{"id":280,"date":"2018-01-08T18:43:34","date_gmt":"2018-01-08T18:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-255815-3383686.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=280"},"modified":"2023-12-12T09:30:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T09:30:41","slug":"what-gift-shall-we-get-the-nanny-this-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.korukids.co.uk\/blog\/thoughtful-parenting\/what-gift-shall-we-get-the-nanny-this-christmas","title":{"rendered":"What gift shall we get our nanny this Christmas?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/strong>Welcome to December, the most stressful month of the year. Work deadlines, present shopping, Christmas events, all on top of your normal load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you employ a nanny, a Christmas gift is probably somewhere on your to-do list.  But what? And are you meant to give a bonus? How much?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We asked some experienced nannies for their advice, and \u2013 whilst they\u2019d all love a new car and their mortgage paid off \u2013 the good news is that letting them know they\u2019re appreciated at Christmas doesn\u2019t have to break the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving a monetary gift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many families do give their nanny a Christmas bonus. And when we asked nannies what they really wanted for Christmas, \u2018a bonus\u2019 was by FAR the most common answer (closely followed by \u2018a voucher\u2019!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For families that give a bonus, a common amount is one week\u2019s net pay. If money isn\u2019t an issue for you, this amount will work nicely. (Of course, any amount is appreciated.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many families also give a personal gift, in addition to the bonus. Whether you give an extra gift or not, do at least try to find 15 minutes to write a lovely message in a card, emphasising how much you appreciate all their hard work and how important the nanny is to your family life. You\u2019ll get a massive return on that little investment, and nannies were all in agreement that the card was just as important as the gift or money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving a non-monetary gift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If money is tight and a week\u2019s net pay isn\u2019t an option, don\u2019t worry. Like anyone else, the main thing nannies want is to feel valued and appreciated for all their hard work. Nannies know they\u2019re an expensive luxury, and that you might be already stretching to afford them. Several nannies we asked didn\u2019t expect any gift at all. As one said, \u201cA card would be enough, paired with warm and sincere wishes.\u201d Another suggested something made by the children would be a lovely gesture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to do something in-between, here are some other ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A voucher<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you know your nanny\u2019s style, and you have the time, by all means pick up something from her favourite shop.  But if you don\u2019t know your nanny that well, most nannies would prefer a voucher. As one said, \u2018It\u2019s better to choose ourselves rather than getting the 100th body lotion or cream. Parents don\u2019t seem to know us well enough to really know what we want.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do make sure your voucher is for somewhere your nanny wants to shop. One wise nanny told us, \u201cGift vouchers are really useful but need to be for somewhere that I would actually use. So Westfield, Amazon, Debenhams or John Lewis, not Harrods.\u201d M&S is also a nice option as it\u2019s full of treat-full Christmas ingredients.  If your nanny is a bit of a fashionista, a clothes shop voucher could be particularly great given the Christmas sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A restaurant or spa gift voucher could also be an excellent gift to make sure your nanny can relax over the holiday, and it doesn\u2019t matter if she\u2019s been given them before. One great thing about spa day vouchers is that you can chose the treatments for your nanny yourself, making it feel little more personal. As an even more thoughtful touch, you could get two vouchers so she can bring a friend.  If she\u2019s into cooking, a cooking class voucher could be great too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hamper<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If a voucher seems too impersonal, what about a hamper? Here you\u2019ve got two choices: pre-made, or DIY. Pre-made hampers are quick and simple, but can be expensive. You can keep costs down, and personalise it a bit, by making your own. Think wine, prosecco, classic festive food, chocolate, beauty \u2013 or a mixture (but do try to avoid giving the 100th body cream!). It doesn\u2019t have to be a major project: pick up a bag in Accessorise while you\u2019re passing through a mainline rail station, put a few extra taps on your Ocado order and you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep her family in mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your nanny has children of her own, getting a little something for them is very thoughtful and your nanny will definitely appreciate it. We spoke to the grown-up daughter of a nanny, and she still remembers the little presents she got from her mum\u2019s bosses. A tiny bit of effort here goes a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worst Christmas presents<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n