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Original poster

Gifts for postman and bin men?

45 replies

Aneira11 · 08/12/2018 19:20

Do you give Christmas gifts to your regular postman and bin men?

We recently moved to the suburbs and this is our first year of having a regular postman we see and the same binmen... previously lived in flats in central London and never saw anyone doing those jobs, so no one to thank personally!

OP posts:
EmmaC78 · 08/12/2018 19:21

No. I never have and don't know anyone who does.

dementedpixie · 08/12/2018 19:21

No I never do

StoorieHoose · 08/12/2018 19:23

Nope. They are doing a job that they get paid for it’s not as if they are doing you a favour

KTD27 · 08/12/2018 19:24

First Christmas with a regular postie here and he’s a bloody marvel - he will be getting gingerbread made by my son as he’s so brilliant when he sees him and stops for a chat every tine and something else though I’m not sure what!

cancla · 08/12/2018 19:26

I have no idea who my bin men (women?) are. Same for the postie.

SquirmOfEels · 08/12/2018 19:30

I tip the binmen if I actually see them - our council bans them from soliciting tips so it only works if I hear the van

Not the postie as we seem to have a succession of them (used to when we had a more settled one)

AviatorShades · 08/12/2018 19:35

I get assisted collection of my bins ie they're collected from their positions, taken the full length of my (long) drive, emptied, then delivered back. I'm going to leave a six pack of lager with a bow and a thank you card attached, for them. They're ACESmile
My postman? This one, I'll leave a fiver in a card for him. My previous postman at my old address got a bottle of duty free booze when I got back after I'd spent the holidays overseas and he'd hold my post back for me.

MrTumblesSpottyHag · 08/12/2018 19:35

The bin men are getting beer. DH is a postie and gets the odd fiver/biscuits/wine etc which he's very grateful for.
The bin men are amazing and always wave, beep and stop to chat to my kids.

itsnowthewaitinggame · 08/12/2018 19:45

Always
No matter how broke I've been I'd never not Christmas tip post and bin men. Usually £10.

Redglitter · 08/12/2018 19:52

I get assisted collection of my bins ie they're collected from their positions, taken the full length of my (long) drive, emptied, then delivered back. I'm going to leave a six pack of lager

Same here. Ive never given at Xmas before but I really appreciate the extra they do

Ginnotgym · 08/12/2018 19:54

Yes - big box of biscuits/chocs

bimbobaggins · 08/12/2018 19:55

I usually give them a tub of sweets but got slated on here previously for it.

hoki · 08/12/2018 19:56

I'll be giving my postie €10 in a card this year. He's so lovely and we've had a few laughs over the amount of parcels we get (grandparents abroad are constantly sending stuff). He's gone above and beyond by dropping stuff to my house on his way home to save me going to the depot to collect it.

No idea who the bin men are.

IAmNotLikeThat · 08/12/2018 20:04

Nope. They are doing a job that they get paid for it’s not as if they are doing you a favour

You do not understand tipping. And by the way, many postmen and binman do more than what they are paid for - rescuing people in snow, watching on elderly or vulnerable people, to name just two things. You have a cold heart poster.

I usually give them a tub of sweets but got slated on here previously for it.

MN is not the real world. Slating is par for the course. Like being a person on this planet, you get wasps, colds and muddy shoes in the rain from time to time. But don't forget the binmen know nothing about MN. Why should they, nobody here is any more relevant than a binman or a binwoman.

allthekingsshoes · 08/12/2018 20:07

Slightly off topic but my Grandad had a word for the money he gave the milkman / postie at Christmas but we can’t remember it - any ideas?!l

StoorieHoose · 08/12/2018 20:10

I do not have a cold heart. I’m lucky if I get my bin lifted on the correct day, I have to drag my bin a lot further than the bin men. Maybe you have nice caring bin men and posties but the ones I come across do their job and nothing more as they are under huge pressure from their bosses to get the job done within ridiculous timescales.

dementedpixie · 08/12/2018 20:13

I'm still waiting on my garden/food bin to be emptied from today. It's already on a 2 week cycle. Don't fancy waiting another 2 weeks tbh

dementedpixie · 08/12/2018 20:14

And if they drop anything on the ground it gets left there

EdWinchester · 08/12/2018 20:16

We give the bin men £20. I am not sure if we usually tip the postman, but he's lovely so we must this year.

PoshPenny · 08/12/2018 20:23

Christmas Box? It's how Boxing Day got its name...

My husband is a postman, he would prefer cash over food gifts if he was being honest so he can buy even more stuff for his beloved motorbike but is very grateful that anyone thinks enough of him to tip him in the first place. Not everyone does, I never have actually, but my parents do.

allthekingsshoes · 08/12/2018 20:27

Christmas Box - that might be it! Thanks

EyUpOurKid · 08/12/2018 20:30

Yes. Will get a chocolate orange or similar for the post lady and a tin of celebrations for the bin men. My son thinks they're ace (small boys and big machines) and they have always waved, said hello, beeped the horn etc for him which thrills him beyond belief. Also tip the window cleaners and whoever brings parcels in December gets an offer from the pick tin (candy canes, chocolate bars, sweets)

mama17 · 08/12/2018 20:37

I never usually do but this year I'm going to think the post man a box of biscuits. He's very good with parcels takes them to my mums or sisters round the corner. He worked it out that we were family.

goingtotown · 08/12/2018 20:43

The only tip I give is to the window cleaner. He always does an excellent job.
The regular postman always folds letters, I’ve mentioned it to him, he says it’s quicker to deliver. So he won’t be getting a tip.
The bin men leave the recycling bins at random houses so neighbours play a game of searching for their numbered bins. No tip for them.

SparkyBlue · 08/12/2018 20:46

My Mum always tips the postman a tenner at Christmas. The binmen used to be council employees here years ago and a Christmas tip was customary as well I believe but since it all switched to private operators and everyone is paying through the nose for waste collection I don't think it happens anymore. Apparently if you were a good Christmas tipper then the binmen would take almost anything away for you during the year 😀😀😀

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