Is it time yet for the great xmas tip thread?

[Deleted]

Because I've got questions about what you're doing for -

DCP 
Housekeeper
Hair stylist/colorist 
Mail delivery people
Anyone else I'm forgetting??


My plans are DCP (in home) - $200+ gift for her daughter who is DS1's age
Housekeeper - 1/2 of one visit
Hair - round up my tip to nearest 10 (I only see them 3x a year)
mail - wasn't planning on this but given the amount of amazon packages I receive maybe I should? 

[Deleted]

We only do DCP. She gets $50-100. Cash in a card thanking her. And that's it.

[simpsongal]

DCP in home (we use her three days/week) - I was planning on $100, and maybe 2 little things for her girls.

Mailman - we missed this last year, maybe $20 cash?
Trash/recycling - $20?

I think that's it...

[fortnightlily]

We're at a center. I got $50 Amazon gift cards plus a small pack of holiday scented hand cream for each of DS's two main teachers, then four $25 gift cards: two for the floaters who are often with him at the end of the day, and two for the teachers he had while he was in the toddler room for January-August.

That's it for me. I don't extra-tip my stylist or any mail/delivery people, and we don't have a housecleaner.

[SallySparrow]

We only give something to our daycare provider. We use an in-home and give her an extra week of pay and a gift card.

[awkwardpenguin]

DCP - We're at an in-home with three co-owners. $50 each and a nice note.
Hair stylist - I've only been to her twice and I'm not due for a haircut until the New Year, so nothing
Woman who waxes my eyebrows - $20
Mail delivery person - TBD, I'm torn after yesterday's thread!

[Deleted]

Don't have DCP since it's my mom
So other than teacher gifts we just tip the housekeeper. I give her double pay on her last cleaning before Christmas.

[thebreakfastclub]

I will tip my hair stylist, esthetician and cleaning lady the cost of one visit. I am a pretty frequent hair/eyebrow client.

Daycare main teachers will get $50 gift cards, and we will probably give $50 to the staff holiday meal collection on behalf of the floaters. I will probably tip the newspaper guy as well.

[nextbigthing]

I have a question re: DCP

DS is in the infant room but it's split into two sides. He just switched to the bigger infant side.

There are what I consider to be 4 main teachers, then 2 floaters. Who do I buy for? I feel like all 6 and I was thinking $50 target gc for each, but I'm not sure.

I'm struggling because he just switched rooms, these other women have taken care of him since April.

[D2M]

Daycare: DD transitioned from the young toddler class to the older toddler class this week, so we gave $50 cash to each of her old five teachers and, even though I don't know these new teachers, will do the same for the four in her new class.

Cleaning lady: $50

Newspaper delivery person: $20 (we only get weekend delivery)

Hair stylist (if I go before the holidays): $40

Mailman: I dunno. We have a different one every day, it seems. There's one guy who's awesome. If I catch him, I'll give him $20.

As an aside, my sister was a bank teller during college and she used to get tips from her frequent customers. I don't go to the bank in person enough to develop a relationship with my teller, but she had tons of old-school customers who loved her.

[vtdiamond]

Dec 11, 2015 12:27:29 GMT -5 nextbigthing said:

I have a question re: DCP

DS is in the infant room but it's split into two sides. He just switched to the bigger infant side.

There are what I consider to be 4 main teachers, then 2 floaters. Who do I buy for? I feel like all 6 and I was thinking $50 target gc for each, but I'm not sure.

I'm struggling because he just switched rooms, these other women have taken care of him since April.

My kids started daycare last January and have spent equal time in the Infant A and Infant B rooms which are only split by a half wall.  I'm planning to give $50 gift cards to the two main teachers in both rooms and then $25 gift cards to the floaters.

[karinothing]

Dec 11, 2015 11:59:25 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

DCP in home (we use her three days/week) - I was planning on $100, and maybe 2 little things for her girls.

Mailman - we missed this last year, maybe $20 cash?
Trash/recycling - $20?

I think that's it...

Are mailman allowed tips? They are fed employees aren't there rules against that?

Also how does trash work? Like how do you get it to them?

[Deleted]

In the past, I've given my DC person booze.

We're at a new place this year, sticking with booze.

Clearly I know how to pick awesome DC providers.

[egishere]

nanny: weeks pay
housekeeper: not sure yet we haven't used them that long. its usually two ladies so maybe I will do $30 extra each?
preschool teachers: the head teachers both get $25 kohls gc and the assistant teachers, speech and OT each get $15 to Panera
mailman: nothing they are terrible in our neighborhood and everyone complains about them

[karinothing]

Oh I looked it up, mailmen can't accept cash only gift cards for specific stores up to $20

voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/12/what_can_you_give_the_mailman.html

[simpsongal]

Dec 11, 2015 13:21:39 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Dec 11, 2015 11:59:25 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

DCP in home (we use her three days/week) - I was planning on $100, and maybe 2 little things for her girls.

Mailman - we missed this last year, maybe $20 cash?
Trash/recycling - $20?

I think that's it...

Are mailman allowed tips? They are fed employees aren't there rules against that?

Also how does trash work? Like how do you get it to them?

Technically no, but it's not really an enforceable rule ya know?  There was a thread on this the other day, one of the poster's husband's is a mail carrier.
ETA: Since GCs are allowed,  I'll do one for Target or Giant or something.  Thanks!

As for trash, it's tricky.  I usually run it out to them or put like a red card w/bow on the can.  Also, it's like all different people, so I guess whoever gets it hopefully shares.

[karinothing]

Dec 11, 2015 13:30:45 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Dec 11, 2015 13:21:39 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Are mailman allowed tips? They are fed employees aren't there rules against that?

Also how does trash work? Like how do you get it to them?

Technically no, but it's not really an enforceable rule ya know?  There was a thread on this the other day, one of the poster's husband's is a mail carrier.

As for trash, it's tricky.  I usually run it out to them or put like a red card w/bow on the can.  Also, it's like all different people, so I guess whoever gets it hopefully shares.

I should have paid attention to that thread. Federal ethics are my jam. 

[simpsongal]

Dec 11, 2015 13:31:55 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Dec 11, 2015 13:30:45 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Technically no, but it's not really an enforceable rule ya know?  There was a thread on this the other day, one of the poster's husband's is a mail carrier.

As for trash, it's tricky.  I usually run it out to them or put like a red card w/bow on the can.  Also, it's like all different people, so I guess whoever gets it hopefully shares.

I should have paid attention to that thread. Federal ethics are my jam. 

Are you doing ethics now or just an ethics enthusiast?   One of my coworkers used to work at OSC so I'm always asking her to make sure I'm Hatch Act compliant.  I'm also a 450 filer since I work w/contract awards.

[rugbywife]

This won't apply til next year but essentially we won't be sending our kids to day care for two weeks but we pay for those two weeks...should we still tip on top of that? We will be giving her $900 as it is. Just wondering.

[sju1982]

DCP: $25 gift card to each of his (4) teachers, plus a Voluspa candle for his 2 main teachers

Cleaner: $50 gift card to Target

[CrazyLucky]

We did $25 GCs for four teachers, $10 for three teachers (floaters) and $5 GCs for "specials" (art, music, etc. Plus chocolate from a yummy candy store.
Hair: cost of one visit. I don't screw him if I don't go during December. In that case, i either give it in Nov or Jan when I do go.
Housecleaner: $50 - we pay her $100 every two weeks

We don't tip the mail or trashmen. Our church does a collection for some of the workers there and we contribute to that.

[kershnic]

Anybody have any idea about a speech therapist? Through EI if it matters. She has been coming weekly for about 3 months now.

[jewel]

Dec 11, 2015 13:47:32 GMT -5 kershnic said:

Anybody have any idea about a speech therapist? Through EI if it matters. She has been coming weekly for about 3 months now.

Depends on who she works for and whether or not they have a gift policy. Ours are not allowed to accept gifts worth over $25, some can accept general office gifts (like a cookie tray, or whatever), and some aren't allowed to accept gifts at all. I'd probably just ask her beforehand.

[kershnic]

Dec 11, 2015 14:57:35 GMT -5 jewel said:

Dec 11, 2015 13:47:32 GMT -5 kershnic said:

Anybody have any idea about a speech therapist? Through EI if it matters. She has been coming weekly for about 3 months now.

Depends on who she works for and whether or not they have a gift policy. Ours are not allowed to accept gifts worth over $25, some can accept general office gifts (like a cookie tray, or whatever), and some aren't allowed to accept gifts at all. I'd probably just ask her beforehand.

Hm.  I know she's a contractor with the agency she works for.  Asking her is even more awkward than giving it, so I don't really feel comfortable doing that.  I don't want to do something large, was thinking maybe a giftcard in the $10-$25ish range, but am not sure.  

[bowies]

GCs in some amount to his teachers, including his previous room. That's 5 right there so probably only $25 each. Then I will bring in a platter of cookies for all staff.

We doubled the pay of our house cleaner.

I don't need my hair done anytime soon. I always tip well!

[jewel]

Dec 11, 2015 15:00:48 GMT -5 kershnic said:

Dec 11, 2015 14:57:35 GMT -5 jewel said:

Hm.  I know she's a contractor with the agency she works for.  Asking her is even more awkward than giving it, so I don't really feel comfortable doing that.  I don't want to do something large, was thinking maybe a giftcard in the $10-$25ish range, but am not sure.  

LOL, fair enough. I was always on the receiving end, and a lot of times, parents would say, as they handed me a card, something like "I'm not sure if you can accept gifts or not, but we really wanted to get you just a little something to show you how grateful we've been." It opens the door for the person to say that they cannot accept gifts, or they can just say thank you and proclaim how sweet you are.

I think a $10-$25 gift card is SO nice. I'd go for coffee or somewhere she can buy work supplies. Most therapists buy a lot of their own toys.

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2015 13:36:03 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

This won't apply til next year but essentially we won't be sending our kids to day care for two weeks but we pay for those two weeks...should we still tip on top of that? We will be giving her $900 as it is. Just wondering.

We pay the full month ($1K) and then tack a bonus on. I figure it's a pricey month for her, and she always buys my kids little presents. 

[qcinoct]

DS1 goes to an in-home after school provider. I was going to give her about $75 gc (usually for stuff she can do with her family); His 2 teachers will get $25 gc each
DS2 goes to a centre. I bought his teacher a $25 gc and some cookies
I went to my hair dresser in mid-November and doubled my tip at that time
Not tipping my mail guy (girl?) since we just have a community box.
Will give the paperboy a small GC

I probably need to get something for my 4 grad students, but I honestly don't like 2 of them so I'm not feeling overly generous. In years past, I've had them all over my house around this time. I'll just get them gift cards and call it a day.

[karinothing]

Dec 11, 2015 13:34:10 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Dec 11, 2015 13:31:55 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I should have paid attention to that thread. Federal ethics are my jam. 

Are you doing ethics now or just an ethics enthusiast?   One of my coworkers used to work at OSC so I'm always asking her to make sure I'm Hatch Act compliant.  I'm also a 450 filer since I work w/contract awards.

Just an ethics enthusiast , if there is such a thing  

[patbutcher]

I only have a DCP (in home). Giving her some tea from the UK and $100 gift card just not sure where to.