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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give postman/milkman etc gifts?

27 replies

Sockmate123 · 16/12/2024 23:51

I gave binmen today some beers and have left a tub of sweets out for the milkman in the morning.

Do other people do this? If so what do you gift? I want to give something to the postman too...maybe scratch cards or something??

OP posts:
MadamDicey · 17/12/2024 00:02

Milkman tin of sweets as he always makes sure my milk is hidden from the local milk thief to the point its turned into hide and seek 🤣

catphone · 17/12/2024 00:02

It’s thoughtful of you but I think it’s inappropriate

Butteredtoast55 · 17/12/2024 00:03

I always do chocolates or a big box of biscuits for the bin men and give the postman a gift too. We have known the postie for years and I know what he likes so he's getting some homemade gingerbread!

FatAlec · 17/12/2024 00:05

Not sure why it would be inappropriate!

DD1 insists on giving our milkman a chocolate coin in his Christmas card. He gives us a card every year too. I always wonder if he eats his coin in the middle of the night when he gets it, waits till he gets home or just chucks it. But we've never met face so I'll never know.

FatAlec · 17/12/2024 00:06

Oh sorry the scratch cards thing was the inappropriate bit maybe, not just gifts in general. I wouldn't do that personally as I think you never really know what other people feel about gambling (I know it's very mild but if someone has a bad history with stuff like that it could be a trigger for them!).

JudgeJ · 17/12/2024 00:07

catphone · 17/12/2024 00:02

It’s thoughtful of you but I think it’s inappropriate

What, choosing to give small gifts to people who make our lives easier? 'Inappropriate ' is one of those words people use to try and sound clever! During the lockdown we never missed a bin round or post delivery.

Sockmate123 · 17/12/2024 00:07

catphone · 17/12/2024 00:02

It’s thoughtful of you but I think it’s inappropriate

Why do you say that? That's interesting

OP posts:
LauderSyme · 17/12/2024 00:12

I have been wanting to do this but so far have been too shy. I was thinking of giving cash tips to the bin crew and Amazon delivery guy but am not quite sure how to go about it (my very British embarrassment prevails!).

Hapagirl48 · 17/12/2024 00:17

I tip the postman cash in a card. For two years in a row, I’ve put cash in a card and taped it to our bins around this time but they have not taken it. I wonder if our council doesn’t allow it? I tend not to give things like chocolate or alcohol because who knows what kind of struggles people have.

Snakeplant73 · 17/12/2024 00:24

Hapagirl48 · 17/12/2024 00:17

I tip the postman cash in a card. For two years in a row, I’ve put cash in a card and taped it to our bins around this time but they have not taken it. I wonder if our council doesn’t allow it? I tend not to give things like chocolate or alcohol because who knows what kind of struggles people have.

We do the same. Never thought about giving chocolates or a physical gift aside from a card. But thinking about it now I'd think it may be a bit of a pain lugging around a box of sweets for the rest of our postman's shift if he's got a lot left after he does our home.

SnoopySantaPaws · 17/12/2024 00:29

catphone · 17/12/2024 00:02

It’s thoughtful of you but I think it’s inappropriate

No it's not!

where did you get that idea from.

it used to be a given -bin man, postman, milkman.

@Sockmate123 I don't have milkman, the bin men come in a job lot collecting all the bins & no idea if they're even the same ones each week, not like when the same old boy would come & manually empty our metal bin every week, so I don't leave them anything now. I have a semi regular postie one that's extra nice, an older bloke who comes just inside the (open) door and hands me my post if I'm sat where he can see me, if I see him I'll give him a gift. I'm just going to give him £20 in a card & say to have a couple of drinks (or whatever) on me & thank him for being extra kind! I'll have it ready & give it to him next time I see him, even if it's not until next year (I'll update the card to a Haooy New Year one!). I know £20 isn't a lot, but I don't know what he drinks, so no point buying him a nice bottle of something & have no idea what else to buy him?!?)

Walkingbythesea · 17/12/2024 00:31

I know a few milkmen via work & they definitely appreciate Christmas gifts! Usual things are hotties if wine, chocolates and cash.

avignon1234 · 17/12/2024 00:32

Thank you for your post @Sockmate123 I have just been out to parcel tape a tub of celebrations to our bin and a Christmas / thank you card as they are coming tomorrow. I think it is a nice thing to do, and I am grateful for the reminder. I don't think it is inappropriate in any way. xx

Redglitter · 17/12/2024 00:52

Not a snowballs chance in hell I'd tip my binmen.

I have however ordered a box of assorted bars of chocolate which I'll leave out for the milkman on Friday

Floralnomad · 17/12/2024 00:54

We don’t have a regular postman anymore , they come round about 3/4 times a week when someone has time or wants overtime . I don’t have a milkman and our dustmen are a bloody nuisance blocking the road for hours on bin day whilst they wander to the local shops / pub / wherever . My sister gives cash to her milkman .

mumzof4x · 17/12/2024 00:57

Yes we always give presents to to the postie and the dustbin team
The children spent many a time standing out in pjs and an umberella waiting to be the one to give it over the years
I remember once dd was so happy because they flashed the bin lorry lights all the way reversing up the road to say thanks ! It's the little things sometimes
Inappropriate ??? Fgs really

Balaclava1000 · 17/12/2024 00:59

Give my my milk woman £20 in an envelope. It's a hard job.

Onedaynotyet · 17/12/2024 00:59

Postman and bin men are absolute stars- never missed a pick up through lockdown, snow and terrible parking. Postman is the kindest soul. Money in a card for him (plus a pot of honey). Chocs, money in a card for bin team.

Pearl97 · 17/12/2024 01:04

Since Covid I’ve left a packet of biscuits for the binmen on my bin each week. I put them out first thing. Best 50p I spend all week! I am a firm believer in if you can make someone’s day do it.
please gift anything you can to anyone this Christmas. We all need cheering up. Don’t be shy, I promise they will all love anything you can give them.

ForGreyKoala · 17/12/2024 01:10

Pearl97 · 17/12/2024 01:04

Since Covid I’ve left a packet of biscuits for the binmen on my bin each week. I put them out first thing. Best 50p I spend all week! I am a firm believer in if you can make someone’s day do it.
please gift anything you can to anyone this Christmas. We all need cheering up. Don’t be shy, I promise they will all love anything you can give them.

There wouldn't be much point in doing that where I live - the bins are picked up by mechanical arms and the biscuits would go with them 😂

Growlybear83 · 17/12/2024 01:12

In the days when we had a milkman I used to leave him a card with a tenner in it for Christmas - this was quite a long time ago now, when it was worth a lot more than now. I used to do the same when we had a regular postman, and for our previous Evri driver, but we have so many different posties now and our Evri driver has long departed. It was always the done thing to tip the binmen at Christmas but ours were always so awful that I stopped many years ago. Our neighbours all tip the window cleaner, but we don't use one.

Growlybear83 · 17/12/2024 01:13

Oh and of course we used to tip the paper boy/girl when we had them delivered, but I don't think many people have a daily newspaper delivery nowadays.

GodspeedJune · 17/12/2024 01:30

I always give my regular postman a box of nice biscuits. He’s retired recently and we seem to have lots of different people doing the round so haven’t bought anything for the first time this year.

LadyWiddiothethird · 17/12/2024 01:35

I tip my milkman £20.Have had the same one for more years than I can remember and he is 100% reliable.

Dont tip the big men,they usually leave my bins up the street....and the crew changes regularly,same with the postman,they are always changing.

WearyAuldWumman · 17/12/2024 01:36

Hapagirl48 · 17/12/2024 00:17

I tip the postman cash in a card. For two years in a row, I’ve put cash in a card and taped it to our bins around this time but they have not taken it. I wonder if our council doesn’t allow it? I tend not to give things like chocolate or alcohol because who knows what kind of struggles people have.

I give the postie cash in a card. Ditto the milkman. I try to catch the binman myself (easier now that I'm retired) and give cash.

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