Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Hi - a bit of advice needed for a newby parent of a 2nd Former - what is the etiquette on buying Christmas (or for that matter Summer as well!) Thank You Gifts for the Houseparents / Matrons .......? on the one had I'm frightfully skint but on the other I feel that I ought to ingratiate myself a little with the people who care for my child ....... at primary school a bottle of plonk was considered the norm what does anyyone think?

Rather a awkward question, given that house-parents or relatives thereof read and post on here.

I would have thought just a lovely Christmas Card bearing thanks and good wishes would go far.

J.R. wrote:I would have thought just a lovely Christmas Card bearing thanks and good wishes would go far.

I agree.

There's a first time for everything!

We used to get chocolates and bottles of wine etc - but by far the best were the small hand-made gifts we received from some of the parents, and,of course, the personal messages.

I doubt if anyone would expect you to be buying presents though - it is by no means "the norm" , so don`t feel you have to!
If you can just spare a couple of minutes to wish your child`s Houseparents a Happy Christmas, that wil be more than enough!

Thanks all for your advice, that does take the pressure off somewhat! I shall don my pinny .... and if there is anything chocolatey left in this house by the 13th, I'll take it in.

My daughter is making goodies for all her Uni friends, she has become known as a bit of a baking queen. She has bought her own muffin pan, and has asked for a baking sheet for her cookie making for a Christmas present.

Hello -

a bit of a late reply but we hand over a bottle of wine for the House staff (I know our Housemaster plays fair & shares the largesse around) and something small (smellies/chocs etc) for the Matrons. It's a job of long hours and hard work and certainly in our House they do a sterling job so I like to show my/our appreciation.

A very late reply here...

I know when my parents were houseparents, they used to get a large number of presents, from bottles of whiskey to choclates to homemade chutneys and once, a brace of pheasants!