My mailman

Ooooh!

My dad's a recently retired mailman. I should be able to figure this out.

I'll ask him if he got anything he really liked, and also about the limits etc.

I'll listen. And, btw, how much do you all usually tip your mailman?

I like my mailman, too! For Christmas, my family gives our guy a bottle of wine...same for retirement? Or some nice whiskey?

Is that allowed in the US?

I'm out of touch, lol...

L

Thanks sozobe - that would be great!

I've never really lived anywhere long enough to know my mailman until now. Usually I just give them some cookies or some little token because the money thing is so weird with federal employees.

But this guy has been a great mailman, very friendly and I'm going to miss him. I'd like to get him something memorable.

A gift certificate, perhaps to a nice restaurant.
I imagine he won't want to carry to much stuff, but paper's thin.

Wine or whiskey? Hmmmm. I don't even know if he drinks. Plus, I don't know if there are liquor rules or not - there are a lot of rules when it comes to federal employees. Where do you live, Lorna?

Funny.... he's been delivering my mail for so long that he probably knows a lot about me and mine but I don't really know a lot about him. Mostly he gossips with my husband and neighbor about stuff happening in the neighborhood. He's just always so friendly and kind to me and Little Mo as we wait by the box on nice days.

I've thought about a gift certificate. On the postcard announcing his retirement (it looked self-printed) it had an RV driving off into the distance. Here in Oregon there are many RVers so I'm thinking he might be the outdoors type. I was wondering about a certificate to the outdoors store.

But what if it was just a stock image cartoon and he's not like that at all!?

A restaurant might be a better idea.....

I had a mailman in my old neighborhood that was great. He grew up three blocks away, in fact lived in the same house all his life, and had delivered the mail in that general area his whole career. He knew everybody, and everybody liked him. I knew I'd miss him when I moved away...

I've been in my present home for almost four years, and every time I see the mail being delivered, it's a different person. The boxes are grouped together, the mail is delivered by truck, and I don't know any of the drivers from Adam's off ox, if you get my drift... am I supposed to tip these people?

Same with my newspaper delivery. I used to give the guy a plate of homemade Chrismus treats, with a cash tip too. Now the delivery person changes every few months, and when it does I go through h-e-double-toothpick () trying to get them to toss it onto the porch instead of in the sometime lake that passes itself off as my driveway... This morning, in with my paper, I found a Crismus card, signed "Happy Holidays! from your Carrier." The envelope was addressed to my paper carrier, at her home address... Should I take the hint and slip in a check, add a stamp & mail, or just display the card as "the first card I've gotten this year!"? Judging by the delivery hassle, she's been my carrier for about a month...

Good question...I'm in Scotland, but I grew up in New York...

and a gc is a good idea.

Points for mail carriers!

L

I confess to being a good tipper - for years and years I relied on just such kindness. I'm still in the service industry and whle I no longer rely (or accept) tips I know that it is the thought that counts most of the time.

I agree with Wy - solicited tips aren't really tips at all - they're an obligation. I felt a bit this way when I got the postcard in my mail today - was he soliciting tips? or was he letting us know to expect someone new?

Whatever the case he's been a great mailman and I would like to get him a little extra.

Scotland!? Well in civilized places I'm sure you can give whiskey. Americas is still to slap-happy on correctness to do such things.

I had a fabulous mailman at my place of employ for years-to the point that if he'd see me around town hed come running up and giving me a hug---most people just thought he was a perverted old man, prolly was but, he was very sweet and nice. When he retired we gave him a hefty gift certificate to a restaurant, weknew he had like 6 kids and 20 grandkids so, that whole-its easy to hide thing with the gift certificate worked.
We also used to get those Harry & David towers for the UPS/Fed Ex, etc people. now they are a different person everyday so..eh--no gifts.
The sales reps got the liquor---they prolly needed it we figured. They seemed to really really enjoy it. Every year they were amazed that the top cabinet in my lateral file became the bar.
Ah the good old days.

I get those paper carrier envelopes all the time. I dont tip them--they always screw it up and I got the soggy paper, its in the neighbors yard, its not here and oh yeah---saw her with her 3 kids driving from house to house and making a slight throw towards the general direction---that a paper driver---get it straight first and then Ill consider it.

My very best holiday tip always goes to my customer service rep at the photo lab I use. She get's a huge box of stuff from "Made in Oregon" because I like her to think about me as she gnaws away on all the treats I send. (Honestly, I should just send someone over to kiss her ass - she totally deserves it.)

I love Harry and David - they're another local group though and I don't think they have quite the "thing" here that they do in other places. Personally, I could eat 400 pounds of their licorice.

dang...just reminded me I wanted to send somthing over to the lab.
blah. Thought I had everything under control dangit.

Yeah..Harry and David works...I would think that something like like Maine Lobsters or Vermont Teddy Bears do really well other places---Ive done those a few times but, after that...eh. LOL

Oh good. I'm so glad I don't have to feel like a curmudgeon! I will tip those who deserve, and those I like, and the faceless inept ones can just have a Happy Holiday Greeting.

I host a TGIF social meeting on Fridays (no, I don't pay for it, just make everyone welcome). The bartender/waitress there will get Christmas largesse (over and above). They really do their best to make it a fun time...

(boomer, did the hostess gift thing happen yet? How'd it go, if so?)

It's next weekend sozobe - the first day of Hannuka as a matter of fact. I have been so overwhelmed between everyone out at work with the flu and Little Mo's parents being jerks that I haven't had time to actually prepare.

<sigh>

Calgon take me away!

Little Mo's parents being jerks again, eh?

Sigh.

Put a nice candle in that bathroom... Calgon works better in low light.

and good luck dealing with the jerks.

Boomer - Sorry to hear that little Mo's parents' are being jerks.

This xmas I've been making soaps, would it be weird to give my mailman a soap or 2 as well as a few bucks?

Dad says:



Didn't give any suggestions, tho. I wrote back asking whether he has an opinion on the thin/ portable vs. more bulky aspect.