The holidays and your vet?

So I was sort of browsing for my SS person today (Since I'm the SS I dont know what I call the person I'm sending to.. )
And I started thinking about giving my vet a card or something. Aside from the fact that I have a huge crush on him (no he's not single so I don't want to be weird by giving him something) he's been really fantastic and he's the first vet I've had that I actually trust and have faith in. Arthur and Chester were really sick for a long time (Nov-April) and he was always there for me, returned all my calls promptly and answered all my questions. My dog is a nut (I have a Great Dane (he does too)) and he'll spend five or ten minutes talking to me instead of rushing in and freaking out my poor dopey dog and then rushing out to the next appointment. He let me follow him around for a day when I decided to seriously look in to the vet tech program. Arthur puked up his last feeding tube after having it in for less than 24 hours and Dr Miles sewed him up (including putting him under anasthesia) free of charge. Ruby went in the other day and he let me help since they were short on techs and he knows I work for another vet (It was awesome!) And he called the clinic where I work to talk to one of the other girls and after he talked to her he asked to talk to me and he asked how Ruby was doing, which I thought was just so great that he cared enough to ask.
So anyways, I'd like to do something to show my appreciation. I've given his clinic four matted photos and they've got them up in the exam rooms but I did that as a gift to the clinic, and to everyone for letting me spend a day there. I'd like to do something specifically for him as a thank you for being such a great vet/person, but I dont want to be weird.
I guess it would be weird if I gave him something, I dont know what he wants and he's got a great business going so he can afford it himself, but a card seems so impersonal.
Thoughts?

After I sent Ootay to the Rainbow Bridge I made my vet a little collage of pictures of Ootay, on a Thank You card. My vet was very attached to Ootay too, and she loved the card.

Something I do for the clinic staff every spring is repot into little peat pots all the little cat nip kittens that spring up in my garden and bring them in for the staff.

If you are using holiday time as the reason for giving, a 'Thanks for all you do' on a holiday card is appropriate. Enclosing pics of your pets is good too.

Maybe one of those Tower of Treats things, that he can share with his staff, or even a basket of homemade christmas cookies. Everyone likes to be acknowledged, but you don't want to go overboard.

Let us know what you come up with!

That's the thing, I dont want to go overboard.
I don't really make cookies but I make biscotti so maybe some of that, some dog treats for his Dane (I've given him treats before for his Dane, we Dane owners have to stick together!) and a card but I don't want to write the card to the whole clinic, I want to write it to the Dr. All of the other staff has been really nice but I thanked them with a photo and they didn't do anything above any beyond like my vet did, but I don't want to offend anyone by not including them.

I think a card is fine, I don't see it as impersonal. My vet gets cards written out just to him, and others for the whole staff - I've seen them on display.

Originally Posted by MonaxLisa

That's the thing, I dont want to go overboard.
I don't really make cookies but I make biscotti so maybe some of that, some dog treats for his Dane (I've given him treats before for his Dane, we Dane owners have to stick together!) and a card but I don't want to write the card to the whole clinic, I want to write it to the Dr. All of the other staff has been really nice but I thanked them with a photo and they didn't do anything above any beyond like my vet did, but I don't want to offend anyone by not including them.

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I think some homemade biscotti would be fine, you could even throw in some little bags of gormet coffee (if he's a coffee drinker). Obviously, if he let you shadow him for a day and let you help in the care of your own pet you have more of a relationship with him than most have with their vets. So I don't think a personal gift to show your appreciation is fine. I don't think anyone else there would feel offended. After all, he is THE VET.

Ooh, coffee! Good idea!! I know he likes coffee. Of course that brings in to question, what flavor...? A small bag of coffee, a card and maybe some dog treats. I think that sounds nice! You know, I might not even wait until the holidays, does anyone think that would be weird if I gave it to him out of season?

When I worked front desk at the Vet's office, people would often bring in small gifts during the holidays. Cards with pics of our patients are most popular followed by sweets/food for the staff to share.

The old timers said this was kind of on the decline. People must move around more or not think about doingt his stuff as much anymore. The gifts were ususally from the old clients (the hospital had been absorbed by one of the corporate entitites a few years prior to my employment and a lot of clients left).

Some years I buy a calendar (sp) for my vet - of the type of dogs she breeds.

Originally Posted by MonaxLisa

Ooh, coffee! Good idea!! I know he likes coffee. Of course that brings in to question, what flavor...? A small bag of coffee, a card and maybe some dog treats. I think that sounds nice! You know, I might not even wait until the holidays, does anyone think that would be weird if I gave it to him out of season?

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I don't think it would be weird...everyone likes to feel appreciated and surprises are the best. As for flavors, is there anywhere you can get the little samples? We can get some here where it's like $1-$2 for a bag that only makes one pot but you could pick up a few if you're not sure about flavors.

I'll have to look around for sample sizes. Maybe the health food store will have samples, or bulk and I could get a bunch of little bags. Oh! My bosses husband is a coffee nut, I'll ask him if he has any suggestions on where to get small sample size bags!