Holiday Tipping

allwildgirl

allwildgirl

Cathlete
Okay, who do you tip? How much do you tip? I'm lost at this sort of thing. I could look on some etiquette-type website, but I'd rather have real-life experiences:)

Do I tip my letter carrier? I'm always worried that some other person will find it in the box and take it.
 
The only person I tip is my hairdresser/stylist. You are supposed to either double your usual tip or you can give a gift worth what your service usually cost. So, I just gave her a gift card for 35$ which is what it cost me to get my hair cut and styled.

In the US, postal carriers are not supposed to receive gifts or monetary amounts greater than 25$. That's what I read recently in my Real Simple magazine. I don't do anything for our carrier because I never see him/her nor do I talk to him/her since I live in a rural area. My mom always talks to her carrier, so she gives a small gift, usually around 10$.

Hope that helps!

You may be able to find the artice on realsimple.com. It was pretty insightful for tipping/gift giving.

Jen
 
I've never left anything for my mailman. Maybe I should but it never really occurred to me...probably because he's not very good. Check with your post office and see if they even permit tipping or gifts. I know there are limits to what UPS drivers can accept...not sure about postmen.
 
We don't tip our mailman, but we tip our paper delivery guy WELL! He never misses a day and the paper is usually so close to the door that I don't have to walk out in the cold to get it.

Found this on a CNN site http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/08/pf/saving/willis_tips/:


Mail Carrier: As a government employee, postal workers are prohibited from accepting cash gifts or gifts valued over $20. However, a small gift valued under $20 is fine (ex. cookies, chocolate, gift certificates). Wine is not a good option since carriers cannot have any alcohol in their vehicles. Better yet, write a letter of appreciation on behalf of your carrier to the postmaster.
 
Hell, honey, why didn't you say that to begin with!? OF COURSE it makes a difference! Invite him in for a HOT, uh, meal or something!}(
 
I tip my garbage men (we have privatized disposal service & these guys work their butts off--we don't even have to drag our garbage to the curb, they pick up from our back yards) a case of beer. Yeah, I know, probably not the best way to go but I know they love it. And I tip my UPS man $20 b/c he's really good to me.

I DO NOT tip my postman b/c regardless of the fact that I have a mailbox in my enclosed porch, he just opens the screen door & throws my mail on the porch floor. So I can't even send out mail from my house b/c he doesn't check the box.

So really it depends on the quality & frequency of the service I think. The amount is up to you but I wouldn't tip more than $20.
 
Holiday season is a killer - I live in a doorman building, so I have three or four doormen, the super, and three or four of the maintenance crew to tip. I have to stop there - can't afford the rest. Last year I baked an assortment of cookies for everyone to share. I will tip the FreshDirect guys more for any deliveries around holidays, as well. Everything else is handled by my doormen, so....
I usually give my hairdressers extra if I get my hair done around the holidays, but I honestly try to schedule around the holidays so it becomes a non-issue. I tip extra for my waxing girl, as well.

jmaggs - where can you get your hair done for $35??? Amazing.
I spend an obscene amount on my hair. In NY it seems unavoidable.
($140 EACH for cut and color - two different people - plus tips)
 
I bake for my hairdresser IF I see her in Dec...I tip her 25% all year so I feel no obligation at all. Our security guards get baked good. My UPS man gets baked goods (he is here at least 4x a week all year long) & because he looks so darn cute in those brown shorts!Thats it.
 
For those of you who tip your trash guys, how do you do it? I don't use trash cans, so I can't tape an envelope to the lid. I don't know what time they actually arrive to pick up the trash, so I can't be waiting outside for them to come. I don't want to tape an envelope to a trash bag - they might accidentally throw it away or someone else might take it. How do you do it?

Thanks,
Shelbygirl
 
Our trash man recently gave us a holiday card and propped it into our trash can where we could see it. The card had his name and address in it. I thought that was kind of tacky, but my DH thought it was a good idea since we had the same problem as you do and didn't know how to tip him.

Erica

ETA - we tipped our mail carrier a couple of years ago, but never received any acknowledgement. We live in a semi-rural area and don't always have the same mail carrier so we don't even know if the right person got the tip. x(
 
>For those of you who tip your trash guys, how do you do it?
>I don't use trash cans, so I can't tape an envelope to the
>lid.

See, this is why I tip them w/a case of beer. I put it behind my garbage--it's impossible to miss & very much appreciated by them. :p
 
I tip my mail carrier $50 as he's been wonderful. I moved a couple of years ago from one building to another in my condo complex. He took care of everything and filled out the forms and started moving my mail before the system kicked in. He still is forwarding mail for me to this day! :)

I also tip my hairdresser, my aestician, and other services.
 
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