Our 14 year old daughter just returned from a week long trip to Lake Tahoe with a friend and her family . The family paid for the rental home, gas, food, activities, etc. They said to only send her some spending cash and money for food if she and her friend went out on their own.
We would like to give them some kind of thank you gift but are not sure what to give them. Should I bake them something? Cook them something? Buy them a gift certificate to a restaurant? We're at a total loss!! Help!
Large gift basket of food or a gift certificate. A week-long trip definitely deserves some recognition.
These make really nice gifts! Scentsy wickless candles. I give them all the time for thank you gifts, teacher gifts, and so on. People love them. You can see them all online and shop there. www.scentsy.com/danacarey hope this helps!
Unlike most of your responders, I really do not like the idea of a gift card. They gave your daughter a gift of a trip and did not want anything for it. Do not belittle their gift by what is essentially "paying" them for it. A gift card, in my opinion, is just like giving them money. Their daughter got the benefit of a companion and your daughter got to go and have a fun time, too. Everybody's happy.
I think it is wonderful that you want to do something to thank them and I like your idea of baking or cooking something because it is more personal than giving them money. However, I love the idea of a photo album or some way of making a memento of the trip. Perhaps your daughter could decorate a frame and put a picture of her and her friend on the trip in it.
Good luck!
I really like Barbilee's idea of your daughter writing a thank you note. It shows that she appreciates them inviting her, respects them as a family and that you do as well. I would also enclose a gift card to somewhere they shop or bake them something you know they like (cookies are always an easy yummy treat). I would hand deliver the letter and thank them again in person. Taking another kid on a week trip is a big responsibilty and it sounds like it went very well. :)
I would do a gift certificate for dinner and offer to babysit the kids(if it applies) or make arrangements with them and take them out to dinner(just the adults)with maybe some kind of "Thank You" gift at the resturant. I don't have any suggestions on what, SORRY! Good luck!
My parents allowed me to bring a friend on vacation when I was growing up; what a treat! I really like the idea of your daughter handwriting her very own thank you note. If she is on the creative side, perhaps get some themed scrapbook paper (camping, beach, national monument, etc.) and coordinating embellishments (stickers, ribbon, stamps, etc.) and handmake a personalized thank you card, picture frame, mini scrapbook. (I'm artsy--so anything cute, creative, and handmade beats a "purchased" gift in my books!)
Another idea is to use those same craft items to make mini coupon book for the parents. Decorate a cover page to the book, title it something fun in regards to the trip ("I had a BALL...thank you all," for a beach themed vacation, "My trip with you was a great...like the s'mores we ate!," for a camping trip, or "Vacation was sure GRAND...thanks so much!" for a trip to the Grand Canyons. 2-3 coupons following. One
for child care. (So they can go out on a date.) Another for dinner with your family. And
perhaps another dessert/movie night at your place. The
options are endless!
I do think a thank you note and a plate of baked
goodies is a great way to show your appreciation. Sweet and simple. Good luck!
Maybe a plate of brownies with a $25 gift card to a restaurant - that would be nice.
I think a restaurant gift card is a GREAT idea. Perhaps, you may want to throw in a movie theatre gift card as well so that they can have a nice evening out without the kids.
Depending on your price range, you could make up a nice gift basket. I always like the ones people put together themselves rather than a pre-made basket.
If they like wine, you could do one with wine, cheese, crackers and some grapes. Or perhaps your homemade cookies (seriously, who doesn't love that?) and a nice card. Maybe they have a hobby--like to hike, or camp, and you could do one that's themed for that.
I really don't think the parents expect anything at all. But I know where you are coming from. Definitely a nice note explaining the wonderful time she had. I would drop that by with a plate of cookies or brownies. That makes a really nice gesture. If you really want to a restaurant gift card would be nice as well. You could put that in the card. I really think that in this situation baking cookies or something really says a lot. I haven't sent my kids with anyone like that (yet, they are too little.) but when someone does me a huge favor that may be similar I like to thank them like that. Good luck on what decide.
i love recieving flowers, basket of fruit or nuts.
A note that expresses your how nice it is to have family friends who invite your daughter along would be key in my book. Any home cooked anythings would be a bonus!
The intent and offer of reciprocity would also be key, if that is something you and your family would be willing and able to do. Growing up, I was always the invitee who didn't have money, but my parents would feed endless rounds of our friends suppers, and take anyone along anywhere if space permitted. It worked out beautifully, as many of my friends had busy parents with more money than time.
how lovely to have this problem, no?
We take our friend's daughter on vacation with us often as we have an only child who likes having someone her age with her. We thoroughly enjoy the fact that she can come and her parents let her. Although we never expect anything in return, a nice gesture as you have mentioned would be great. I, personally, like restaurant gift cards because they come in handy, but any kind of gesture is just nice to receive.
What about a photo album or picture frame to display photos from the trip along with a note.
a family gift. Passes to the movies, or a restaurant. Or a gift card to somewhere they shop. Trader Joe's. you dont have to give them anything. they probably all had a better time since a friend was there.
Gift cert. to restaurant -- see if your daughter can find out what they like. Also if they have younger kids, offer to host the kids so the parents could enjoy an evening alone.
What about a wonderful thank you letter from your daughter? She can express what it meant to her to be trusted and welcomed into their family for the trip.
I like the idea of getting them a gift certificate to a restaurant. That is what I normally do when someone does something nice for me, but doesn't want anything in return. For instance, our neighbors watched our dog for us while we were on vacation for two weeks. They wouldn't let us pay them so we purchased a $100 gift card to The Cheesecake Factory for them.
i like the gift certificate to a restaurant idea and offer to watch their child the night they decide to go out for dinner :)
Maybe offer them a night out- Gift card to a really nice restaurant, include childcare, if needed.
