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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Do you buy gifts for milkman, bin men, cleaner etc ?

24 replies

Tillyscoutsmum · 07/12/2011 12:37

I've never had a cleaner before so have no idea of the etiquette. Is giving her an extra tenner ok or would it be better to actually buy a gift (chocs/biscuits or something ?).

Also, do you tip the milk man, bin men etc.?

OP posts:

PeggyCarter · 07/12/2011 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HappyCamel · 07/12/2011 12:46

Gift for the cleaner (when I had one) nothing for the others you mentioned, it doesn't seem fair on all the "invisible" people who work just as hard.

HappyAsEyeAm · 07/12/2011 12:52

Only for the cleaner. I give her some chocolate and a week's wages (which is £50) cash as I feel guilty at our relative wealth compared to hers as she really is very poor.

In your circumstances, I think some chocolates or bisuits is a lovely gesture.

I also give small guifts to the ladies who work at and run DS' pre-school (think a few quid each for them).

And we give a bonus to our nanny.

The only other people we give to at Christmas are friends and family.

BlueChampagne · 07/12/2011 13:34

Usually put a couple of Christmassy beers out for milko.

Original poster

Tillyscoutsmum · 07/12/2011 13:59

Thanks all. Will sort out some nice chocs/biscuits for the cleaner.

OP posts:

QueenVictoria42 · 07/12/2011 14:00

As a cleaner I can say I'd definitely appreciate a cash tip over a gift at this time of year. I usually get anything between a weeks wage to 20% of my usual fee. All very much appreciated!

iwantavuvezela · 07/12/2011 14:01

Usually one weeks extra pay in cash for our cleaner, and also a gift card for around £25 for a shop, have done GAp and Zara before. Not sure this year!

iwantavuvezela · 07/12/2011 14:02

should add not sure which shop to choose a gift card from!

fivegomadindorset · 07/12/2011 14:04

Small present for cleaner and her DC's she buys for our DC's aswell.

QueenVictoria42 · 07/12/2011 14:04

you sound lovely vuvezela! Lucky cleaner.

Original poster

Tillyscoutsmum · 07/12/2011 14:05

Ah, that's interesting QueenVictoria. I was thinking cash might be more appreciated but didn't want her to think I was being unthoughtful. My cleaner has 3 dc's, so I suspect any chocs/biscuits would be snaffled by them, so not much of a present. I also know she's always on a diet .

A gift card might be a good compromise (although I don't really know her well enough to know where she likes to shop)

OP posts:

Methe · 07/12/2011 14:07

Not ususally but intend to give the postie a fiver this year for being lovely :)

QueenVictoria42 · 07/12/2011 14:08

I wouldn't think you were unthoughtful! Cash is very thoughtful at this time of year. It can be put to good use IYSWIM. I should add that I do bake something nice for my clients to let them know it is appreciated in return. Gift card would also be nice though if you are looking for a compromise between cold hard cash and a box of chocs.

SantaffetaClaus · 07/12/2011 14:10

My first year with a cleaner and asked my friend who she also cleans for - she always gives her cash so will do this.

I always give the bin men a tenner. They are lovely - they used to let DS press the button and they always go the extra mile for us, collecting up stuff that we've forgotten from near the house etc.

I also get wine for the swimming teachers and chocolates for the fruit and veg van.

If the window cleaners come before Christmas and I see them and they give me a good price for doing the inside ones downstairs, I'll tip them heavily.

Tinselrella · 07/12/2011 14:12

Tip for my lovely cleaner - will be an extra week's wages, plus a gift for her too (usually something smelly).

I always tip my postie 20 quid as he's fab and goes out of his way to deliver

My binmen are rubbish and often forget us (we live down a farm track) so they will be getting sweet FA.

Quenelle · 07/12/2011 14:16

If I had a cleaner I would give them something, more likely vouchers though. We give the window cleaner a bottle of wine. We don't give the binmen anything though.

grumplestilskin · 07/12/2011 14:23

I give money to the cleaner plus biccies and biccies to the post man. the bin collection is a bit impersonal here so no to that

LaCerbiatta · 07/12/2011 16:27

So do you pay your cleaner if the day she comes in is a bank holiday? Ours comes in Tuesday and we've already paid the whole month so not sure how much more to add this year....

SucksToBeMe · 07/12/2011 17:22

I give the postman a fiver in a Xmas card. Never left anything for binmen. Feel bad now. Will leave them some chocolate this year, or maybe wine.

mumeeee · 07/12/2011 17:24

I don't tip bin men or the postman.

drinkystinkyyuletidegubbins · 07/12/2011 17:27

Bin men are rubbish so will be getting bugger all. Postie tends to randomly leave post on walls rather than post it so again will not be getting anything (and is a different postie every time anyway).

Cleaner will get present and our nanny gets present and bonus.

pigleychez · 07/12/2011 17:43

DH wont let me have a cleaner :( But a gift card sounds a lovely idea.

Those who usually tip the postman have you seen this?

SantaffetaClaus · 07/12/2011 21:39

I don't tip the postman more than £30! He gets a bottle of wine.

@ all the people sayng their binmen are rubbish

Our cleaner usually comes on a Tues but the week between Christmas and New Year a few of her clients are away so she's squeezing us in on Weds.

plipplops · 07/12/2011 22:07

I tip the postie £10 a he's fab - will stop me in the village if he's got a parcel for us and he thinks he might miss me, and he's always running everywhere so I just think he deserves it (plus it guarantees me good service for next year!) VERY annoyingly last year I had an envelope with 'for the postman' by the door, and my bloody SIL saw a random postie passing and gave it to him! Tried to give my man another tenner but he refused, really hope he got it off the other guy...Would happily tip the bin men but they don't collect from right by our house (it's a private road) and not sure I'd want to leave something out.

Wouldn't have thought to tip the cleaner but this has made me think I should (didn't have one last year)?

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