The reason this is the unofficial Christmas tip list is because I am 100% sure that I am going to miss a few people. Why? Because tipping these days is at the point where there is no limits in regards to who you must tip. The reason I have been thinking about all this tipping going on these days is because of an article at Gather Little by Little entitled Tipping- Getting out of hand?
This list was definitely not thought up by me because to be honest I have no clue as to who deserves a tip and who doesn’t. My accountant could save me hundreds of dollars and he won’t get a tip, a doctor may save my life and won’t get a tip. On the other hand someone that cuts my hair or hands me a drink at a bar deserves a tip. This list comes from conversations I have had with people and from what I have heard on the radio and on tv about Christmas time tipping. This list is in no way complete so I would greatly appreciate any additions from people. The list excludes the obvious tip deserving people: bartenders, taxis, hospitality workers, etc.
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(Note: Most people are not allowed to receive money tips, so try to be creative by getting them a gift with some thought in it. This could be a gift card, box of chocolates, movie tickets, etc.)
Hair Stylists/Barbers: Apparently for the big hair or hair styling work you receive before the holidays you should leave this person a nice tip on top of the cost of their services. The tip is seen as gratitude for a whole year of excellent service.
Mail/Delivery Person: This time of year you should also provide some sort of tip to the person that delivers the mail to where you live. A common tip for this is some freshly made food or a cash tip.
Professors/Teachers: Many students will provide their professors with a tip (in the form of a gift) for the completion of an excellent semester, or maybe just to ensure they pass.
Store employee of a place you visit daily: Many people choose to tip the person that works the counter at the convenience store or coffee shop that they go to on a daily basis. On top of the tip jar that every single store has, you apparently need to provide an additional tip in spirit of the holiday season.
Condo/Apartment Staff: For those of you that live in apartments or condos it is recommended you tip the various people the work for the establishment, whether it be the doorman, the maintenance person, custodian, etc.
Newspaper Deliverer: The person that brings you the daily paper deserves some form of a gift during this time as well.
Personal Care- This is a very general section but it pretty much refers to anyone that is beneficial to your health, it could be a nurse, personal trainer, dentist, etc. A tip is recommended in the form of a thoughtful gift.
That is all I could think of for now; my wallets already feeling lighter just looking over this list. If you could think of anyone else that deserves a tip this time of year then please list them.
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How about:
1. Babysitters
2. Real Estate Agents
3. Vendors and subcontractors if you own your own business.
4. Your employess if you own your own business. (Don’t know if that counts as a tip or a Xmas bonus.)
5. Gardener or Landscaper
That’s off the top of my head.
A word of warning – a lot of people are uncomfortable about accepting homemade food unless they really know the person. Tipping your postman with fresh baked brownies might seem like a good idea, but unless you are on first name basis, they might just end up in the trash. Also, remember that some places do not allow tipping, so be sure you know what is and isn’t allowed. Finally, since my mom was a teacher and I have heard this from many, many other teachers – a note of appreciation will go much, much further in spreading holiday cheer than some little knick knack or food item (especially with everyone on diets and with food allergies.) Although everyone loves cash, for many of these categories a handwritten well thought out note would be more appreciated than a trinket.
Great list. I particularly enjoyed your point about who should get tips. If and when a doctor saves my life, I’d say they deserve a big tip!