Looking for suitable Christmas gifts for your helper? Here are our top picks for every budget!

What would we do without our helpers? We can’t thank them enough for all that they do for our families! To thank your helper for all their hard work keep scrolling for our top gift ideas for helpers this Christmas.

11 Gift Ideas for Your Helper this Christmas

1. Flights Home!

Now that we can travel, your helper would surely appreciate a paid trip back to their home to see their family.  If you can be flexible on dates ask your helper when they would like to visit (they may want to time their trip around a child’s graduation or a family member’s occasion). It’s always uplifting to have a trip to look forward to even if it is for next year some time!

2. Massage, Facial or Mani-pedi

Who doesn’t love a bit of pampering? Thank your helper for her hard work with a nice body massage, facial or mani-pedi session and we’re sure it’ll be very welcomed!

3. Cash Bonus

We’re sure your helper will appreciate some extra $$$ – especially to send to their family back home if they aren’t able to visit them. It’s always nice to receive cash with a special card and some flowers or a chocolate gift box!

4. Offer to Send a Box Home

Many helpers will send a box (the Filipinos call them Balikbayan boxes) home to their families during the year and especially at Christmas. You could offer to gift the cost of sending the box home to their families (the price depends on the size of the box and the location). Inside each box helpers would usually send back clothes, toys, food items etc. MHM Balikbayan Express offers this service, delivering door-to-door from Singapore to any destination in the Philippines at competitive rates with timely deliveries with no hidden cost. They provide free delivery of empty boxes and free collection of filled boxes at a minimal deposit fee! They also offer Air shipments for documents and parcels, crating services for fragile or delicate items and packing services for bulky items. Their customs clearance and delivery agent in the Philippines is not only experienced but also trustworthy and has a proven track record to ensure timely and safe delivery of customers boxes entrusted to their care.
MHM Balikbayan Express, www.mhmbalikbayanexpress.com

For sending boxes to Indonesia, try Pos TKI Services!

5. Skin & Body Care Sets

Luxurious soap sets always come highly recommended in Facebook forums, so these are some great tried-and-tested gifts! We love LUSH, The Body Shop and Bath & Bodyworks for their colourful, festive packaging and yummy-smelling bath products.

6. Book of Thank You Notes from the Whole Family

We once did a survey among helpers and found out that sometimes all they want is a sincere “Thank you”. If you have older kiddos, this would be a good chance for them to get creative and write little Thank You notes to gift your helper! You could also compile a photobook of pictures of her and your family. Check out our guide to Where to Order a Photobook in Singapore!

7. Staycation

These past years have been especially hard for foreign domestic workers, many of whom have not been back to see their family since the pandemic. A couple of days staying at a local hotel away with a friend will give your helper a chance to really relax and have some fun. You can often score good deals on staycations on Klook.

8. Phone Top-up Cards

Since this is essential anyway, we’re sure your helper will appreciate having her phone expenses covered for a while with extra top-up cards.

9. Experiences

How about an experience to try over the holidays? There’s no shortage of fun activities to do in Singapore, but they may be a little out of the price range for some helpers. Why not gift your helper tickets to take some friends and go to either Forest Adventure, Rock Climbing, HydroDash, Ice Skating, Bowling, or Wild Wild Wet. Check out more fun ideas here!

10. Educational Courses

Consider giving the gift of education and sponsoring your helper a course at AIDHA, HOME, or FAST. Whether it’s a Computer Literacy Programme, Financial Literacy or Entrepreneurship, this is a great gift to equip your helper with solid skills before they return home to their family.

11. Extra Off Days

Give your helper a longer break with some extra off days! We all know how busy the festive season gets, so let her relax a little more once the Christmas buzz dies down.