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Yes, I know there are women who do these jobs as well, I decided to use the masculine 1950’s tense, can we move on please?
The holidays are the time where many of you try to thank your mailman, garbage man and even doorman for all that they have done during the year.
It’s not like tipping a good lesbian waitress, there is no set amount or exact way to tip these folks who make our lives easier and less smelly.
I have a certain amount of free time on my hands, so over the last few weeks, I made it a point to talk to a few mailmen, garbage men and door men about the kind of gifts they like to receive from their customers.
Right off the bat, everyone I spoke to said they never “expect” anything extra for what they do, however when you do give them gifts, here are a few things that you should keep in mind.
If you don’t really know the people you are trying to get a gift for, go with what works: cash, or gift cards for cash.
I spoke to a mailman in our neighborhood and he said last year he got over $300 in Starbucks gift cards, which he appreciated, problem is he doesn’t drink coffee! While he appreciated the gift cards, they were ultimately re-gifted to his friends and family. A Visa or Amazon gift card in this instance would have been a better option,
Liquor– Doormen like liquor, or I should say, it’s a pretty good gift to give to your doorman, if you don’t want to give cash. The few guys I spoke to said they have a more intimate relationship with the tenants in their buildings, so in general people know a little more about them, their likes and what to give them.
That being said, one doorman who really likes the Cubs told me one year he received 10 cases of Old Style and 8 new Cubs hats. If you want to get your doorman something other than cash, ask a few questions like “what’s on your list Sam” or, “what’s your favorite drink Sam? “and chances are “Sam will tell you.
Garbage men in general don’t like liquor, as a gift. They are driving around in big stinky trucks, with little storage, bottles have a tendency to bounce around and get broken. Not sure what to get your garbage man, movie gift cards are always a good call. They are a little more personal than a Visa gift card and pretty much everyone likes to go to the movies. It’s hard to mess this up.
Baked goods. Mailmen and doormen both enjoy getting something sweet from the people they work with. A mailman told me “it’s always nice, to get these, it shows a genuine effort from the people on my route. I like to bring them home and share them with my family, tell them about who I got them from.”
If you are going to bake something for the garbage man, make sure to wrap it up in cellophane, aluminum foil or Tupperware and then to label it very clearly so they don’t mistake it for garbage. A garbage man told me “plenty of people leave us gifts sitting on top of their cans, which is great, but they aren’t really protected and sitting on top of a pile of garbage, it’s a great sentiment, but also kind of gross.”
If you’re going to give a gift, remember
- Cash or Gift Cards are king
- Learn a little about the person you are getting a gift for. If they are a Vegan, meat of the month club gift card might not be the best route.
- Baked goods are always “sweet” to receive
- Wrap up your yummies up nice and tight
- It’s the thought that counts. It doesn’t have to be big or even expensive, but as the holidays approach remember to leave a little “thank you” for the people who for the people who make our lives a little easier.
