Year-end is a good time to remember those people in our lives, besides family and friends, who play a part in our daily activities. According to the Emily Post Institute, which has been weighing in on proper etiquette for five generations, during the holidays it’s important to remember that tipping is truly about expressing appreciation to those who provide year-round services.
Making the decisions, though, on who and how much to tip can be complicated.
At Muddy Paws, a full-service pet store for dogs and cats in Norfolk, owner Maryann Jacobson says that clients are more than generous during the holidays. “They bring gifts, they tip extra, and they give services like manicure and pedicures to our staff to show their appreciation,” she says.
Emily Post provides a list of service people who might be worthy of this extra gratitude at year’s end and suggested gratuity:
- Nanny, babysitter, or day care provide: The equivalent of one week’s pay
- Housekeeper or cleaning service: The equivalent of one service
- Private nurse, live-in aid, or nursing home employees: A gift
- Barber or hairdresser: The equivalent of one service
- Personal trainer and massage therapist: The equivalent of one service
- Pet groomer and dog walker: The equivalent of one service
- Pool cleaner: Up to the cost of one cleaning to be split among the crew
- Garage attendant: $10- $30 or a small gift
- Newspaper delivery person: $10- $30 or a small gift
- Doorman, handyman, building superintendent: Between $25 and $100 each
- Landscaper: Up to the cost of one service to be split among the crew
- Tutor and coach: The equivalent of one service
- Teacher: A gift card or present.
On the website aarp.org, details about tipping mail carriers are outlined. “The U.S. Postal Service prohibits mail carriers from accepting cash tips, but you can give a noncash equivalent, such as a gift certificate to a local restaurant, of up to $20 in value.” Similarly, in some cities and counties, the people who pick up the garbage and recyclables are government workers and are prohibited from accepting tips, so check the jurisdiction’s website to find out the rules.
Generational attitudes differ on this subject. Last year, Bankrate, a consumer financial website, found 40 percent of Gen Xers and 46 percent of boomers think tipping culture in the U.S. has spiraled out of control. However, that same survey estimated that 80 percent of Americans said they planned to give holiday tips to house cleaners and other service workers.
The younger generations also live cash-less for the most part; their currency is digital, so the traditional holiday card to insert cash or a gift card is foreign to them. Lizzie Post, the great-great-granddaughter of the etiquette expert Emily Post, says she frowns on giving holiday tips via apps, like Venmo or Cash App. This method is less personal; plus, it may be awkward asking a service provider for their Venmo.
Tom Purcell, wellness director at Simon Family JCC, shares that some personal trainers receive gifts, cards, letters, and tips, though not all do. “I would say about half (of our clients) do some form of gratitude.”
Purcell theorizes about this inconsistency, “We are one service industry that does not receive tips on a regular basis – unlike massage therapists, hairdressers, servers, and transportation. We see our clients several days per week and the other services are not as frequent.”
If cash gifts are not in the budget, a personal note that expresses gratitude goes a long way, especially when it’s someone who receives tips throughout the year.