Mailman gift?

[mu_hilltopper]

We were at a party down the block, and suddenly this guy I don't recognize says "Hi, I'm Dave the mailman."  .. I figured it was something out of Seinfeld, like he was calling himself the Maestro .. but then I realized, wait a minute, he's Dave, our Mailman.

So now we know the guy .. very nice guy.  We've never given out an xmas gift to our mailguy before .. what's the protocol?  I read they can't take cash .. so far all I can think of is a bottle of booze.

So .. anyone else gift your postman?  What's a good gift?

[SoCalwarrior]

Wow, similar thing happened to me today.  I gave my mailman some mail, but one of the envelopes needed more postage that I didn't have.  He said not to worry and that he would buy an extra stamp himself.  Before leaving he asked what I was getting him for Christmas.

[spiral97]

might I suggest the following time proven postman loved items?

[bean]

I didn't see this thread until after Christmas, but I thought I would share.

Postal Carriers are not supposed to accept cash, but the U.S. Postal Service does allow people to be nice during the holidays and they accept the fact that it happens.  The USPS asks that gratuities have a cash value no more than $20.

I usually just throw $10 in a card with a thank you note.  It's easier that way because I can just put the card in the mailbox (I'm usually not home when the mail is delivered), and he can spend it any way he wants to.  I'll get a hand written thank you card in my mailbox for him within a couple of days. 

Some people also write a letter of appreciation to the supervisor.

[mu_hilltopper]

I ended up buying him a bottle of booze. 

[State]

My wife insist that she gives the mailman a present.  Every year he gets something...and every holiday for that matter!!!


Hey, wait a minute!!! I think my wife and the mailman...

[mviale]

I typically give the mailman and the trashman a $25 GC for starbucks

[mu_hilltopper]

I did get some other feedback on tipping .. the trash guys?!?  Had no idea anyone tipped them .. but it turns out, if you have some oversized garbage with a 6 pack of beer on it, the guys will take it all away, no questions asked.

[mviale]

You gotta show some love to your trashmen, they deal with all kinds of crap.

[spiral97]

not necessarily... my trash collectors charge me about $25 per month to come around once per week.. and the way it works here is put put your trash in a big blue trash bin on wheels (they deliver it when you "turn on your service" for the first time).  They come by with a truck that has grappler arms that fit around these trash bins and lift it up over the top of the truck, dump the contents through in the hole in the top of the truck's compactor, and then return the bin to the ground.  the guy never even has to get out of the truck!  pretty sweet setup for the driver.. for the consumer, however, we often find the bin laying on its side in the muddy ditch because it was returned haphazardly.  I've also found it laying on its side in the same muddy ditch along with half the trash left inside of it and the other half spewed all over the ditch because the guy had poor aim with the grappler on the truck  did they get out of the truck then?  NOT.. then, of course, you get the times where the guy thinks he did everything right but flipped the bin back over too quick and half the trash was still in the bin so we get a halfer that week.

I'm thinking no x-mas gift for them.. wouldn't want to make them get out of the truck anyhow.

[rocky_warrior]

a truck that has grappler arms

Hm, we have the same system here, but the arm shakes the bin about 5 times before returning it to the ground.  The only time that anything has ever been left in the bin is when an empty cardboard box was wedged at the bottom.  Our guys will also get out of the truck and put the bin back upright if if fell over when putting it back down (though I have no ditch).

I guess I should have left a tip...

[mviale]

funny, for some reason, my bins are always left standing upright with tops closed & no spills.

[mu_hilltopper]

In our village, the trash guys get out, go up to your house, even behind into your yard, and fetch your trash from anywhere you have it.  .. True, most of us help them out by setting the can by the sidewalk, but technically, we don't need to do that.

[rocky_warrior]

How very old school - and inefficient 

But...now leaving a 6-pack on top makes sense - it doesn't quite work with the system we've got.