A Guide To Holiday Tipping: Who And How Much
Tis the season for giving! And the season to show those who help you throughout the year that you’re grateful for their services. But who should you tip and how much? Not all of make a hefty salary, and sometimes extra money is hard to come by. The Emily Post Institute has some info on who you should tip during the holiday season and what’s deemed acceptable.
If you’re unfamiliar with who Emily Post is, she was an American author, novelist, and socialite, famous for writing about etiquette. Now, Emily Post passed at the age of 87 in 1960, and a LOT has changed since then. The changing times calls for different etiquette. Although, members of her extended family are currently running The Emily Post Institue, so I’m assuming they’re keeping up with changing trends and customs.
Currently, we’re in a world where everyone is asking for tips. Buy a muffin at a coffee shop, use your debit card to pay, and they’ll be a section asking you if you’d like to leave a tip. Usually the options are 15%, 20%, 25% or no tip. Some places don’t give you the option of NOT leaving a tip, which is nuts! Leaving a hefty tip for a $5 muffin is silly. Having worked in restaurants in my younger years, I always tip. Often, I over tip. And I’ll tip if I’m picking up a to-go order. But if I’m rolling through a coffee drive-thru, rarely am I tipping. If you’re in the service industry, serving folks is your job and a tip isn’t always necessary.
Who To Tip And How Much
In a world where we see the same folks often, it’s a nice gesture to thank them for helping you out. For instance, if you have the same mail carrier and know them, giving them a gift card worth $20 is a very thoughtful gesture. They cannot accept cash, so a gift card to Starbucks or a restaurant would be perfect.
Your hairdresser is someone you probably tip often or at least every time you have an appointment. Yet a small gift during the holiday season lets them know how much you appreciate their services. Coffee or food gift cards are perfect! Or even dropping off some coffee and donuts is great! Often times they’re so busy they don’t have time to eat, so a snack is perfect. Even a charcuterie board with snacks is thoughtful.
If you have a regular babysitter, pet sitter, or doggie daycare person you use, giving them a holiday gift is great! According to The Emily Post Institute, a gift or cash equivalent to one day or night’s pay is perfect.
Others to consider are trash collectors, teachers, and coaches. A small gift or gift card lets them know you appreciate their hard work. You can also join other parents or folks in your neighborhood to raise money for a larger gift. There is a wonderful woman named Ms. Julia that keeps the radio station clean. The bathrooms are always spotless! Every year, we all give some money so that we can give her a large cash gift. I think last year it was around $1500. She works extremely hard and so deserves it! $10 from a group of people can go a long way.
If you interact with nursing home employees, nurses, or personal trainers often, a gift for them is also a bonus. If it’s more than one person that works in one spot, flowers or food totally works! U.S. News Money also has a great guide if you’re wondering who to tip during the Christmas season.
You can read more about holiday tipping here. I know we all don’t have tons of money, but going without something one week to make someone else smile is so worth it!
