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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask if you still 'tip' the postie, bin men, etc at Christmas?

239 replies

kitnkaboodle · 20/12/2016 23:16

I say 'still', because it is kind of an older generation thing to do. Having not done it before, I gave our postie a box of chocs last Christmas Eve as I work at home and have quite a lot of chats with him. My mum would leave whisky for the milkman, etc, and I think some people used to leave money in the dustbin lids for the bin men. Now wondering if I've started a new tradition and I should get him something this year too.

It's obviously not anything that anyone would get offended by, and no-one's going to say it's a bad idea. Just wondering how many people did it these days.

OP posts:
bimbobaggins · 23/12/2016 19:36

That's nice to see old , so can I ask if you husband received a box of chocolates from a house he was delivering to would he feel patronised because that's what several people on the thread are saying.

m17362772 · 23/12/2016 19:41

No. I don't get any tips for what I do every day so not sure why this is still a tradition at all.

EvansOvalPies · 23/12/2016 19:49

I always tip our regular Postie, because he's always so lovely and very helpful. Tip our binmen, because I chat to them sometimes, and they seem nice too. Don't have the milkman to deliver any more, because he's really horrible and aggressive. Tipped the Waitrose grocery delivery driver the other day, as he carried all the crates into the kitchen and was extremely pleasant and chatted for a while (and it is Christmas) Xmas Grin

Grittyshunts · 23/12/2016 19:53

Grin Gingerbreath stopped getting them after this but realised I only liked the flapjacks anyway! Blush

MMMMMaria · 23/12/2016 20:06

Hi yes I tip the bin men (£5.-), live in London and it's the same ones each week. Also usually tip the postman but today it wasn't one of the 2 usual ones so difficult didn't. If most people tip a little then it adds up to a nice Christmas gift for a very appreciated job. My mother always does and so now I do.

fairiesandelves · 23/12/2016 20:12

Postie: chocs x2 bottles wine cos he's so helpful
All teams of binmen Chocs each and couple beers each - great job they do and v helpful too

Window cleAner :£10
Xmas eve takeaway delivery driver : £5
Usually hamper for docs receptionists as they've been great in the past but not this year as new unhelpful ones Xmas Hmm

caitlinohara · 23/12/2016 20:14

I tip the coal man, but that's because we live in the arse end of nowhere and it's still basically 1953 round here.

YorkiesGlasses · 23/12/2016 20:49

My postman has taken to actually slamming our postbox the last two days. I feel like giving him a card with nothing in it (except season's greetings) but then my post will probably all get delivered to the other end of town. I suppose I'll cough up a tenner and be done with it Angry

Unicorn1981 · 23/12/2016 21:41

I don't tip any of them. Never realised you were meant to. I'm 35.

pipsqueak25 · 23/12/2016 22:38

unicorn you don't have to tip anyone, noone is my social inferior so i would see it as an insult if someone tipped me for doing my job. noone ever tipped me for literally saving lives nor would i have wanted them to. their life and recovery was enough.

Bunnyfuller · 23/12/2016 23:10

No. I think police, fire and ambulance do just as difficult a job, if not more so, and thru don't get tipped. More likely to be puked on for Christmas!

TinselTwins · 24/12/2016 00:01

But luckily I don't often have to have much to do with our local police, ambulance or fire fighters, although I'm very glad they're there and they've been fab on my rare interractions with them

I regularly see my postie though.

Chocolatecake12 · 24/12/2016 00:07

My ds delivers papers and has had quite a few tips over the past week. He's chuffed to pieces and really grateful. One elderly lady gave him £5 and apologised for not giving him a card because she could no longer write due to arthritis. What a kind lady!

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 24/12/2016 00:14

No - we have several different postpeople, one of whom is a parent from DCs school who we know quite well, and it would be very weird to tip him!

oldjacksscrote · 24/12/2016 06:34

Not at all bimbo it's just another way of saying thank you and not everyone can afford to leave cash tips, last year one lady even got a little stocking filler for ds. We're pretty hard up right now so it's really nice to see all OH hard work pay off at this time of year. He does also share his tips with the other postmen who cover his time off.

FantasticFestiveBeasts · 24/12/2016 08:07

I find it extremely weird that a gift to say thank you for being so lovely to us/such a nice man is seen as 'you are my social inferior'. Only on here!

Does that mean that my postie thinks that I am his social inferior (or my dog) as he brought her a box of dog biscuits after her op?

OhhBetty · 24/12/2016 08:16

Nope! I couldn't afford to anyway. I'm a carer so on a low wage and I'm working all Christmas and new year missing out on my son for no extra pay. Some of the residents and a few of their relatives will appreciate it which makes it worthwhile. Literally nobody else will though.

Nowabruptly · 24/12/2016 08:51

Maybe "tip" is the wrong word nowadays. I think most people just think of it as a small Christmas gift or token of appreciation. A nice thing to do when you see someone regularly and like them (as is the case with our postman) or you know someone is having an extra busy time at this time of year (as was the case with our Tesco delivery man last night). No pressure to do it but a nice thing to do if you want to and can manage it.

GreenTureen · 24/12/2016 08:53

I've never done this. BUT we did have a chinese last night and gave the delivery man a fiver whereas usually it's just the pound or two change rounded up.

Helloooooitsme · 24/12/2016 08:55

It is definitely a generational thing as my parents used to do it and the binmen used to actually come around and knock on the door to collect their tips.

Helloooooitsme · 24/12/2016 08:55

They're probably not allowed to do that these days.

bimbobaggins · 24/12/2016 09:04

That's good to know old . I've rather rudely been told on here that I'm being patronising by giving the postie and wind cleaner a tin of sweets. It's meant as a nice gesture and only on here would it be seen any other way

CandODad · 24/12/2016 09:13

To those of you that say "they are doing a job so why should I tip" I suppose the overlying message from this thread is a tip is given to those that you feel go above and beyond. We used to go out for a meal regularly with a couple that felt that a tip had to be half the bill no matter what!
Having just qualified as a teacher and being on long term supply I was shocked that children brought me presents in, one parent told me they were giving me a gift because little Billy was always talking about school and the class but never had before. So it's very much individual perspective I guess.

Thinkingblonde · 24/12/2016 09:48

I don't, but my neighbor does, he leaves a crate of beer for the binmen.
When I was a child, in the 50's, my mum gave a glass of whiskey to the insurance man who called to collect the premiums, we were the last call on his round. All of the other women he called at on the round would do the same, He had a cycle 🚲 and by the time he got to us he was well pissed, he was so pissed he'd leave his bike at ours and walk home. My older brother often walked him home as we were worried he'd either fall into the road or get robbed of his takings.

Thinkingblonde · 24/12/2016 09:54

Mum used to give a 'Christmas box', as she called it, to the hairdresser, coal man bin, postman etc, usually ten shillings, the equivalent of 50p these days, she saved all year round to give these Christmas Boxes.