Holiday Tipping/Gratuities

[MrsK]

I'm not sure that this is the correct forum for this thread but I didn't know where to post it. I'm sure that we've discussed this before. Who do you tip around the holidays and how much? Your postman? Hairdresser? Housecleaner?

Specifically, I have housecleaners that come 2x monthly. They are employed by a cleaning service. The service usually sends two cleaners. There is one particular woman that is sent to my house almost every time. The other cleaner varies from visit to visit and sometimes is someone new. The one that comes just about every time is especially chatty with me (she's sweet but she drives me nuts when I'm trying to work) and she even invited us to her "biker-goth" wedding for which she died her hair blue. (We did not attend.) Remember, I work from home so they are usually working around me as I draft contracts so they know me more than the other people who are out when they clean. Do I tip them? Do I send the tip to the service and let the service divy it up among the cleaners? Do I tip only the woman who is usually sent? And how much?

[weeniegeniewife]

We give each of our housekeepers $75 each, a plate full of homemade Christmas cookies and a loaf of my cinnamon bread.

[ides]

I kind of hate the whole tipping thing. They are getting paid for there job afterall. Sigh, I do acknowledge that it is expected. The first year we were in this building we tipped the doormen $25 each & I made a load of treats for the porters/ handymen. They were kind of rude about the treats because they wanted cash, so, I gave them nothing the next year. Thinking we will tip the doormen this year but that's it.

Mrs K- I would give a small tip to the regular cleaner woman & some treats for both women who are there when you give it out.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: the postman...I am almost positive that US Postal Service workers, as federal employees, are prohibited from accepting gratuities. They might be able to accept a de minimis gesture, like homemade cookies or something, but I don't think they could accept cash or gift certificates.

At least, I know that I am not allowed to accept gifts in recognition of the execution of my duties. Although my rules are even stricter and more specific: I can't accept ANYTHING, even cookies or flowers.

[poky]

Our mailman accepts gift cards, I know that. And here, they're tromping through knee-high snow to everyone's front doors and delivering tons of extra mail (cards, catalogs, packages), so I don't begrudge him a $20 starbucks gift card. I should ask my insider person (gal in my knitting group is married to a USPS manager) if there are rules about it.

[ides]

In NYC the postal workers expect cash tips. Where I worked before O came we gave a yearly tip to our postal carrier of $75. There must be some sort of rule about it, right?

[MissCrabette]

There must be some sort of rule about it, right?

Yes, they're prohibited from accepting cash gifts. They can accept non-cash gifts as long as the value is under $20.

I hate this tipping practice around the holidays. I hate that it's expected and not simply enjoyed as an unexpected surprise for doing a great job.

[ides]

I hate this tipping practice around the holidays. I hate that it's expected and not simply enjoyed as an unexpected surprise for doing a great job.

Here here!

[v-girl]

Our mailman rides around in his little mail jeep and only gets out if there is an actual package that won't fit in the mailbox. I don't tip him, but we do make sure we don't park in front of the mailbox.

We don't have anyone else to tip.

I hate this tipping practice around the holidays. I hate that it's expected and not simply enjoyed as an unexpected surprise for doing a great job.

This. Last year our paper boy left detailed instructions taped to our door instructing us on how to leave him a holiday tip, and even added the helpful note that cash was preferred. That just makes me ill.

[v-girl]

Don't they get paid for doing their job?

[Thirteen]

This. Last year our paper boy left detailed instructions taped to our door instructing us on how to leave him a holiday tip, and even added the helpful note that cash was preferred. That just makes me ill.

That's pretty presumptuous. Sheesh!