WRT Presents for Nursery staff - would this be awful of me?

[Katymac]

To put out 2 boxes (with lids) during December with "Staff Christmas Party" on one & "New toys" for the parents to put money into?

It's just we got 27 boxes of chocolates & biscuits one year

Or is that completely unacceptable?

I would much prefer to buy nursery toys than gifts for the staff but I think I am the only parent that thinks this. I have frequently considered buying a bumper lot of books as they seem to be very short of good books but I worry the staff will think I am a nutter

Erm

TBH I think its bad form

I can understand why you'd want to as its very practical

But Christmas isn't practical

(please feel free to pass on any unwanted biscuits)

I wish my DCs nursery would do this. Good idea.

When DD left her pre school I bought books and she wrote a dedication in the front.

Hmm - mixed response

It's very hard as most of the gifts are given to 'me' so I have to deal them out fairly

How lovely Sagacious

It's slightly different I suppose as we are childminders but I would hate to offend people

yes unacceptable, paying for a party? seems grabby to me

I don't think its grabby. If parents buy gifts for the staff at Christmas ( which we do), why not just put the money into a pot for a party for them/new toys, whatever? It would make it easier and I'm never sure how many of the staff to buy for (just key worker or all the staff in DSs room?)

As it happens, this Christmas DS will be leaving so I think we will have to buy individual gifts anyway but I quite like the idea of paying for the staff to have a night out. They deserve it!!

I've been wondering what the protocall is for gifts for nursery staff. I want to buy DS's key worker something but no idea what

And personally I wouldn't mind the OP's idea - I like the idea of contributing to the staff's xmas party, after all they're not paid very much and deserve a treat

I think it's a good idea.
After all, there is a limit to how many chocolate biscuits you can eat.
Can you put it in your newsletter? something like " In the present economic climate please do not feel obliged to buy us Christmas presents. We know that you all appreciate us! But if you would like to, we are accepting modest donations towards a staff night out and new toys for the children"

Purepurple that is a lovely idea, to put it in the newsletter

"In the present economic climate please do not feel obliged to buy us Christmas presents. We know that you all appreciate us! But if you would like to, we are accepting modest donations towards a staff night out or new toys for the children"

I only changed one word - Henryhuggins if you didn't want to contribute to the party would money towards a new toy be acceptable or not that either?

My idea was that a much smaller amount could be put in, either for the people (the party) or for the children (the toy)

I think thats spot on purepurple

i think it's all in the way it's presented - the wording in the neewsletter is actually quite nice - I would do that. much better than your original idea iwth 2 boxes

Katymac, I actually meant to write 'or' but typed 'and' by mistake.
I'm glad you like my idea.
I always get lumbered with fundraising at my nursery. I am getting quite good at it

But then put the boxes out; because then how much you put in is much more anonymous

We have bought boxes for our nursery for xmas this year as I feel they will get a lot more us out of them than a box of chocolates although these are nice for th staff but they seem to get so many.

I wish DS's nursery would do something similar! We did chocolates and biscuits last year and probably will again this year as I don't know what else to get that everyone can share and I want to get everyone something, not just DS's keyworker.

My message should have said books not boxes!!!!

oh i wish DS's nursery would do this! I bought a huge box of chocolates last year in the full knowledge everyone else would be doing the same

We're supposed to buy presents for the nursery staff?

You dont have to but a lot of people do.

I mentioned it to a few parents who really liked the idea - so I just need to sort it out now

Good luck with it all.