Nursery workers - what do you really want for Christmas?

[OrangeSwoosh]

Exactly that!

DC has a specific named key worker but actually the 4 nursery nurses in the baby room deal with all the kids equally so it's not as if I'd be getting a gift specifically for one person. There's also the admin lady, manager etc. to consider. They're all fantastic!

I work in a small private nursery.

We genuinely don’t expect presents (in fact we’re not allowed to keep them, they go in a kitty and are shared out equally)

We do love boxes of chocolates and biscuits to share at break times!

We do love boxes of chocolates and biscuits to share at break times!

That's the lines I was thinking along. Something everyone can benefit from - was thinking maybe a selection of nice biscuits, decent tea and coffee? They work very long days and I certainly work in an environment where a decent tea bag and a biscuit can make a bad day bearable!

What I would love more than material things is something personal a card from the child. And maybe an early finish on Christmas eve

@OrangeSwoosh sounds absolutely lovely I’m sure they’ll be delighted x

@Fandabydosey we may attempt some sort of hand/footprint design if I'm feeling brave!

Hmmm I work in a big nursery setting and I won’t lie, I have had a lot of overly generous presents (pandora bracelet, £50 in card) but I would be more than happy with a card and some chocolates. What about a box of biscuits / chocolates for the whole room and a nice mug or similar for their keg worker? x

Also, a nice message in the card really makes you feel appreciated!

We had a nice box of herbal teas given once. They're really lovely and some quite different flavours. We usually just have bog standard tea and coffee so it's nice to have change every once in a while. If someone had a cold or sore throat, they don't always want a milky drink.

And biscuits / chocs go down very well. Celebrations are better than quality streets

I asked our nursery's manager what they would prefer and she suggested a donation of Prosecco for their Christmas party.

At our nursery we hate getting chocolates and biscuits etc. So unhealthy and a lot of us are watching our weight. Unless of course they are homemade by the child, those are special. I like anything smelly, or a card decorated by the child.

or a mug!

A card, honestly do not feal you need to give anymore. It can soon add up. Yes we like fruit hampers, bottles of vino ect but it is easy to get it wrong and you shouldn,t feel obliged afterall they are paid to be there.

Me?
Wine
I like wine
White or fizzy
But that’s just me
🤣
I don’t really expect presents and I really hate the cheap toiletries that we often get
And the mugs
I never drink out of a mug but I have a cupboard full of them
Pens is always a good choice too

@Thehop I can't believe you don't get to keep them?! I've never worked in a nursery where that happens. What about if the gift had been bought especially for you?

@OrangeSwoosh I recently gave midwives a gift of fancy hot chocolate, posh snack bars and a reed diffuser for their staff room. Just a few ideas for you.

@donttellmetwice if it’s personal and has a name on for instance then we have a sort of honour thing where we’ll say to each other “I have a bracelet that Johnny made for you, do you want to swap it for one of your gifts?” Between ourselves

But it isn’t foolproof and some don’t do it.

I love that you are considering all the staff, not just the key workers. In our nursery there are non key worker staff, cooks, cleaners, administration staff and apprentices. They all work towards making your child's nursery experience.
Chocolate or buiscits are great, because everyone gets to share, not just the key workers.
I know that no one expects or deserves a present, but it is a little hurtful if a key worker gets an expensive personal gift, and other staff get nothing.

The nursery I work at we can keep gift if it is personally for you as in your name is on the tag, all gifts that says to the nursery staff are handed into the office where they are raffled out between all the staff including admin, kitchen caretaker management. There are 30+ staff so not everyone gets something. The parents obviously think their chocolates are shared between the staff that look after their child but in reality someone who doesn't even know your child's name may get the gift.
None of the staff ever expect a gift, especially as there can be 4 plus staff in some rooms, so it can be very expensive to parents. But some cheap ideas are mugs, diary, small candle tube of chocolates and a card are greatly recieved

A nice card or photo perhaps?
Basket of mixed fruit..
Hand or body lotion with no perfume and colour free..

I'm T2 diabetic, with funny skin so the chocolates and stuff given to me, went to my fellow staff or my husband or kids 🙁

Tge ones that I have appreciated and kept are;
Candles
Mugs
Vouchers

Chocolates are always nice to share among the staff.
Generally we're happy to get anything at all.
One parent got us all a bottle of prosecco each once, which was very nice of them.
The other ladies drank a lot of tea during the day so fancy tea probably wouldn't go amiss, things that are easy to share.
Lovely of you to consider everyone. I always liked christmas in the setting because it shows that parents do appreciate what we do. X

I get my DS’s nursery workers vouchers for Costa/Starbucks etc - they’ve always gone down very well.

A little hamper for everyone. Fruit, teas, biscuits, savouries. These have been gratefully appreciated.
As for we don't expect one.......... Let's face it with the poor wage and the amazing work practitioners do, a lovely gift goes a very long way. So to all the 'we don't expect a gift.......' hmmmm! '