Christmas Presents for Daycare carers?

I think the two main carers in my DS's room have been really lovely to him, and so I'd kind of like to say thank you & MerryChristmas, but I'm not sure if it's something that people do, and if it is, what is an acceptable type of gift. I was thinking appreciative token, rather than flashy gift, but just have no idea really. And if I only do it for the main carers in this room am I going to upset the other ladies who are also really nice, so should i do a "centre" gift instead?

What are other people's thoughts?

IF its soemthing such as a little token gift - what about a little bath bomb or soemthing sweet like that? OR a set of nice soaps?

A gift of appreciation need not be flashy, just sweet :)

As a childcare worker, I would say no soaps, candles, bathy stuff, choccies....we get sooo much of it at this time of year!
Things that I like to get are nice hand cream (our hands are always in water!), story books, other resources to use at work (like puppets etc...), heartfelt sentiments written in a nice card, homemade bickies/goodies.....
As for who to buy for, a centre gift is nice, though if you truely feel that his main carers have made the difference for your DS, then just get them something and give the director a card for the centre, and thank the other carers in that.

if you're not wanting ti single out specific carers in an obvious way, i would simply make sure you put a personal message in a Christmas card - words of appreciation mean a lot more to a day carer than any amount of "stuff" you can give them.

my mum used to do FDC, and each year she'd get the typical things (bath stuff, little hampers) - nothing huge, and it was ALL appreciated - but she still has the cards with the special messages in them now. i am the same - i hold onto messages - stuff gets used and is gone kwim?

if you need help with how to word your appreciation, i'm sure some of us on BB will give you a hand - there's a few of us with a creative wording streak!

i have jus made my daughters treachers n director star shape shortbread biscuits wit lemon cream in the middle... i got the recipe from the free coles mag! they r super yummy n i hope they appriciate them bcuz ive put a lot of effort into them!

Hi there

I have always liked to give a really special Christmas decoration. There are some beautiful ones about that are not too expensive.
Merry Christmas
Happygran

i got my fdc carer a set of mugs from country road - i knnow she will appreciate them.
i agree a message in the card is more important, and i like the idea of something home made.
iwill get ds to 'draw' some wrapping paper and i will write a beautful card and include a photo for her. i hope she likesit.

I am also a Child care worker and second what lilias said about the bath stuff and choccies especially the chocolate.
Other carers never got offended if only the carers in a child's room received a gift, things like handcream, a chrissy decoration for the tree, photoframes etc are lovely and usually inexpensive, or if you can bake home made treats are great and usually really appreciated because of the effort put into them, if want to acknowledge the centre as a whole as well, you can do that in a card or thank you note. Carers don't (well shouldn't) expect anything usually and appreciate anything that show your thanks. I agree that messages in a card are much more appreciated than the gift anyway! :)Good luck

I was planning to get a bunch of flowers and a card for my FDC carer, would that be ok do you think?

I've made rum balls, written a card to each of the ladies in my son's room and I've got them a small Christmas platter each (only $7 form Big W).

Hopefully they will know how appreciated they are.

I'm making the boys carers home made rocky road!

I absolutely adore the carers at the center the boys go to so will also be giving them a card!

Good thread! I purchased hand cream packs for our lovely carers. Glad to see could be a good choice!

I think the idea of some home-made cookies or something similar is a lovely idea. And you could get your child to help put some sprinkles on the top for decoration so that they can boast to their carer that they helped (all kids love to boast, lol).

I got my kids teachers a movie ticket each this year. My mum is a teacher and at the end of the year she in inundated with chocolates, soaps, plants, pamper packs, bikkies etc so I thought I'd get them something different that can be used to chill out after a long year.

We had the child care concert yesterday (in the rain, LOL!) and it was adorable. The carers put so muich effort into the afternoon. This is the day they also hand out the "journals" which are a big scrapbook with a years worth of photos and paintings stuck in: they are gorgeous!

As such, this is the time I chose to give the whole centre a big basket of choccies to share.......Olivia and I wound some tinsel around a basket, lined it with Christmas paper and filled it with lots of cellophane bags of Haighs chocolate frogs. I also did a special card with photos of the kids and some special thank you's.

Our childcare centre has a real community spirit in the way they operate, plus they have just learned that their jobs are all safe, so yesterdays concert and sausage sizzle was a real celebration for all of us!