Holiday Tipping

[OrionGrad]

I was reading this Kiplinger article this morning about all the people you should tip during the holidays, and it mentioned mail carriers (USPS, UPS, & FedEx) and trash collectors. Does anyone actually tip these people in real life, or is this article BS? Could it be a regional thing? I honestly never even thought about tipping my trash collectors, and I definitely would not feel comfortable "tipping" my son's preschool teachers. (We give gifts to teachers, but that seems different than cash.) Thoughts?
http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/s...ays/index.html

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm an a-hole and I didn't even know preschool gifts was a thing until last year at the "holiday party" when every family (or most, but it seemed like all) had a lovely wrapped gift for their teacher. Speaking of which...party is Thursday so I guess I need to figure that out huh?

Yeah, never tipped my mail carrier or trash collector. The only person I ever really tipped/gave extra too was house cleaners when we had those and our nanny who gets the biggest amount by about 5x what I spend on anyone else.

[alotofyarn]

I've only given holiday tips to our lawn guy and cleaning lady.

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[SoonerTexan]

I'm an a-hole and I didn't even know preschool gifts was a thing until last year at the "holiday party" when every family (or most, but it seemed like all) had a lovely wrapped gift for their teacher. Speaking of which...party is Thursday so I guess I need to figure that out huh?

At our preschool, the room mother (me) is forced to collect money and buy a class gift. Convenient and horribly inconvenient all at the same time.

I did for our cleaning lady one year and forgot the next year. I always gave a gift to our nanny of something edible and cash. If I remember I leave the mailman cookies, but he kind of sucks so I don't care if I forgot. I did leave cookies on our fence for the trash collectors last year (had a hard time figuring out how to deliver them in a non-disgusting way haha) because they stopped and helped me change a tire in the heat of July when I was pregnant last year.

[L.Jane]

For the longest time, at my parents house, our mail carrier was not a single person. But then a couple a years ago we got a permanent mail carrier who even was also my dad's office mail carrier and would bring our packages to my dads office if we weren't home so they weren't sitting out on the stoop. He is amazing. That guy we tip. But if you don't even know your mail or garbage people, I find it weird to tip them. As for teachers, honestly, as a past teacher, please, I much prefered that last minute gift card picked up at target or Trader Joes than the fancy gift wrap mug I am never going to use. Now if you have an in home Nanny, yes, please tip. Some of these others are ridiculous. I already tip my hair person every time. Why do they need an extra tip? I guess if they are truly amazing and really spend time and energy on you... but Then again, I don't have a regular person that cuts my hair so I wouldn't know.

[OrionGrad]

We've only had a cleaning lady for about 2 months, and she comes every other week. Do I need to tip her this year? If so, how much is customary?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

At our preschool, the room mother (me) is forced to collect money and buy a class gift. Convenient and horribly inconvenient all at the same time.

Oh this is ON TOP OF our class gift. Thus my confusion. I thought, "I contributed to the class gift and that is what we're getting them" but apparently, I was also supposed to get them some personal gift from our family and I was the dum dum who didn't realize that.

[SoonerTexan]

Oh this is ON TOP OF our class gift. Thus my confusion. I thought, "I contributed to the class gift and that is what we're getting them" but apparently, I was also supposed to get them some personal gift from our family and I was the dum dum who didn't realize that.

Then what is the point!!!! Ugh

[Ladybug]

I tip the mail carrier $20 and a card every year. He's our regular person and we order a lot of amazon prime. Fed Ex would be trickier because they seem like different people. I've never tipped the trash people. I appreciate their service, but I'm unsure how to tip with with variable times and not wanting to tape a $20 onto the trash can.

[SuzySunshine]

I tip my cleaning crew $25 Target gift cards each, they are employed and always do a good job and are always the same people. I tip the trash man and paper man. I have tried to tip the mail man in previous years and was told they can't accept cash but we always try with a gift card and goodies. I also get each of my regular sitters, all college age, a Target gift card.


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[alotofyarn]

For both lawn and cleaning, I double the payment for one week usually.

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[MrsK]

My mom always got candy for teachers, the postman, her hair dresser, the baby sitter, neighbors, etc. and tipped the newspaper man.

I don't tip the postman because I have my mail delivered to a business away from home. But I did bring a cake to the people at my mail delivery business because they are extraordinarily helpful to me. I'm there daily and they always carry packages to my car, rushing away from other customers to make sure I get my packages the minute I come in, letting my children use their bathroom in an emergency, etc.

I don't tip the hairdresser unless I happen to be in very near to the holidays. I think tipping the hairdresser/manicurist/whatnot is more for people who get their hair or nails done weekly.

I get a gift for the babysitter because she's been with us for years and nannies for us during school breaks. She gives me gifts too which is totally unnecessary but I appreciate the sentiment.

I was doing small teachers' gifts before winter and summer break. But I also contribute to class gift funds and with my kids at 3 schools, multiple teachers in preschool classrooms, and one kid who sees various specialists within the school...It's overwhelming. I had dozens of teachers on my list. So, this year I baked gigantic super amazing cakes that were big enough to feed 15-30 people at each school that the kids attend. I dropped those by the teachers' lounges and they were a huge hit. I'm doing the same for the staff at DrK's hospital and the OT that K1 sees. I'll probably do a small gift for the swimming coach too.

[MrsK]

And I'll definitely do gift cards for the housecleaners

[ides]

I'm not sure what I'll do this year. I'm new and so far I haven't heard a peep about what's expected for Os teacher. I haven't seen the mailman so I do t think I'll do that. My contractor I already pay a ton, so not there either. I think the only person besides figuring out what to do for Os teacher is our doggy daycare guy. He's awesome. I'll probably bake him something over cash though.


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[OrionGrad]

Now I'm feeling paranoid about gifts for our preschool teachers. One of the moms collected money from those of us who wanted to contribute to a group gift (probably 50%-75% of the moms), so I thought that meant no solo gifts. But now I'm thinking maybe I should bring cookies for the teachers, too?!?