3 boxes of chocolates! The chocolates were from girls that I don't know socially and the wine was from people that know me well!

Over the years, along with wine and chocs, I have had candles, biscuits and smellies. Don't knock yourself out, over it. Guiders do it, because they love it obviously and we don't expect anything in return, but it is nice to know that people appreciate that we give up a lot of our free time for your LO's.

Personally, if your DS was one of my charges, I would expect a fine decorated Christmas cake!

Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 08/12/2008 21:35

Aha - Mo - I was looking for you earlier to point you at this thread.

Would 2 cakes leave me with a resentful helper or several though ?

(I have 9 cakes, almost finished but not wrapped, to divide between DS's teachers (including one which is doubling as a leaving cake), DD's nursery carers and any relatives we decide to give them to - loaves and fishes, anyone?)

OP posts:
Original poster
stealthsquiggle · 08/12/2008 21:35

Is there supposed to be a parent rep, then [confused and ignorant]?

OP posts:
piscesmoon · 08/12/2008 21:51

No-sometimes parents organise it but it is too much trouble getting money out of people IMO.

skrimbo · 08/12/2008 22:33

Never occured to me to get them presents before, DD sometimes gets a little toiletry thing for her dance teacher if she asks.

BUT>>>>

as a new Brownie helper def champagne, chocolates, silk scraves, cars, houses, you know what ever you can affors would be nice .

mincepiesmustbedunkedincream · 08/12/2008 23:03

We (DH is Scout Leader, I'm a helper) never get a gift, never expect to either. Lucky if we recieve 3 cards from a troop of 25.

Only gift we ever recieved to say thanks was a crate of beer from parents of one scout. Handed to us as we set off for Summer Camp Best gift ever!

fatjac · 08/12/2008 23:11

The way I see it I get 1.5hours babysitting a week, not to mention the overnight sleepovers and weekend camps away which we pay minimal cost for.

They actually spend more time with my DS than his grandparents do and I buy for them.

skrimbo · 08/12/2008 23:16

Bloody camps all year cost me a fortune , perhaps I should get DS to at least make a card for them. Might do a bottle of something for leader this year as he has loaned me something for my brownies Christmas night.

littone · 08/12/2008 23:40

I run a cadet division for St John Ambulance - don't expect pressies and rarely receive - but a card that says thank you (not just DC name at the bottom!)is always gratefully received.

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