I am unsure as to what to get my bosses for christmas. I know its a bit early but I just want to get it out of the way. Does a gift card to a restaurant and a movie gift card as well as a free "certificate of babysitting" so they can go out sound good or is it too corny? What have you given your mb and db for christmas in the past?
Gift down, not up. Bosses get you a gift, you get the kids a gift. You can also make a gift with the children for the bosses. But if you go out and buy them something, it just makes things awkward because essentially they are paying for their own gift. They know where your money is coming from.
ReplyDeleteI usually get something for the family... for instance, one year I bought those little plastic popcorn holders that look like movie theater popcorn, some sour patch kids, milk duds, and other movie theater candy, good popcorn, and put them all in a pretty gift box from Hobby Lobby to make a "movie night snack kit". They loved it, and they still use the popcorn containers :) That way it's something nice for the parents, but not so direct, since it's for the "family". I also do a project with the kids--we get some of the bigger round ornaments that are all covered in glitter, paint on the kids' hand print (each on their own ornament), paint the year on the bottom, shellack, and use a nice ribbon to hang them on the tree.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion that is too much. I'm super close with the family I work for, and this will be our third christmas together. I have the kids make an ornament, some sort of little gift and a hand print project. From me I give them a card saying how much I enjoy being a part of their family and include a free night of babysitting. Most would say I go overboard, but I really do feel like they are family.
ReplyDeleteLike MissMannah, I only purchase gifts for the children. For the parents, I do what A Nanny Who Cares does: a card and a free evening of babysitting.
ReplyDeleteYeah. homemade gifts are better. I remember one year- it was the babys first Christmas. so we made a dinner plate with everyone's hand prints. with the words "baby's 1st Christmas. Love C, C, and K. Mom broke into tears- it was great/ I also love scrapbooks. I would take pics throughout the year and put our "adventures" together in a scrapbook.
ReplyDeleteGalls, all the gift options you mentioned COST money, some little some a bit more. The ornament you make at home you have to be making with something that has been bought either by you or by the parents. It's not about where the money for the gift is coming from it's the thought and the time taken to make or get the gift that decent parents should appreciate.
ReplyDeleteMy boss was telling me this morning that it's a nightmare to find the younger boy (2) any type of shoes that fit him as his feet are wide.
And I know that for sure cuz I had to go and exchange a pair of shoes a few months ago bought for him by his parent with the assistance of a junior sales assistant who didn't know much about shoe types fitting different types of feet.
So, I went today to a high end children's shop and bought him a pair of shoes which - for a two-year-old who will grow out of them in a few months - cost a small fortune (about $60). But it doesn't affect me all that much as I won't be buying another 2 or 3 pairs at a similar price in the next year or so. However MOM went "Ooooh, you shouldn't have spent that kind of money for him etc..." I said it will be a Christmas present and when she went on again how expensive the shoes are I said "Chill, I'm not exactly going broke because I bought a pair of shoes." LOL
So, yes, she pays me for looking after her children, I live in their house and I highly doubt that she is twisted enough to think: "Hmmmm... she is buying us and the kids gifts with the money I pay her - i.e. I'm paying for mine and my children's gifts.".
She pays me... It's my business what I spend MY money for. Don't you think?!?!?
My perspective as a mom is along the lines of MissMannah - I would feel super awkward and guilty if my nanny got something for me. I give her a bonus at Christmas and a cash gift on her birthday and expect absolutely no gifts from her on birthdays or holidays. She does give my children a gift on their birthday and at Christmas which is absolutely not necessary but very sweet and appreciated. If you really want to do something, help your charges make a card or something for their parents, but free babysitting or a gift card? No way.
ReplyDeleteOr to put it more simply, I am not getting my boss a Christmas gift and I don't expect one from my employee - i.e. my nanny - either.
As a Nanny, I do not feel it is appropriate to give a gift to my bosses. It would be a better idea to give the children something, but you really don't have to give your bosses a present. However, if you feel you should..why not something small like homemade baked goods or perhaps even a homemade picture frame or scrapbook with a picture or pictures of their children. Since you are already thinking of it, if you go with the picture idea, you can start taking the pictures now.
ReplyDeleteOp here I just found a website to create a personal coffee mug for cheap mb loves coffee would this be a good idea along with tickets to a movie and a gift card for dinner along with a free few hours of babysitting service so they can enjoy a date dinner and a movie for xmas?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is wise to offer a few hours of babysitting for your family. After all, do McDonald's or Target cashiers or even maids offer out their services for free as a Holiday gift for their bosses? Imagine if your maid said she would clean your house for free next week since it was Christmas week, etc. That would be weird.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Miss Mannah (gasp!) on this one. LOL.
Bostonnanny, feeling the love there hon!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of making baked good for the boss. I would probably do that.
OK, I'm going to admit my hypocrisy here. I just said not to give the boss a gift, but I did give my MB a gift when I left. (I know, I got fired and still gave a going-away present. I must be nuts!) I made a photo collage of the baby and it was adorable. But in my defense, I had a coupon so it was free, lol. She thought it was really sweet and said she was going to frame it and hang it up in his room.
I do not agree with those who say that buying for your MB and DB is inappropriate. I think it highly depends on your situation and relationship with the family. I do agree with buying gifts from the kids for the parents, but I also think it can be appropriate to buy a tasteful gift for your boss. I have had employers in the past that I would have not done this for, but in my current position, I am extremely close to my nanny family and I will be getting them a Christmas gift. They go out of their way for me constantly and recently spent hundreds of dollars to send me to the spa for my birthday. While I realize that was their decision, I just feel like there is no reason why I can't get something nice for them for the holidays. HOWEVER, I have still made sure that their gifts are more family gifts and they have to do with the baby-they are terrible at printing any pictures/making photo albums, so I took it upon myself to gather every single photo of the baby taken since he was born 6 months ago and put together a beautiful album and I also had the baby's first Christmas ornament personalized with a picture...I did a few other small things along those lines.
ReplyDeleteSo anyway I realize I just wrote an unnecessarily long novel of a comment but I just wanted to say that I think gift giving to your bosses can be totally appropriate, given a comfortable situation. Don't go break trying to impress your bosses with fancy things. :)
oops.. **go broke
ReplyDeleteI was planning to get my bosses a poinsettia and a card thanking them (I will have only been with them four months by Christmas). For the kids, I will think of little personalized gifts, around $10.
ReplyDeleteI don't expect any gift from our nanny for any occasion but she loves to give gifts. For those nannies who would like to give your employers something, I vote for the card and free night of sitting. My nanny does this and we always use it for a special night out for just the two of us. We really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteOP - Are you listening to any of the responses? Everyone is telling you that is too much. I like the coffee mug idea. Right now Vista Print is offering free coffee mugs. If you can't find it on their site I can send you the link for the free one. You only pay shipping.
ReplyDeleteNanny S, don't know if you know this, but poinsettias are poisonous for children and animals so if your charges are young, you might want to rethink that one.
ReplyDeleteJust giving you a head's up!