Christmas gifts for garbageman and newspaper delivery person

[annsteere]

I try to be nice to the garbage guys year around.

One idea that has been a hit is a plastic sand pail with two bottles of water surrounded by ice cubes. I put it on top of my garbage cans about the time of day they usually pick up. They carefully return the sand pail so I can do it again some other day.

Our mail carrier has just changed. The old one was outstanding. I used to put a foam cup in the box with a Starbucks $5 gift card every once in a while.

Cash at Christmas is nice, but I think an unexpected treat on a random day during the year would brighten someone's day.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I gave the mailman a $5 Starbucks gift card along with a $3 scratch-off lottery ticket. The card was in a small Christmas bag filled with a variety of candy.

I don't tip the garbagemen.

I gave my cleaning lady a Bath & Body works gift set.

I also gave my daughter's bus driver the same thing as the mailman.

I think that's it!!

 

[mrspaha]

I was just thinking about letter carriers walking up a long driveway -- does anyone anywhere have letter carriers that walk all the way down to the city sidewalk and walk along that to get to the next house, instead of cutting across everyone's front yard? We practically have a dirt path where they cut across the lawn in front of our house to get to the next one. I remember when I was much younger, the mailmen NEVER cut across anyone's yard...

Plus, do any of you often get someone else's mail? It doesn't happen to us often -- maybe once a month or so -- but it worries me that someone I don't know might get my mail. Usually, the wrong mail I get is not for someone on our street, but rather someone with the same house number, but a different street name.

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

I once read an article about the changes in the Postal Service since it went from being a "service" to being a business (i.e. having to cover it's expenses). The article talked about how when they decide how many houses can be on a route, they actually plan the time assuming that the carrier will walk directly from doorway to doorway and not walk down the sidewalks/driveways and back up again. They also have to walk at a certain rate.

 

[HsvTeacher]

See, I would disagree that this is service beyond what is required. I would expect that a package that doesn't fit in my box be delivered to my door. Where else would it go? And a bag seems like common sense to me. Perhaps I've been spoiled with a great mail carrier in the 4 yrs I've been at this house and not even realized it. A mail carrier's job is to deliver mail and packages that come via USPS. I get my mail and packages. No more - no less.

Our mail carrier would leave one of those sticky notes in the mailbox and take the package back to the post office. She doesn't get out of her Jeep for anything.

And she drops her cigarette butts at the end of our driveways!

 

[okeydokey]

I tip trash pickup folks, mail carrier and newspaper folks. They work hard for us all year and I appreciate them.

I delivered newspapers as a teen. The pay was lousy and we appreciated the tips.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I would never tip anyone who left me an envelope expecting a tip.

This.

The only person I gave a tip to this Christmas was the UPS guy. I buy alot of gifts online and he really goes out of his way, warning me when boxes that might be gifts have a picture on them, putting boxes in the garage when it's open, being sweet to my kids who often meet him outside.

Everyone else does the minimum required and they already get paid for it.