Tip the letter carrier?

So, will they eat homemade cookies or treats? I can't imagine them, or anyone else, doing so without being a close friend, neighbor or family member that they know they can trust.

I'm going to risk my image as a nice person here and admit that I don't tip letter carriers, garbage men or newspaper delivery people. It's not that I don't appreciate their work, but let's face it. Nobody tips me for MY work at the holidays, and I don't expect it. That's what I'm paid to do. How many of you get tips for doing your job at the holidays?

It really rips me when I get the annual envelope from the newspaper delivery person with their blatant note to "please enclose my holiday tip in this envelope and leave it on your mailbox by Dec. 23rd."

I don't think it is necessary to tip in these situations. I tip Garbage Guy because he is so nice when we chase him around the block to watch his super cool truck.

I admit when it comes to federal employees I am less likely to tip - first because I thought they couldn't accept tips and secondly just because I pay them anyway.

My mailman is a good guy and I know he deals with a lot of BS because of the parking wars in my neighborhood. I am not a parking warrior but I feel sorry for all the ins and outs of his truck in all this nasty weather because of my ridiculous neighbors.

I saw him shaking his head in disbelief the day we pruned our big trees and we had piled all the rubble in the street where he couldn't easily reach our mailbox. This made me think about all the crap he puts up with - even though our rubble was gone by the next day.

The only time I complain about paying taxes is after writing the check I always call my brother. He's in the army so I just call to let him know his "welfare" check is on the way to support his high-falutin' lifestyle.

<snicker>

Don't feel bad. I don't either. As a matter of fact, I rarely give to charity either, but that's another story.

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Further to my last post on the previous page, someone in my position has to be somewhat careful as to whom I accept a tip/gift from.

If I don't "know" or trust their intentions, I'll politely refuse, and have done so. If I suspect the person's motives are not altogether out of the goodness of their heart, again, I'll make my excuses why I can't accept.

If I feel something "untoward" is going on on someone's property, my suspicions are immediately alerted. The "gift" could have strings attached by being expected to look the other way.

In the end, it could have appeared to have been a bribe and then you'll wish you had never accepted.

What happened to one collegue was that he witnessed some pot activity going down on someone's property, and he was offered a straight payoff to look the other way. He refused, of course, but then they followed him around for the next hour to see if he was going to turn them in, which he didn't. In the end though, they abandoned the place. It wasn't worth the headache to him.

I had been offered a few gifts from some where I didn't feel comfortable accepting for various reasons. So, as you can see, these things aren't always on the up and up.

My dad was a letter carrier and he worked as one the majority of his working career. He had the worst neighborhood - poorest, with the most crime. They called him the checkman because he delivered their welfare checks. He even was seriously injured when some out of control driver rammed into his jeep when he was getting into it. Fortunately since this was such a poor neighborhood - there was boarding put up instead of concrete where his head hit the bottom of a house.

Anyway even he received tips at Christmas -- from money to cookies to booze to hats or gloves. I still don't know why to this day he kept that route.

I do tip the letter carrier. We have the same regular carrier on most days and during holidays he has to deliver many packages to our house. He is always pleasant and we chat lots. I typically give him $20 because I heard that is the limit they are supposed to except.

As far as the newscarrier I don't give him a Christmas tip even though he always includes an envelope and card - he is a grown man and I never see him - I also only have the Sunday paper delivered. In addition, I have the fee taken out of my checking account monthly and I add a 20% tip to that automatically each month.

Oh also, I try to hand deliver the card with money as I want to make sure it definately gets to him. Speaking of that he should be in the neighborhood soon - I better go check for him.

I just found the limit thing I was looking for before, from a thread boomer posted on this subject in 2003 that was recently revived: