Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Help with gift please!

As you guys know, I work full-time which means SYT spends about 45 hours per week (uggg!!!) in daycare.  Even though it's a ton of time spent away from him, I do feel extremely fortunate because the lead teacher (and his primary teacher) in the Duckling classroom is wonderful with him.  She seriously has the biggest heart for children and is amazing with them developmentally.  This fall the other aide in the room left to go to a center closer to her house, so Miss E spent two months as the only permanent teacher in the classroom.  The center would flip flop teachers regularly so that there was always a sub in there, but she really had little consistent help. 

I really want to do something special for her.  She doesn't have a lot of money and she does have 4 kids (21, 20, 17, and 4).  Part of me wants to do something really fun, like a gift certificate to a salon for any kind of spa treatment, but then the practical side of me says that I should do a GC to Meijer (for those non-midwesterners, it's a huge grocery store), Target, etc or to a restaurant where she could take all four of her kids out to dinner.  Should practical win out here?  If you really didn't have a lot of money (ie- she's never been to TARGET (!!) and she's never flown on a plane), would you rather have money that you could use for clothes, Christmas items, groceries, etc or b/ c she never does anything for herself, would you rather have something more impractical, like a massage? 

I'd love to know your thoughts on this, and if you have any other ideas, please let me know.  She just dotes on Spence, and I want her to know how much I appreciate her loving him!!  Help a girl out, will you??? 

12 comments:

  1. I'd go with Target or somewhere that she could choose how to spend the money. That way, if she wants to spend on herself, she can, but if money is tight for the holidays, she can use it to help her family out.

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  2. I'm thinking an assortment of gift cards. For the spa you could get her a facial or massage or maybe either a mani or pedi. I think also doing the grocery store and Target cards would give her a wide variety of things to use them on.

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  3. I think you can't go wrong either way....but maybe I'm leaning a touch towards the Target gift card. The pampering would be fun, but if a Target gift card would relieve some stress, and still allow her to find things for herself -- then it's a win-win! Regardless, she'll know how much you appreciate what she does -- and that's a priceless gift!

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  4. Wow! Does she know Target has cheaper food than Meijer AND Walmart? Believe me I'm a penny-pincher and Target expert.

    Regardless I say get her something nice because she'll never spend money on herself and she's been able to survive otherwise without the practical giftcard.

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  5. I would go with a Target or Meijer gift card and perhaps you cuold get her some scented lotion or something along those lines just for her.

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  6. I think the Target gift card is a great idea, because it leaves it open to her to buy clothes, toys for the kids, groceries, etc. Maybe you could package it up with some comfy socks and a nice lotion or bubble bath or something like that.

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  7. i'd go with the target gift card and maybe so a small one to a local mani place too, if possible.

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  8. I think I have to agree with the others. I think practical wins out. But, is she wants she can buy something for herself at Target (Meijer) as well. Such a nice gesture on your part.

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  9. What a bout a gift card to Target and a fun little gift with it? Maybe for a mani???

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  10. I like the Target card idea with a small something for her to go with it. Bath and Body always has great deals this time of year!

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  11. I second everyone's thoughts on a practical gift card with a little treat for her. A candle may be a great gift to go with the gift card--especially one for relaxation! ;)

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  12. I second Kelsey's opinion with multiple gift cards - one 'practical' and one a little more special for her. My mother is a nursery school teacher and has been given spa/manicure gift certificates she rarely uses (which is a shame, but she is just not comfortable in those environments) but a GC to Target always comes in handy. Another option could be a GC to Target and maybe one to a nice-ish restaurant in her area, maybe not for her to take out all 4 kids but enough $$ on it for her to take a gentlemen caller or a close girlfriend as a splurge. First time de-lurking, really enjoy your blog!

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