Holiday Tipping Guide

In Monday's post Cindy discussed the art of sending Christmas cards. Another holiday tradition along those lines that many people may not be aware of is tipping. Technically it is considered proper etiquette to send tips to those who you regularly conduct business with during the holiday season. If you are in the mood for a little extra giving or would like to give back to those who work hard to provide you services on a regular basis, then you are in the right place. Today, I would like to introduce you to three great ways that you can easily work tip giving into your regular holiday traditions, handmade gifts, purchased gifts and what I like to call, drop-ins. I will even discuss some ways that won't break the bank! 

Before I go over what you can expect a typical holiday tip to be I would like to list some examples of who you might consider giving one to. Here is a list of common service providers, but please keep in mind, this is not an all-inclusive list. I actually threw in some examples that are common in my life that may not be widely recognized.

• Lawn service
  
• Maid or housekeeper
  
• Babysitter
  
• Pet sitter or walker
  
• Pet groomer
  
• Mail carrier
  
• Mechanic
  
• Hairdresser
  
• Nail tech
  
• Masseuse
  
• Pest control tech
  
• Your regular pizza delivery guy
  
• Mass transit driver
  
• Newspaper delivery person
  
• Wait staff at your favorite restaurant
  
• The barista that gets your tricky order right all the time
  
• Healthcare provider
  
• Bartender
  
• Doorman
  
• Trash Valet
  
• Plumber
  
• Maintenance superintendent
  
• School crossing guard
  

Ok ok, so you don’t have to tip all off these guys, I just wanted to list off as many as possible! I encourage you to identify the ones that you come into contact with in your everyday life. Now that you have a list of who you want to give a tip to, let's talk about what is an acceptable gift amount and any restrictions you will need to consider. 

I always thought that it was acceptable to leave an envelope for my neighborhood’s postal worker, but did you know that they are prohibited from accepting any type of gift that is in the form of cash or could be exchanged for cash, like a check or gift card? So you will want to ensure that you leave a gift for your mail carrier that can be accepted without breaking the rules. I'll be going over some of those options here in a bit. 

You might also be wondering about dollar amounts for other service providers. How much should you give really? For your routine services where you are cared for by the same staff member that charges a fee for service, consider giving ½ to a full amount of the regular service rendered in a month's time span. For example if you regularly pay your lawn care giver $40 every 2 weeks consider giving them $20-$40 in cash tip. If they come to provide the service on a weekly basis then you will want to provide a tip that is equal to the cost of one regular service. Any service providers that do not charge a direct fee, like the doorman of your high-rise apartment complex or your trash valet, should be tipped $25 and up depending on the area where you live. 

So, if giving money is not an option or you have something else in your heart that you would like to give this season, that is also completely acceptable. Here is a fun list to get you started on what you might want to provide. Please keep in mind that some service providers, like postal workers, will need to be given a non monetary gift, like one of these below.

Handmade items:

Baked Bread

A dozen homemade cookies

Hand knitted or crocheted scarf or hat

Home made candles or soap

Purchased items:

Pre-made gift set (easy to find these at Walmart and other box stores)

Holiday florals such as poinsettias

Candles

DIY gift baskets

Christmas ornament

As for drop-ins, who doesn’t like a surprise every now and then? If you are in the area and know that your service provider is nearby, consider stopping by their place of work and bringing them a warm drink from the coffee shop or some of your home baked goodies! It really makes someone’s day when you go out of your way to show them your appreciation or that you were thinking of them. 

I hope that I was able to give you some information that gets you into the spirit of gift giving and inspires you. I really do enjoy giving out gifts, making cards, and spreading joy during the holiday season. If there is something that I left off as far as gift suggestions, please share in the comments. I would love to hear from you!