Etiquette question - re: holiday tipping

[sbj405]

This morning in my Sunday paper, there was also a card. The card was stamped and addressed to what I presume is my delivery person (the address is different than from where I send the payment). Inside the card was signed by the carrier. I tip 15% with every payment and had planned on tipping extra on the December bill, but frankly I'm a little put off by the blatant request for money. Thoughts?

[tim2204]

1. From what I remember

It seems to me that tipping is and always be 15% or better for any occasion but if i remember my etiquette that decision is always made by the tipper and never under any circumstances encouraged by the tippie.
To blatantly ask that you tip is rude and never condoned by service people of any endeavor.
so i would leave a note in that envelope wishing the receiver a merry christmas and happy new year.
along with a P.S. at the end saying that if you want a tip (stay out of public toilets)
LMAO that will let that person know that when you do tip you will decide as to when and how that will be done.

Well at least that is how i see it anyway anyone else have a better suggestion???

[Thtwudbeme]

2. Could you clarify what you just wrote?

was there a request for a tip in the card?

However, I must tell you; I don't consider other people's tackiness when I tip---I tip according to service, and never my personal opinion of their "personality."

(with the exception of the guy who delivers our pizzas..he is clearly somewhat mentally retarded, and is the sweetest thing ever. He gets huge tips just for showing up at our door and brightening our night. Nicest person in town.)

I would tip what you were planning to anyway--never let perceived tackiness dictate who you are as a person.

Stephanie

[sbj405]

4. There was not a written request, but

the envelope was stamped and addressed to his home. Which leads me to believe, he's hoping it's returned with a tip.

I plan on tipping the extra with the payment as usual. Hopefully, he gets the hint. I wonder if he'll even break even given that he stamped the envelopes. I imagine some people don't tip at all and at 37 cents per customer that's quite an initial investment.

[Thtwudbeme]

5. Thanks!

You are totally doing the right thing; but I agree with you...I wonder if the investment in stamps was worth it for him!

[bertha katzenengel]

9. I think that's tacky as hell, and I wouldn't use the card for my tip - and

I would tip him anyway. I'd just leave my tip taped to the hole covering the newspaper tube on Xmas morning.

[Bunny]

3. Placing an envelope in the Sunday paper at Christmas is pretty common,

and you are free to use it or not. I would just send him the tip and not worry about it.

[GardeningGal]

6. I wouldn't be put off by including the card

I think that started when the carriers stopped coming to the door to collect. I think it's pretty standard now.

[unsavedtrash]

7. I never got a tip from payments. The people I delivered to would put out

a card with a tip on or around Christmas morning delivery (if they felt I deserved it). It never occurred to me to put a self-addressed card in with my customers papers. If you mail in payments to the newspaper office I doubt that your carrier ever saw any of the tips.

[supernova]

8. For service people, the usual holiday tip

I heard this on NPR, but I can't remember which show. They gave a bunch of different examples, but what I boiled it down to, and what I remember is:

Put in the cost of an extra service. For instance, the hairdresser gets the cost of a hair cut. The babysitter gets an extra evening's baby sitting. That kind of thing. But since we don't pay the mail carrier usually, I don't know. Perhaps some gas money? I live in a rural area, and gas is a big deal for carriers.

[tjwmason]

10. A tad unsubtle to my mind.

This morning a Christmas card from the paper-girl arrived - this is the slightly more British way of doing it. Message is got across, but less blatent about it.

As the bill is paid to the actual shop rather than the youngster I can't really give a percentage - but I'll leave a card with something in.

[Orangepeel]

11. they all do that

or, at least, every paper carrier I've ever had across two states and four different cities.

Is it tacky? Probably, but I can sympathize given how little I'm sure that paper delivery people make and that most people probably wouldn't think to tip at holiday time if they didn't get the envelope

I think of it like a tip jar. It's an obvious suggestion but you don't have to take it if you weren't going to tip anyway.