holiday tipping question. Help me out here.

[CTyankee]

The lady who cuts my hair has her own salon. So she is both an employee and owner. I give her a good bottle of wine or Prosecco for xmas. I do add something onto every haircut bill each month, tho. She charges $50 and I give her $60 and that is once a month.

My nail salon has several manicurists. I have whoever is free at the time I come (no appt. necessary unless you want one specific person). I tip 20% for each visit. Last year I started giving an extra holiday gift to whoever did the service at that visit. I know it's not all that equitable but I didn't feel right not giving something extra at xmas.

My question is: do you think I am being fair or do you have a suggestion for a better way to do this? I'm open to advice!

[marzipanni]

1. I guess you can call it the luck of the draw

Maybe next year an different one will be free when you come in close to the holidays, or two or three will be free and they'll have a tug-of-war with you in the middle.

[blackcrowflies]

2. sounds good except

I'd bring some gift for the whole salon (just 2-3 people, right?) to share instead of an extra tip for one. I don't know what to suggest, chocolates, maybe? Something they can split.

[CTyankee]

3. I might ask the owner if there is a pooling of tips ever, altho I think some people like to

go to a specific nail tech and her alone. But I'll check out that possibility.

Chocolates sound nice, altho I think the women who work there are really dependent on cash tips. I know they could use the money.

[mnhtnbb]

4. If you don't have the same nail tech at each visit

and it's a small salon--3 or 4 people?--I'd take a holiday greeting card
and enclose a small cash amount and give it to each one.

If you have the same nail tech repeatedly (I do because I either ask for her if I walk in
or make an appointment for when she's free) and I tip her exclusively.

[CTyankee]

5. no, they sometimes have a full complement of 6 or 7. Depends on the day of the week.

And I don't know which day who will be there. Some come in if they are "on call" and others have regular schedules. But they all do good work, some better than others but usually very good overall.