Christmas Presents

[wyetots]

Does everyone buy Christmas presents for mindees and how much does everyone spend etc.

I have bought books from school link again but am finding with 16 children at my setting, this is proving expensive.

I have done it this year but am looking for ingenious tips. I heard of a childminder buying new toys etc to keep in the setting.
Just interested really!

[Straws]

I buy xmas gifts, I just look in the sales throughout the year and get them cheap, I spend up to £10 and give parents a bottle of wine.

Straws xx

[RachelE]

I spend about £5 per child for Christmas. I only have 3 mindee though this year!

I am going to buy more things throughout the year next year. I've seen some lovely bargain book packs with the book people, but they are all out of stock!!

There are also some cheap books in other places which make fab gifts - Instore/Poundstretcher etc.

I dont buy for the parents, but this year I have put together photographs from throughout the childrens's year with me.

Rachel x

[charleyfarley]

I only have 3 mindees but I must admit I have spent more than the normal £10. I get bargains in the sales throughout the year for their birthdays as well as xmas.
Last year parents got wine, photo calendar and homemade chocs. I'm stuck for ideas this year as I want something different:panic:

Carol xx

[Desi-101]

Hi,

Try the Works, they have loads of books at great prices.

Just a thought, as you have so many mindees and if you buy presents to stay at the setting you may have disputes in the future with toy sharing as they will argue that they got it for Xmas so its theirs!
:)

[cher25]

I ordered my mindee's christmas presents last night. Cost under £5, i spent £10 on mindee's last year but only had 3 then. Got 7 on the books now though. lol

[amirose]

I have 10 mindees and I spent £2 a head, under 8's have a magic paint book and a 4 pack of playdough, the older girls have a magic paint book and a pattern doodle book, the 2 older boys (8 & 10) I spent £4 a head (boys are more difficult to please I find!) they have a hulk make a scene sticker book and a battleship game.

I could of easily spent more but feel token presents are actualy more appropriate :)
I don't expect anything from the parents therefore didn't want to go to mad on mindees - too much of a guilt trip!!! ha ha

I am planning to take a photo of each of my mindees under the Christmas tree and put it in a photo card as a gift from mindee to parent too :thumbsup:

[Lady Haha]

I have 8 school age mindees and I have spent a pound on each one!! Last of the big spenders!:laughing: :laughing:

I found some little snowmen that light up different colours for a pound in the local card shop. Job done! They get so much from family, they don't need more!! And through out the year I spend a fortune taking them places and buying craft stuff etc and new toys for the playroom.

I prefer to spend more on the parents at Christmas. I get them all a calendar of their child done on vistaprint, which normally works out at just over a fiver each. I like to think of it as 'marketing' too!! That little gesture always makes them think I'm worth every penny!!!

And don't forget, you claim back for gifts on your expenses!

[solly]

I have 16 on my books so this year i have brought the older children a selection box and the younger ones have got a book each. I dont spend alot as i just can't afford it

[edayhouse]

Hi
Well i have got 5 mindees - I have spent approx £7-£8 on each of them (planning on spending about £5 next year though!)
I dont buy anything for the parents - never really thought about it to be honest!
I bought mindees random items including, aquabeads for girls, socks, sweets, aquadraw mat for younger mindee...
x

[Tink]

I've got 5 on my books and I was thinking oh i'll get them all a selection box each everyone loves chocolate.
Then the other day one of the mum's said to me I hope you don't mind me asking, but has my daughter got a remote control car? She loves cars by the way. I said no, she then said oh good i'll buy her one from ELC now I think I need to get something else other than Chocolate!!!!!

It's a good excuse to go shopping though:idea:

[wendywu]

For 4 of my children i spend £20 each on, but i get spoilt back. The others i spend about £10.00 there are about 5 of them.

I dont buy for the parents though :)

[little chickee]

I don't generally buy my mindees xmas presents - i don't feel its nessecary and i dont want the parents to feel that they then have to give my 3 boys a present.

This year i have got them some nicely packaged reindeer dust to sprinkle on xmas eve - £1 each- and my kids are goung to bake some chocolate cookies which we will wrap up posh and give to each mindee. I don't give presents to the parents either - same reason really i don't want them to feel they then have to buy me something.

I've only been mindinding for 2 years and have never even been any birthday or xmas presents by the parents so its obviously not something they do so i dont want to "guilt" them into it.

[SmartKids]

I spend approx £5 per child - some more, some less - I buy what I think is a good buy - this year I bought pre-schoolers thomas or bob the builder stilt cups from ToysRUs - reduced to £3.99. I start looking around September for the bargains - missed out this year on Sainsbury's 1/2 price toy sale though - I was tooooo ill to go :-/ Happy shopping :-)

[The Juggler]

I spent between £4 and £6 this year (Studiocards sale which someone kindly posted about!) but before I found this I was planning to sponsor a zoo animal and print a picture/info pack for all the children. I have 11 children too and was finding it hard to find £5 presents and couldn't afford to spend more than that, as I also have 5 mindee birthdays in Dec:eek:

[venus89]

I get mine a book each - this year it's baby christmas from the book people. I don't get anything for the parents, though they all get a card and all the stacks of stuff the LOs make with me in the weeks coming up until Christmas.

[chels55]

I buy them all a selection box for £2. i have explained that i don't bother so much for christmas as i have to by for family it's too expensive. But i do spent between £10-£15 on the birthdays as these are all spread out through the year

[LittleStar's]

IM new to this so i have been thinking what to do too!

Both of my mindees bought nice little presents for my daughters birthday so i went off that, and have spent about £10.00 on each ( i have 2 ) They each have a thomas the tank toy which were 2 for £15. in argos and a mr greedy cuttlery set from the pound shop, a book costin 50p and a small selection box 2 for £1.50

If i had 16 though they would just get the book! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

[peanuts]

i try to stick to £5 per mindee. One of the famalies this year will be getting a wii game that we play here sometimes, but it is between the 2 of them. the rest will get a puzzle from harkens bizarre or whatever its called. I bought one just to see what they had thought and they all love it, you can get it at all different levels of difficulty.

[Blue Boy]

We normally spend up to £5 per child, but this year as we have 12 little ones on our books we have advised parents that we are donating the sum we would normally spend to Great Ormond Street Hospital as one of our mindees is not very well and has to visit the hospital on a regular basis.

Love
Mick xx

[little chickee]

We normally spend up to £5 per child, but this year as we have 12 little ones on our books we have advised parents that we are donating the sum we would normally spend to Great Ormond Street Hospital as one of our mindees is not very well and has to visit the hospital on a regular basis.

Love
Mick xx

this is a lovely idea - i'm sure all the parents will appreciate your gesture. It is the season of good will after all!

[emmadines]

Hello, i spent 2 pound on them, the boys got a spirograph type thing and the girls got a braclet making set. (i know £2 isnt alot but i thought they were nice)

was going to put link but i cant find them on the web, they were in asda living store.