Christmas presents for creche

detoxkid

My child is in ecce doing the three hours only a day. She has 4 minders who are great. Thinking of getting them a bottle of wine each. No nice cafes nearby so can't give them a voucher for those. I'm on unpaid leave so money is tight. Would love to hear what/if others are giving to the carers?

stampydmonkey

Same. What's the norm? Our little one has 2 main minders but know the others pitch in. She loves it and gets great care. Not sure, box of chocolates for the crèche and something small for 2 main minders?

jlm29

I think a nice Christmas decoration is a nice small gift, or a hand cream. I personally don’t drink wine so I never give it as a gift unless I am sure the person receiving it is a wine drinker.

endacl

Teacher here. Give wine. Everything else is pointless. Wine can be regifted if it’s not wanted. Nobody wants to be carrying a bag full of thoughtful but pointless tat home to be chucked out.

Princess Calla

There's a thread on this in the Christmas forum.

One poster suggested a newbridge decoration, seemingly you can get them personalised too. I thought it was a lovely idea.

Our crèche sends home a note saying no presents, or if you want to make a donation to a charity in their name.

maxsmum

One4all voucher never fails

Cabaal

If its a creche its common for many of the creches to share out equally all the gifts so you don't end up with one staff member going home with 20 boxes of roses and another with only 2.
Makes sense,

Box of sweets or something like that will dfo the job just fine, don't be wasting money on one4all vouchers

starbaby2003

We give the main carers all for one vouchers. Then boxes of chocolates for the room. We have two kids. After school and crèche.

Sunrise_Sunset

I've one child in ECCE, I got the main minder a 5 euro gift card for the local Costa. The other minders change and so I didn't get them anything. My eldest is in school and the school PTA organises a collection, I give 5 euros to that too.

aisling86

I usually give a joint gift for all staff, i have 3 kids attending & there's maybe 20 staff. I know they raffle off all the gifts on the afternoon they finish up because the kitchen ladies etc wouldn't be given specific gifts.
I have given a treat basket, got a cake make & last year a local lady doing chocolates made them a giant snowman and santa. I usually stick to €40/50 price point

Cakerbaker

I’m getting nice handcreams for the 4 women who directly mind my 2. I’m also giving a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine as a general gift.

enricoh

Seems Ott compared to other posters but we're giving e30 each to 4 minders of our 2 - so e120 in total.
The girls are dead on, wages aren't great in the industry, I reckon they deserve a few drinks each over crimbo.

byhookorbycrook

Send in some nice cake/s shortly , as the closer you get to Christmas, the more there are !

Lisha

Am Giving a candle this year. There’s 5 in afterschools so one each.
Last year gave a newbridge or Tipperary crystal Xmas decoration each last year and gave scarves another year. Usually about €10each.

byhookorbycrook

Lisha wrote: »

Am Giving a candle this year. There’s 5 in afterschools so one each.
Last year gave a newbridge or Tipperary crystal Xmas decoration each last year and gave scarves another year. Usually about €10each.

Can’t speak for crèche staff , but teachers often get lots of candles and don’t always have use for them .

Lisha

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Can’t speak for crèche staff , but teachers often get lots of candles and don’t always have use for them .

It’s difficult I know. What are your favourite gifts to receive please?

Melania Frump

detoxkid wrote: »

My child is in ecce doing the three hours only a day. She has 4 minders who are great. Thinking of getting them a bottle of wine each. No nice cafes nearby so can't give them a voucher for those. I'm on unpaid leave so money is tight. Would love to hear what/if others are giving to the carers?

Thats a lovely idea and more than generous. I would decide what you have to spend and split equally between the 4. I dont believe in main carers. Guarenteed (and first hand experience) they spend equal time with your child. Also no need to give anything at all that goes without saying so any gift will be more than appreciated.

byhookorbycrook

Lisha wrote: »

It’s difficult I know. What are your favourite gifts to receive please?

I’m easily pleased - a sincere note and a hand made card is lovely . I know people are under huge financial pressure so wouldn’t expect anything at all.

Crèche workers are poorly paid , perhaps a mug or a voucher for a coffee somewhere ?
I love plants , but that’s me - others may not have the space / interest , but a Christmas Poinsettia might be worth considering .

Melania Frump

Lisha wrote: »

It’s difficult I know. What are your favourite gifts to receive please?

I received a very poigniant poem last year in a card. It was accompanied with a voucher but believe me the sentiment in that verse meant more.

maxsmum

Yeah I'm of the view that these girls mind my kid daily for X amount of months for not a lot of money and they really work hard... Every time he changes room I give a 50 euro one for all voucher each and if you spread that over the 6 months or whatever its a paltry amount for what they do. I'll do the same for Christmas. It seems like a big spend all at once but our creche haven't ever put up their fees and the girls really are wonderful.

If it was part time or ECCE I'd probably give 20 euro voucher instead.

Theboinkmaster

maxsmum wrote: »

Yeah I'm of the view that these girls mind my kid daily for X amount of months for not a lot of money and they really work hard... Every time he changes room I give a 50 euro one for all voucher each and if you spread that over the 6 months or whatever its a paltry amount for what they do. I'll do the same for Christmas. It seems like a big spend all at once but our creche haven't ever put up their fees and the girls really are wonderful.

If it was part time or ECCE I'd probably give 20 euro voucher instead.

Exactly - if ever there was a time to be over generous it's now. These people are on low wages, tough environment and look after the most important thing in everyone's life. They spend more time with your children than you do sometimes.

goldlocks10

School teacher and sna a nice box of chocolate each.
The 3 teachers in the preschool a nice box of chocolate each.
Perfect not a great lover of giving teacher wine as the child hands over the present. Thinking of a bottle of red wine over the floor.

byhookorbycrook

goldlocks10 wrote: »

School teacher and sna a nice box of chocolate each.
The 3 teachers in the preschool a nice box of chocolate each.
Perfect not a great lover of giving teacher wine as the child hands over the present. Thinking of a bottle of red wine over the floor.

That would soon add up ! People are being very generous. Again , as a primary teacher , please don’t be under pressure to give anything at all .

Woshy

For both my son's school and my daughter's preschool the parents clubbed together and got the teachers one voucher each. We gave e5 per teacher for the preschool, so it cost me e15 in total and then for the primary school an envelope was left in the secretaries office and you could donate what you wanted.

byhookorbycrook

Woshy wrote: »

For both my son's school and my daughter's preschool the parents clubbed together and got the teachers one voucher each. We gave e5 per teacher for the preschool, so it cost me e15 in total and then for the primary school an envelope was left in the secretaries office and you could donate what you wanted.

Oh no, whatever about crèche , please don’t do this at primary level ! I’d be massively against this - if a parent wants to do an individual gift , it’s one thing , but this is dreadful pressure . And apart from anything else , secretaries have enough to be doing.
Suppose you didn’t want to give and/Mr. X something , why should you be pressured to do so . It’s well meaning , but would embarrass the life out of me .

Woshy

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Oh no, whatever about crèche , please don’t do this at primary level ! I’d be massively against this - if a parent wants to do an individual gift , it’s one thing , but this is dreadful pressure . And apart from anything else , secretaries have enough to be doing.
Suppose you didn’t want to give and/Mr. X something , why should you be pressured to do so . It’s well meaning , but would embarrass the life out of me .

It's the done thing in the school - every class has an envelope left with the secretary who is happy to do it. They've done it that way for years. If you don't want to give anything you just don't go in and put money in the envelope. Nobody would know otherwise.

Milly33

Was just talking about this, and the thing about people saying please no gifts and others just not accepting that..

Do ye really have to give the schools and creches a gift? Not being mean but it kinda sounds like people do this to make them feel better not to give thanks, if they say no they say no. The idea of maybe a nice homemade card just sounds loverly, having a poem in it would be epic but a card just to say thank you covers a lot..

starbaby2003

Milly33 wrote: »

Was just talking about this, and the thing about people saying please no gifts and others just not accepting that..

Do ye really have to give the schools and creches a gift? Not being mean but it kinda sounds like people do this to make them feel better not to give thanks, if they say no they say no. The idea of maybe a nice homemade card just sounds loverly, having a poem in it would be epic but a card just to say thank you covers a lot..

Whatever about teachers, most workers in Creche’s barely make minimum wage I would say they absolutely deserve it and probably count on it for their own Christmas.

Hoodie88

We received a text message from the Creche to say that they have a no gift / present policy... Do all creches send this message out or just each to their own?

iamwhoiam

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Oh no, whatever about crèche , please don’t do this at primary level ! I’d be massively against this - if a parent wants to do an individual gift , it’s one thing , but this is dreadful pressure . And apart from anything else , secretaries have enough to be doing.
Suppose you didn’t want to give and/Mr. X something , why should you be pressured to do so . It’s well meaning , but would embarrass the life out of me .

There is no need to feel pressure . Our grandkids class do this . One mum collects envelopes with €5 from whoever wants to be part of it . The teacher then gets a 0ne 4 all voucher . Its so much better than trying the think of a present and the teacher getting multiple candles etc

Princess Calla

Hoodie88 wrote: »

We received a text message from the Creche to say that they have a no gift / present policy... Do all creches send this message out or just each to their own?

Think each to their own. My previous crèche I gave presents to the minders. (50 euro boots vouchers X2 and a 25euro for the minder that looked after the 17:00-18:00 time slot)

We moved house and I'm on extended extended maternity so new crèche, we're only doing the ecce scheme but they have huge signs up stating no presents. They have chosen a child's charity and said they'd collect donations in lieu of presents if you wish

ruwithme

Hoodie88 wrote: »

We received a text message from the Creche to say that they have a no gift / present policy... Do all creches send this message out or just each to their own?

Good. It should be the law.

Princess Calla

ruwithme wrote: »

Good. It should be the law.

Eh why?

Hoodie88

Thanks for the reply, I think I will adhere to the policy in place!!!!!!!

enricoh

starbaby2003 wrote: »

Whatever about teachers, most workers in Creche’s barely make minimum wage I would say they absolutely deserve it and probably count on it for their own Christmas.

Absolutely, the teacher will be on double what those in the creche are on, we're giving them a few quid anyway.

Highroad12

Myself and a couple of the other mammies threw in €30 each for the staff to put towards their Christmas party drinks. There is about 5 staff (small creche) and they all chip in so we thought it would be better than giving a gift.

Milly33

yeah but it is their choice as such to work in a creche so be it low paid or not to be honest thats their choice, so no need to feel sorry for them. Im sure they would hate people to think that way about them...

Great news on the text going out anywho saves all.. Hope everyone has a loverly Christmas

Ms2011

Just got a reminder text from my daughters Montessori that Santa would be in tomorrow and also "I also wanted to say, that we do not expect gifts. You all have enough expense, and are busy enough. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas x''
There is one lovely lady who my daughter really warmed to this year that I'd love to buy her something but will obey the manager's request.

iamwhoiam

Ms2011 wrote: »

Just got a reminder text from my daughters Montessori that Santa would be in tomorrow and also "I also wanted to say, that we do not expect gifts. You all have enough expense, and are busy enough. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas x''
There is one lovely lady who my daughter really warmed to this year that I'd love to buy her something but will obey the manager's request.

Write her a special card and tell her that . I am sure she will be very pleased to get a card like that .

Ms2011

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Write her a special card and tell her that . I am sure she will be very pleased to get a card like that .

Yes, I was thinking the same.

Theboinkmaster

starbaby2003 wrote: »

Whatever about teachers, most workers in Creche’s barely make minimum wage I would say they absolutely deserve it and probably count on it for their own Christmas.

Absolutely I agree. When my kids in school I won't be giving the teachers anything as they're paid well enough IMO.

Cres are completely different - the children are at a very important and vulnerable age (1-5 years) and the staff work in very tough conditions with extremely low pay.