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10 Best Holiday Gifts For Your Nanny (And Are Nanny Gifts Taxable?)

Updated: Jul 8, 2021


holiday gift ideas for your nanny

As you're rounding out your holiday shopping list this year, make sure to include the person who spends day in and day out with your kids and, hopefully, has become an integral part of your family!


This year, nannies have worked extra hard with more kids at home and fewer options for outings. Make sure to show them your gratitude for a job well done!


Read on for our top 10 picks for nanny gifts, and we'll point out which gifts you'll need to report on your nanny's W2 as wages.


  1. A Holiday Bonus. It's hard to argue with the value of cold, hard cash. I'm assuming most nannies will appreciate this gesture and may come to rely on this extra income as they budget their expenses - especially if you've paid bonuses in the past. Keep in mind that you and your nanny will need to pay employment taxes on this amount, just like a regular wage. Make sure you factor this into your calculation when coming up with an appropriate bonus amount. Tax tip: Physical gifts of a reasonable price (think $150 or less) are not taxable, so if there's something you know your nanny wants or needs, consider reducing the bonus by this amount and giving the gift in combination with the bonus to save some tax $$ for both you and your nanny. This probably works best if you have open communication with your nanny and he/she understands the tax consequences as well.

  2. Gift Cards. Giving a gift card to your nanny's favorite store can be a thoughtful gesture to show that you listen to what he or she likes and can often be the easiest type of gift for busy parents. Do keep in mind that all gift card amounts are taxable to both you as the employer and your nanny and should be reported on your nanny's W2. Some gift cards that have gone over well with our nannies throughout the years: Nordstrom, Amazon, Target, IKEA, Starbucks

  3. A cute backpack ($150). Your nanny is constantly schlepping your kids' stuff around and, let's be honest, most diaper bags aren't exactly stylish accessories. This sleek, vegan leather backpack from Matt and Nat can carry the essentials for an outing and is easy to clean!

  4. An insulated camp cup ($25). Give your nanny the gift of an always-steaming cup of coffee or tea. This Miir camp cup will keep hot drinks hot and cold beverages cold and comes in 9 fun colors.

  5. Cozy slippers ($50). These quilted slippers have a cozy plush lining and are made from completely recycled materials. They'll keep your nanny's feet warm AND save the planet.

  6. Colorful, clever pan ($145). For the aspiring chef, the Always Pan was designed to replace the fry pan, saute pan, steamer, skillet, saucepan, and even comes with a built-in spatula and spoon rest.

  7. Sherpa sweatshirt ($35). Is your nanny always freezing at your house? (Or is it just mine?) This cozy sweater will keep your nanny toasty when the temperatures start dropping and, in our case, when the furnace has a hard time keeping up.

  8. Audible membership ($15+). For the nanny that has a long commute to your house, an Audible membership can provide entertainment for the trek. Choose from 1, 3, 6, or 12 month memberships, which gets your nanny 1 audiobook each month, plus unlimited access to a library of select titles.

  9. Fitbit Inspire 2 ($70). This compact, subtle activity tracker is perfect for the fitness-focused nanny. Childcare is an active sport and with this Fitbit, your nanny can track heart rate, activity level, and sleep.

  10. Personalized necklace ($53). Gldn designs beautiful jewelry that is made to last. This sophisticated necklace can be personalized with names, dates, and illustrations and is handcrafted in the Pacific Northwest.


We hope this makes your holiday shopping just a little bit easier. If you have questions about how to track holiday bonuses or whether your gift might trigger taxes, drop us a line at hello@nannyfiles.com. We're always happy to help!




Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which may give Nanny Files a small commission upon purchase. This does not change the price for you at all and we only share items we have used or would use ourselves.

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