Christmas tip for the Post person

[chocolateisavegetable]

If you tip yours, how much do you give? I’m wondering if £5 is ok.

I gave a tenner about 10 years ago when we had the same postie. He was fab, I would give £20 now.

It's different people all the time now, so not sure what to do .

£10 in a card saying how much we appreciate him here. He’s pretty well paid but goes above and beyond and always seems happy to get it.

£10

We give £10 in a card to the postman. Used to give to the bin men as well(two of them, a tenner each) but last year I've spotted on the Cctv that one of them has hidden (very discreetly) the card in his pocket and doubt he shared the tip with the driver of the bin lorry.. So sad. No tip for them this year

This thread brought me a memory from apprx 1999 when I stayed as live- in carer at elderly lady.
The block of flats where she lived had a private gardener and I had a huge crush on him.
I believe the feeling we’re mutual as he always stared at me, I only just moved there in September and we both literally just stared at each other, also he once knocked on the door asking for a drink..
Anyway the last week before Xmas I decided to be pro- active and decided to give him Xmas card with my phone number in it.
I walked up to him casually and handed him my card and walked off.
He very happily said thank you.
Then I just watched him from window when he opened the envelope, took the card out and pulled a face and screwed up the card into his pocket.
I shall add he never called and just ignored me since that.
I didn’t know that he expected money tip from the residents, as I’m not British, only moved to UK in the summertime.

Usually a tenner and a bottle.
We’ve had the same postie for over 15 years now and is well known and liked in the area.

I don't know anymore. I feel like tipping should exit now that people who expect tips often earn a lot more than people they expect them from. Plus the UK isn't a great 'service' industry, it's just people doing jobs.

I generally agree but my postie really does go above and beyond. He stopped knocking oh the door when DD was born in case he woke us up, he signs for stuff after checking we wanted him to, he tells us when he’s on holiday and who’s covering, he’s been reminding me of strike days as he knows it affects my business. He’s great and I’ll miss him a lot when he retires.

@AnneLovesGilbert see id probably leave a tip then. It's just recently I've started being a bit exhausted by the endless expectation of a random extra payment rather than just being charged what I owe.

I earn pennies for a charity and yet if I save and my hair cut or take a taxi anywhere I'm expected to find another £5-10 just for attending/using the service.

I just started thinking about it.

Completely with you @OneFrenchEgg

Haven’t been to the hairdresser in ages and saving a fortune 😆

I’m very sure £5 would be very gratefully received Op

@OneFrenchEgg agree with you.

I give my postie £10 in a card because he does a great job. Nothing is too much trouble, if he sees me out and about he will tell me if he has a parcel, will leave it in the porch and lock up and put the keys through the letterbox. He never leaves a card always leaves the parcel and locks up so saves me rearranging deliveries and he takes the dog's barking and snarling as he comes down the path in good humour as well.

Used to love our postie, always used to give him a tenner at Christmas but he's retired now and we seem to have had a series of different people who come at different times - not sure if I'd even know when to expect them to give them anything!
Had to chase the bin men down the road last year - they were very surprised to get anything - said they hadn't received anything much from anyone. We're in South London if that makes any difference.

My postie is excellent. Always goes above and beyond, mega reliable and helpful, always a smile and hello for everyone. I've put £20 in a card this year because I'm in a fortunate position that I can afford to, but the gesture of a fiver in a card with a note of thanks I'm sure would be just as appreciated.

To add, this is the first year I've tipped as I've not previously been in a position to be able to afford the extra, I want to this year as he's been our postie for at least 5 years and now I can afford it I want to thank him.

£10. Prefer to give it to the one I know, but will give it to whoever I catch this week. I send alot of post!

I work for Royal Mail and can tell you without any shadow of a doubt that posties do not "expect" tips. I don't expect to receive anything other then my wage for my job. However, it is greatly appreciated when a gift/card is given.

£5 each for our three. One isn't on strike so thinking more for that one.

We have not had the same postie for a while now. Different ones come. I wouldn't tip as I'd feel like I was starting something, and it would be expected. Also it wouldn't be fair on the other posties who share the round.

I was going to shove a tenner in a card for the postman and the Evri delivery guy. DH gets a lot of deliveries for his business and they have both been fantastic. Tbh I feel like the Evri guy is a member of the family at this stage, I see him as much as I do anyone else 😂

You give whatever you can afford, op, there are no hard and fast rules and whatever your post-person receives will be added to all other tips. They soon mount up and quite right too, they deserve it.

Also it depends on how long he or she has been delivering to you. I had one for years and was always extremely generous to him. This year I have had various people I don't know by name so I sent a £10 note in a card to the delivery office, saying to put it towards their Christmas festivities (if they have any). Would you believe I got a card back thanking me! I didn't expect that as it was a general gift, not to any one person. A nice card too.

I have tipped the milkman £10 because I don't order a lot and he hasn't been doing the round long; with previous milkman I was more generous but he had been coming to ours for years.

A box of nice chocolate truffles and a card

I'll give them a tip. Get back to work and get on with doing your job properly.
We have had only 4 cards delivered for the whole of December. They are hardly doing anything.

Thank you very much for the replies. Our postman hasn’t been doing this round for very long, so I think I’ll give him £5 this year and probably £10 next year if things are a bit easier