Do you buy gifts for delivery/bin collectors?

[BigBaublesGalore]

Wondering what the general consensus is on buying some chocolate/alcohol for delivery and bin collectors, posties etc... I usually think I should but never have because I always overthink and then don't do it... and this year I'm thinking it's even more deserved due to the situation

Yes I do. I give them a tub of heroes and a box of chocolates for our postwomen.

This year in particular, they are unsung heroes. I haven't had a missed postal delivery or bin collection this year. That's something to thank them for.

As for noblesse oblige, don't make me laugh. My clients quite often send me a gift to thank me if I've worked on a demanding project. I love it!

It’s a bit insulting - a bit noblesse oblige.

I couldn't disagree more.

I work in a School and often get gifts and cards from the Parents of kids I've worked with at Christmas. It would never occur to me to be "insulted" or analyse their motives. It's just a nice gesture, a way to show appreciation for somebody's hard work throughout the year.

@SendHelp30

I’m guessing all you who don’t buy presents for people don’t buy for your children’s teachers either given they also receive a salary? Does your family not receive salaries? Don’t you buy for them either? I get a box of chocolates for the office staff usually too but then I love Christmas and love to give. Would hate to be so tight and Scroogey!

We have always bought for for adults who are involved with our children at school/clubs as they tend to go over and above their job role and are key adults in children’s lives usually.

We do leave the the window cleaner a gift as they do little extras but the bin men and posties don’t get anything as they constantly change and don’t go above and beyond.

Do those who tip bin men have different collections I.e general waste, recycling, food, garden? Do you tip all of them? We usually have at least two different collections on the same day - recycling and food are collected weekly, general fortnightly, garden monthly.

When I was a kid my parents would invite the milkman in for a glass of sherry when he called round to be paid before Christmas. His milk round was a sideline and I remember my parents joking that he was probably better off than we were!

Not for binmen, no. If they could be bothered to actually put my recycling boxes down instead of just flinging them wherever they fancy around my driveway or front garden then maybe, but tips to me are a recognition of extra good service, not just because it’s Christmas.

@CounsellorTroi my parents have the same crew doing both recycling and regular waste collection on alternate weeks

No I never have and I cant afford my Bill's etc let alone pay for presents when they get paid much more than me!

@lurker101 ah right. I think ours are different crews.

Absolutely not.

No. I might if I was rich, but I'm not. It would be weird to spend money I can't afford on gifts for people I don't know.

I always give the binmen and postie at Christmas. My parents also gave to them when we were young.

My neighbour commented recently about why mine was the only bin in the cul-de-sac that got emptied when overflowing and always put back in my driveway by the binmen. I'm the only one who gives them anything at Christmas.
My dd loved the bin lorry when she was a toddler, they always flashed their lights and waved to her everyweek.

@SendHelp30

I’m guessing all you who don’t buy presents for people don’t buy for your children’s teachers either given they also receive a salary? Does your family not receive salaries? Don’t you buy for them either? I get a box of chocolates for the office staff usually too but then I love Christmas and love to give. Would hate to be so tight and Scroogey!

No, I don’t buy for teachers either. We don’t generally buy for adults in the family. I get my elderly parents and sibling a token gift. They would get me a token gift. The presents mentioned on here as things you would give to the bin crew are the sort of things we give and receive in the family. It has nothing to do with being tight and Scroogey. On the contrary, I like Christmas. My DH doesn’t get or receive presents at all from his family. There’s no need for vast amounts of present giving.

Yes - I have bought boxes of chocolates for the bin men, recycling men, postman and milkman, they all worked all through lockdown and I appreciate their efforts, this year more than ever.

My DH used to be a postie and he used to get given tips from £1 to £10 or a bottle of wine or beer or chocolates. The posties all put their tips in a collection and then they were split up evenly between them and they did a lottery for the best alcohol so everyone got to select their preference based on when their number was called.

DH always came home with a box of lovely things on Christmas Eve and it was a treat that we very much appreciated 🥰

@unmarkedbythat

No. I might if I was rich, but I'm not. It would be weird to spend money I can't afford on gifts for people I don't know.

I grew up on a council estate where everyone was definitely not rich, BUT every single neighbour would always give to the binmen at Christmas. I can remember my dad going out with cans of Tennants lager and a box of biscuits😂😂

No and I think it’s rather weird to unless you live in a tiny village like Postman Pat’s in the Dales where everyone knows and loves the Postie. Our postie changes most days and I never see the bin collectors because they usually come before I get up.

Oh and I’ve never bought a Christmas gift for my DC’s teachers either, that wouldn’t occur to me either. They get a gift at the end of the school year but not Christmas. I’m a teacher and I come from a long line of teachers, we don’t expect Christmas gifts.

No, and I didn’t know it was a thing until I saw someone post it here last year. I don’t really get it, when most other public service jobs wouldn’t get tips or gifts at Christmas. They are paid for the job they do, just like I am. I wouldn’t have a clue if we had the same crew regularly either. We have the same post woman and she seems nice, but again she’s just doing her job.

No. I rarely got a verbal thanks for doing my job, let alone a gift, and it was the sort of job where it would have been quite possible/acceptable. It was a really tough job too. That’s fine but then I’m not going to spend my hard earned money on people I don’t even know! I know it shouldn’t be tit for tat but it’s a bit of a negative trait of mine, although formed from being taken advantage of many times over the years!

No.

I dislike tipping in any context. It is outdated, feudal and demeaning. I am not lady bountiful and posties, bin collectors etc are not serfs.

No, but I also don’t live on a road where I could feasibly leave anything anyway. A family member is a refuse collector and the tradition is still alive and well - the guys on his lorry have a regular route and they split things out between them and its always greatfully recieved.

I do leave give a gift card to one of the delivery drivers here though. He delivers to me about twice a week and is fab.

@AgeLikeWine

No.

I dislike tipping in any context. It is outdated, feudal and demeaning. I am not lady bountiful and posties, bin collectors etc are not serfs.

Where we live it's the done thing to tip the bin men and thank them at the end of each year . They are extremely grateful for it. Money aside, it's nice to shake their hand (in normal times) and thank them. Nothing whatsoever to do with lauding it over them as if they were serfs. (Honestly, I can't believe the places people's minds go to on Mumsnet sometimes, it wouldn't occur to me to think of them this way. I see them as hard workers who do an essential service, a bit like myself.) They work hard all year and particularly this year, have had extra rubbish to collect from people's homes. It's not a particularly pleasant job and I agree with pp, anyone no matter what their trade, likes to be appreciated now and then.

@AgeLikeWine

No.

I dislike tipping in any context. It is outdated, feudal and demeaning. I am not lady bountiful and posties, bin collectors etc are not serfs.

😂😂😂

AlwaysLatte £20 each? There are always about 4 or 5 bin men in the truck that comes round ours, that would be £80-100! You are very generous or maybe I'm a tightwad! I do give a box of chocs to our regular postie though.
We usually have 2 regular guys for the recycle and 2 for the refuse and sometimes one or two do both so could just be 2 lots. But they have to drive down a long track full of sheep just for us and always take the bins even if the lid isn't shut.

I normally get half a dozen of the small cheap Fortnums hampers to give out as odds and ends gifts to posties, teachers, bin men etc each year

How cheap is this 'cheap' hamper?

@LuckyAmy1986

I normally get half a dozen of the small cheap Fortnums hampers to give out as odds and ends gifts to posties, teachers, bin men etc each year

How cheap is this 'cheap' hamper?

Ah... I assumed that was a joke! Maybe it wasn’t...