Every year, my wife and I get our neighbors a little something for Christmas, usually a box of assorted chocolates or something along those lines. Plus, we get the same thing for our garbage men and mailman as well. While we do get anything in return and don't expect anything, the mailman and garbage men tend to take care of us a little better than our neighbors, which is a plus.

For instance, the garbage man will bring our empty cans up to the house on windy days or when it's raining out and the mailman does the same thing. At first, when we first started, nothing happened but after a couple of years of giving them a little something, it seems they appreciate it. Are neighbors as well are nicer to us than towards each other as well so that's a plus.

After all that I want to ask, is it proper to give the garbage men and mailman a gift for Christmas?

It may not seem like a lot but that extra $30.00 we would save could go a long way for us

EDIT: We're getting them something, lol. I'm not stopping now. If money starts getting too tight, I'll cut something out of our budget for a week or two to pay for it.

(11-29-2016, 01:20 AM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Every year, my wife and I get our neighbors a little something for Christmas, usually a box of assorted chocolates or something along those lines. Plus, we get the same thing for our garbage men and mailman as well. While we do get anything in return and don't expect anything, the mailman and garbage men tend to take care of us a little better than our neighbors, which is a plus.

For instance, the garbage man will bring our empty cans up to the house on windy days or when it's raining out and the mailman does the same thing. At first, when we first started, nothing happened but after a couple of years of giving them a little something, it seems they appreciate it. Are neighbors as well are nicer to us than towards each other as well so that's a plus.

After all that I want to ask, is it proper to give the garbage men and mailman a gift for Christmas?

It may not seem like a lot but that extra $30.00 we would save could go a long way for us

EDIT: We're getting them something, lol. I'm not stopping now. If money starts getting too tight, I'll cut something out of our budget for a week or two to pay for it.

I usually combine these gifts with the local fund raiser. The last few years it has been the $10ish coupon books to local establishments. It's a win, win, win. 

We do the same. We don't give a lot, but that gift card we give that will allow the mailman to take his kid to MacDonald's will result in a year's worth of better mail-handling. Gotta grease the wheels.

Its always proper to be nice to people and let them know they're appreciated. Good job.

How do you give your garbage man something?  Do you tape it to the top of the garbage bin?  I've never thought of that before. 

(11-30-2016, 10:42 AM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: How do you give your garbage man something?  Do you tape it to the top of the garbage bin?  I've never thought of that before. 

Nah, you hide it in the garbage and then tell him it's buried at the bottom.  Like a treasure hunt.  If you make it fun he'll appreciate it more.

(11-29-2016, 01:20 AM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Every year, my wife and I get our neighbors a little something for Christmas, usually a box of assorted chocolates or something along those lines. Plus, we get the same thing for our garbage men and mailman as well. While we do get anything in return and don't expect anything, the mailman and garbage men tend to take care of us a little better than our neighbors, which is a plus.

For instance, the garbage man will bring our empty cans up to the house on windy days or when it's raining out and the mailman does the same thing. At first, when we first started, nothing happened but after a couple of years of giving them a little something, it seems they appreciate it. Are neighbors as well are nicer to us than towards each other as well so that's a plus.

After all that I want to ask, is it proper to give the garbage men and mailman a gift for Christmas?

It may not seem like a lot but that extra $30.00 we would save could go a long way for us

EDIT: We're getting them something, lol. I'm not stopping now. If money starts getting too tight, I'll cut something out of our budget for a week or two to pay for it.

when I lived out in the sticks  we always gave something at least to the garbage man.   its a small thing and might mean the difference in them taking something or not lol...

Now I live in an apartment and the guy just dumps dumpsters so I have no way or place to give it to him and hes not personally handling my trash cans etc... so nothing this year.

overall I think its a nice gesture they probly don't expect.   Just don't leave plates of cookies on top of the trash cans.