2 Quick Questions22 Dec 2006 02:29 pm
By The Wiz
First of all, if you agree between friends and family that you are not going to exchange gifts, in my brain that means: no gifts. Why, once a deal is struck, do gifts appear anyway, making you feel awkward and uncomfortable, since you didn’t buy a gift?
Also, do you tip your mail carrier, and if so, how much, and do you just put it in an envelope with ‘Mailman’ on the cover? (I know mine is a man).
This is what I want to know.
if you say “no gifts”, that means NO GIFTS! (this is typing in all caps for some reason. any ways, no we don’t tip our mail carrier, our delivery is horrible.
Comment #1 by AlisonDecember 22nd, 2006 at 2:45 pmNo gifts = no gifts. I hate it when people backtrack on that. We don’t tip our mail carrier.
Merry Christmas!
Comment #2 by Julie PDecember 22nd, 2006 at 4:25 pmsome people just can’t help themselves, don’t feel bad.. it also gives the chance to practice being a gracious receiver..
Comment #3 by cynthiaDecember 22nd, 2006 at 4:37 pmI’ve never heard of anyone tipping the mail carrier.
Comment #4 by Ian CookDecember 22nd, 2006 at 5:00 pmWell if you’ve agreed to no gifts and then someone buys you one anyway, then I would take it that they absolutely do not CARE that you’ve not got them one. They just HAD to give you a gift because they love you. So just smile, accept it, and don’t feel bad, feel glad.
And, hell no, we don’t tip our mail carrier. We tip our newspaper deliverer though!
Comment #5 by ChrissieDecember 22nd, 2006 at 5:16 pmI tip my mailman by letting him leaf through all of my magazines throughout the year before he delivers them. And he can keep the one from AAA.
Comment #6 by gstDecember 22nd, 2006 at 6:14 pmI tip my mailman with all the mail that he delivers to our box that belongs in the neghbor’s box.
Comment #7 by Susan MDecember 22nd, 2006 at 6:46 pmThe mailman can only receive a cash gift up to $20 according to the USPS. But we make Christmas treats for the mailman just like we do for our neighbors. And even though I still don’t know his name, we label it something like, “To our wonderful mailman. Thank you for all you do.”
And a “no gift” agreement means NO GIFTS! It’s so embarrassing when someone doesn’t stick to it. I found it’s better to make a maximum like: one gift $5-$10. Then people tend to stick to it.
Comment #8 by NikkiDecember 22nd, 2006 at 7:55 pmDon’t tip the mail person… we do leave a card- but that’s it. As for the no gifts- I’ve not had anyoen renig on it– but I know we set price limits, and I am so bad about staying in the range. *sigh*
Comment #9 by MelissaDecember 23rd, 2006 at 12:37 pmI was wrong. The USPS site says: Postal Service employees may not accept cash - in any amount or form (bills, checks, money orders) - from an outside source. But they can accept gifts worth up to $20.
Comment #10 by NikkiDecember 23rd, 2006 at 4:44 pmWith a father that is a mailman (and has been for 20 years), I can tell you right now that he won’t care if you leave him nothing. Promise. My dad has gotten so many goodies over the years, and although he is grateful, it’s just a little too much to deal with along with all the neighbor treats he and my mom get. So, if you don’t want to leave anything, don’t feel too bad. If you do, keep it simple. (and Nikki is right –NO MONEY).
For no gifts? Yeah, no gifts equals no gifts. But what fun is no gifts? Maybe a spending limit (although, I hate it when people go over on that…I guess that’s just as bad as the “no gift” thing…)
Comment #11 by CherylDecember 24th, 2006 at 1:09 amin past years, we left goodies for the mailman, who we had regular conversations with. he was a great guy and we were chatty. here? heck no! we seem to be a route that’s always in upheaval, getting loads of random deliverers and the most regular guy refused to take my outgoing christmas cards! he asked me if i couldn’t just drive them to the post office. jerk.
Comment #12 by makakonaDecember 26th, 2006 at 6:12 pmOur mailman is the bomb!! He makes it a point to know all of us on his route. He picks out all the mail that isn’t for us (which before he came along was about 5-10 letters EVERY DAY, no matter how many times we told the previous person, usps, or anyone who should care). When it’s raining he won’t just leave the mail in our upside down mailbox where it gets sopping wet he’ll come into our apt building yell my name and hand me the letters, as he does for everyone. Hell yes he got treats, banana bread which I know he loves from past conversations. Man a good mailman is hard to come by in my neighborhood so we like to spoil the good ones.
Comment #13 by NestleDecember 27th, 2006 at 4:37 pm