To leave a crate of beer for the bin men?

[HTKS]

For Christmas?

Mum and Dad always left a crate of beer on top of the bin for the bin men at Christmas. I do the same but struck me it might be a bit old fashioned now. I think Dad thought they would have a tin or two on their round but that wouldn’t happen nowadays. And lots of people are now more into micro beers/kombucha/man buns/small batch gin rather that a tin or two of Stella.

If I AM BU, what else can I leave that’s not edible (foxes, and eating with binny hands must surely be a no-no) but easily shared? There a quite a few blokes on the crew.

I don’t get the whole leaving a gift for the bin men thing. It feels a bit patronising imo.
Fair enough they have to deal with rubbish all day but they have a really good wage in most cases, good pension plan and great working hours.

I have to say , I don't think it's my responsibility to ensure that recovering alcoholics don't drink though.

^^

I'd say so

Maybe write on the box (Merry Christmas, thanks for a great year' ( or something) so they know its a gift?

Some of you are very Bah Humbug

Tis the Season for Giving.

There is no way you could find a gift that everyone would like so don't worry about that - mince pies are vom.

I have fabulous refuse collectors and marauding Fox Gangs so couldn't give them any type of food unless I was around to physically hand it to the workers.

If they get some biscuits, some mince pies, some beer, from different customers, etc etc then across the whole team everyone should get something they would use/want

@HTKS as the wife of a binman I have to say it's a great idea.

My DH always comes home happy at Xmas as they feel appreciated

I don’t get the whole leaving a gift for the bin men thing. It feels a bit patronising imo.

I see what you're saying, but I give gifts to a lot of people: teachers, my hair salon owner, neighbours, post man, cleaner, etc.

Cans of soft drink??

Beanie hats??

Air freshener for the trucks??

Sweets/mints???

OP clearly the only way forward is a £10 gift voucher per team member so they can get their own gift to their own specifications. I mean how dare you try to do a nice thing for a group of people whose service you appreciate but who you don't know.
Any kind of generic gift will have someone tutting.

And whilst I sympathise with the PP's perspective from having an alcoholic father, by extension we should never gift alcohol as anyone could be a secret alcoholic, have it to win in raffles or tombola, in the bottle stall at the fayre or available to buy / steal in shops

I’m the first person to buy far too many Christmas presents for too many people but I really think there’s no need to leave a crate of beer for the bin men. In your parents’ day it was different, it was a hard slog for not much money and they usually saw the same bin men every week. It’s not like that anymore and the beer would probably get stolen anyway. I’d rather put the money to a worthier cause.

Air fresheners for the trucks....sorry but this has to be the worst present ever

trancepants, I did acknowledge most of the points in your post in my OP, but thank you for the overheated hyperbole anyway.

It's not overheated hyperbole. You are giving a 'gift' which is potentially quite hurtful to the recipient. That's not about giving a gift, it's about you feeling good and if anyone ends up feeling bad about it, screw 'em. You feel good.

It was a big thing when I was young, to give the bin man 5punt, when they worked for the council, They would knock to say Merry Christmas and get their fiver.
Now the bin companies are all privatised, it costs 30 euro a month approx, they change workers like underwear so there is no repor anymore.

Binny hands made me laugh

Well my DH keeps stealing cans of air fresheners from home as the trucks are rank 😂😂

But yeah, anything they can divvy up at the end of the day works well.

I'd never considered it, what a lovely idea! Not sure if my Christmas funds will allow that, but I'll hold onto the idea and see how we go. I tend to buy a load of Tesco buy 6 bottles of wine get 25% off to cover teacher gifts and the like, then live in hope of having some left over.
I would never consider a gift of alcohol causing offence - if it's not for you, don't have it. What if you gift quality street and they are lactose intolerant or nut allergy?!!! If we ever have "men" in to do anything (removal men, plasterers etc), if they do a good job and are pleasant to have in our home, my husband will always "buy them a drink". They do tend to be well versed in breaking the news to their oppos too - it's not unusual

Oh my goodness some folk take things way too far. If you started worrying about every eventuality you would never give anyone a gift..... there could be a vegan, there could be a celiac, nut allergy....yada yada

Presumably your bin collectors are all grown adults capable of divising up gifts accordingly "oh I don't drink" "well here you take an extra box of biscuits instead" kind of scenario would surely be standard practise?

I think it is a lovely gesture OP and I wouldn't over think it. Some folk need to chill out

Is used to work with refuse collectors and I can tell you all tips/gifts are appreciated

I was told the hierarchy was -

Cash (in a Christmas card as a tip)
Alcohol - if they don’t drink it or like it they will give to someone else
Biscuits and chocolate - not fussy which brand

My refuse collectors also appreciated the offer of a hot drink in winter or a cold glass of squash in the summer

The only things they weren’t a fan of was shortbread (in my depots) but they would still take and pass it onto someone who would

All the depots I worked in did have a crew room for teas and coffees, etc. However, we provided free tea and coffee

Coke - what about the diabetics?
Mince pies- what about the coeliac s?
Chocolate - what about the lactose intolerant?
And then you've got to think if anyone is allergic to nuts or is vegan or is on the fasting day of the 5:2. and finds your gift triggering.
Whatever gift you give won't be right for 100% of people but hopefully your beer together with other kind people's contributions will be gratefully shared back at the depot so everyone gets something they like.

Flipping Nora at some of these answers

Cash (in a Christmas card as a tip)

But what if they have shopping/gambling/alcohol/drug addictions which the money could contribute to or make them relapse. What if the use the money to fund terrorism? What if they use the money to buy a puppy from an illegal puppy farm? etc etc /s

I wonder how some of the posters on here manage to get through their lives with the attitude and negativity they have about such minor things. Life's too short to try scrutinise every little thing

@Gobbolinothewitchscat give me a gift idea they could all have!

@trancepants you're going way over the top here! What about chocolates for an obese person or someone with high cholesterol? And so on and so on!

If the OP gave cash the alcoholic could buy drink? The gambler have another bet that pushes him over the edge?

And my brother died from alcohol abuse, so I know first hand the implications. But I'm also able to understand that my brother was sick and not everyone that drinks alcohol has issues with it.