Just had a note from nursery asking that parents do not buy them chocolates for a Christmas gift - what on earth can I give them instead?

[ceebee74]

Apparently all the staff are on a diet

Am now totally lost for ideas as a box of chocolates or biscuits that they could share seemed ideal.

Any ideas gratefully received.

They're a bit cheeky imho. I work in a pre-school and we're just grateful to get anything. I'd give them a card with a scratch card in it and save myself a bit of money. Ungrateful lot

Blimey, you are very generous! Does the nursery have a garden? I was in Sainsburys earlier and they had some nice tiny christmas trees (well, about a foot high) in red sparkly pots (£15) in the flowers and plants section. They could put it in the room and then plant it out in the nursery garden after Xmas?

Other than that would they be allowed a nice Christmassy plant on a windowsill to be kept in the nursery..that way everyone could get the benefit and you could probably pick one up for between £5 and £10?

at the rotating staff.

Not brilliant for continuity of care really.

I love the idea of Oxfam unwrapped personally.

Whittards lovely boxed sets of different coffees or teas, ideal to leave in the staff room, so no sharing out required. IIRC, you get about 9 small boxes in the large gift box.

When DD was at nursery I wouldn't really buy the nursery staff much themselves. I got an Oxfam Unwrapped card from DD and some biscuits or cake for the staff room, and then bought the nursery class DD was in a gift - book, jigsaw, toy, etc.

Have to agree with those find it a bit presumptious that your nursery staff expect a present. First of all, you probably pay through the nose for the privilege of sending your DS there (and whilst little of this probably filters down to the people who actually work with your child, that is not your problem). Secondly, how can they assume that you will be sending presents in, that you can afford it? Loads of working mums I know barely break even after paying childcare costs.

But if you want to give a gift, a good handcream in a pump dispenser, or some nice tea/coffee could be shared around - or even the OXFAM unwrapped idea is a good one - you could send something useful to someone in need in the name of your nursery. That way you show your appreciation of the effort that these (I assume) women have put into looking after the children in their care, and give the money to a good cause.

gawd, DS is in nursery and it never even occurred to me to buy the staff a present! I thought I was being smarmy writing a card.

However, if you are really determined to get them something how about...

Big bottle of Molton Brown handcream for the bathroom (I love gingerlily)

6 pack of lovely scented L'Occitaine soaps

Basket of nice fruit (only be sure to give this early or it will go off over Xmas)

A set of bathroom scales so they can have competitive weighing competitions and a kick up the arse for being so picky...

actually second thoughts, I like anonymama's suggestion of giving a goat to africa or something. And you could include a note saying that as they are obviously bursting out of their uniforms you have given their chocs to starving children in africa instead.

Some nice hand cream, or a magazine subscription for their staffroom maybe

I wouldn't do that if it was an evil corporate nursery. A little non-profit-making one I might.

I can see their point, especially if they are on diets.

We get lots of boxes of chocolates, we put them all togethr, then on the last day share them out equally. We have about 3 or 4 tins of celebrations, quality street etc

I must admit I do not personally like chocolates so let the staff have them all.

If you really have to get them presents (honestly we dont expect them)
buy a bottle of wine, or a box of biscuits, or a present for the nursery, dont spend mre than a fiver..
they can then put them in the pot and share out at the end.
please dont worry about it, you dont have to get anything, our best present last year was a card made by a child..

I got my Dd's nursery staff a sign from this lady it said "nursery teachers hold their pupils hands for a while but their hearts forever."

The staff were thrilled with it and hung it up in nursery .

She is a good seller on Ebay I have had a few things from her but she dosent have any of the nursery ones on at the moment but she would probably put one on if you emailed her

stores.ebay.co.uk/Charnwood-Crafts

I think it's cheeky, buy them some slimfast

Maddie - lol at the slimfast!

Went Christmas shopping today and bought them a Whittard's set of coffee, teabags and hot chocolate as I figure they can use that in the staff room and should please everyone.

Thanks for all the ideas

Buy the nursery yearly subscriptions to some magazines for them to read, Weightwatchers, Slimming World etc

Nothing after a letter like that! How cheeky. I thought wedding lists were bad but this takes the biscuit.

I have bought DS's teacher, TA and school club staff but because I wanted to not because they expected it.

cheeky and ungrateful (and presumptious) things - don't buy them anything!

I would give them an apple each. Or a box of dry wheat breads or crackers.

Or a packet of seeds.

Very cheeky imho.

ive got all teachers, coaches, tas ballet teachers xmas decs, you can get them cheap and they can use them whoever they are

I bought my nursery staff a luxury box of speciality teas for £15.00

At my nursery we share out presnts by drawing lots. Odd ones left over we eat.(unless it's hand cream). Like all presents, you're greatful with whatever you're given. I have to thank a couple of people each year for wine.....despite being T-total!

But..... if you think the situation in the first post was cheeky....no I can't tell you....

....well OK! One year somebody I worked with wrapped up an empty box and addressed it to the staff as a big hint to parents.