10 Christmas Present Ideas for Your Host Parents

Hey Au Pairs,

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have already watched many Christmassy films and sipped your fair share of mulled wine, but only just thought about buying PRESENTS for your host family (or anyone else for that matter).

As someone who loves to save money and only give or receive things that are completely loved or useful, I’m rubbish at the spirit of Christmas.

But, I have endeavoured to come up with a few ideas for host parents this season along with the help of the lovely au pairs on the APOP Open Forum Facebook group.

If you have any ingenious ideas, please do comment them below. I need all the help I can get! (Although the video below isn’t completely relevant to Christmas, we do discuss a few useful ideas that may help you!)

**This blog post includes sponsored content thanks to Desenio!**

1. Buy them a Beautiful print

If you think that the walls in your host family’s house are looking a little bare, then why not buy them a few posters to add to their walls? We absolutely love Desenio and have worked with them this year to bring you both a small, minimalist, bedroom makeover and a daily routine in Portland! Their prints are super affordable and the frames are absolutely gorgeous.

Better yet, Desenio has offered our viewers a 30% discount on prints over the next couple of days. Here’s more information: 30% off if you use the code OHPARIS before midnight, 17th December! That’s just two days from now. (The code does not apply on frames nor handpicked/personalised prints). Check out the Desenio website!

Edwina has been loving her Paris prints this year!

2. something special to eat

Good old consumables. Hopefully, your host family will eat the delicious chocolate, jams, marmalade, biscuits, etc that you pick up for them. Buuut, if they don’t tuck in before January, you have free rein to start eating those delicious snacks yourself. So choose wisely.

3. Personalised Cards

Wish everyone a happy holiday with a card that you’ve created yourself! Or, why not write them a letter if you truly feel that your host family mean a lot to you? You could say thank you for a brilliant year so far. This is often more touching than a randomly bought present… If you’re not into pouring your heart out to your host family, simply make them a funny card and be done with it. They know you don’t make much money anyways!

4. Coffee Paraphernalia

Yes, obviously we’re recommending that you buy your host family something coffee related. We’re obsessed. The good thing about being an au pair is that you know your host family’s secrets. Do your host parents have an addiction to take-out coffee? Why not buy them a Keep Cup (or a cheaper cup which isn’t branded) and encourage them to use it in the mornings? Even if they don’t use it, it’s then in the cupboard for you to be using!

Yes, we have an addiction to take-out coffee. Yes, we feel bad about it. Although, I do think those cups are bamboo…

5. Homemade… Anything

This one is absolutely nothing short of genius and we recommend that everyone short on cash tries it. Make your host parents some Christmas cookies with help from their kids. Spending an hour or two extra with your host kids to help them make cookies is one of the best ways to show that you’ve a loving, caring au pair, without having to stump up extra cash this year.

One of the lovely au pairs on the forum mentioned that she is making jars of mincemeat so her host parents can make mince pies at home. She’s also proffering up jars of homemade cranberry sauce, homemade butterscotch sauce, and a loaf of homemade sourdough bread! The skills!

If you can get through an HOUR of cooking with your host kids, it’ll totally be worth the money you manage to save!

6. Soaps

Nothing says fancy like a few bars of soap in a nice box. You know, the fancy soap with little bits sticking out of it? Perfect. Job well done.

7. Books

I used to love talking to my host mum about books. Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to pick up your favourite titles for a cheap price from Amazon. Why not buy your host parents each a book that you’ve read and think they would love? Even if they don’t, books look great on their huge bookshelf… but it still looks thoughtful.

If you want to make a point, why not buy your host family a present such as a vegan cookbook and suggest you begin making a few meat-free meals for them?

Who can say no to a very aesthetically pleasing book over Christmas time?

8. pick up a craft…?

Maybe you’re already great at drawing? That’s something we can work with! Why not draw a picture of the family? Again, get your host kids to chip in and help make the picture look extra special.

A few au pairs on the APOP Open Forum suggested crocheting or knitting your host family something if this is already a hobby. But, if you’re anything like me, then this simply isn’t a solution… moving on.

9. Anything reusable

In a time when we’re all worried about the planet, why not buy your host family things that they can reuse over and over again? Perhaps things for the kitchen such as microfibre dish cloths that you can wash? Then, if you’re an au pair who is regularly cooking, begin using them yourself to encourage them… If you’re always doing the cooking, why not buy reusable baking paper?

If you’re the one who is always going to the supermarket, why not buy them reusable food bags so that they don’t waste plastic? You could also buy them a reusable shopping bag. All of these items are pretty cheap but you can get a lot for your money AND help teach the younger generation about reducing plastic waste…

There are tons of useful reusable products but they’re only worth buying and investing in if you think someone is actually going to use them.

10. Anything That LOOKS Fancy

Okay, if you’re shopping for your host parents and are at a complete loss, we recommend choosing something that looks fancy from a market that you’re enjoying with your friends. Then, even if they think it’s super weird, you can put it down to cultural differences and tell them EVERYONE exchanges THIS during the holidays in your country. It’s a tradition!

Finally, Simply Don’t BOTHER!

If you think that nothing you buy this year will be good enough, then tell everyone in advance that you won’t be buying Christmas presents (we’re talking like TODAY) and don’t expect to receive them either! Not only is this better for your wallet, it’s also great for the planet AND your tiny chambre de bonne which definitely doesn’t need even more clutter.

Here’s to you, my loving host family, one present for all 18 of you. You’re welcome.

Have any ideas? Leave them in the comments.

We clearly need all the help we can get.

That’s all for now!
Ciao. xo