gifts for your host family – to buy or not to buy?

When you’re on a limited au pair budget, Christmas might get a bit tight. There are probably certain people you’ll really want to get gifts for, such as family back home, close friends, and maybe a boyfriend, if you’re doing the cross-cultural dating thing. It’s also likely that you’ll be spending more money this month, at special holiday events or while traveling. You’ll probably also want to spend a bit on yourself this season, as Christmas is a great time for sales, and a fun time to reward yourself for being such a good au pair!

Don’t forget to keep your host family in mind when budgeting and shopping for Christmas gifts. Chances are, they’ll be planning a nice gift for you. And even if they aren’t, you’ll probably want to get them something, or at the very least, something small for the children. Don’t feel obligated to drop a lot of cash, but do be creative, especially if money is tight for you. Offer to babysit the children an extra night, or give them a gift certificate for a special family dinner that you will make (only don’t promise if you can’t deliver).  It doesn’t have to be anything extraordinary, but your family would probably love something personal and original.