Holiday Tipping Guide: Everyone You Should Tip During the Christmas Season

Apartment Building Staff

Your Super
How much to tip: $20-80
If you live in an apartment building with a superintendent, it’s best to throw the everyday hero a little change around the holidays. When your pipes burst the following spring, that gift might mean the difference between a five-minute response time and a week.

Doormen / Elevator Operators
How much to tip: $20-100 (whatever amount you can afford to pay everyone the same)
Large apartment buildings only run with the help of a lot of crucial staff members, from the person opening the door to the one selecting your floor in the elevator to the person cleaning the carpet in the halls (it doesn’t clean itself!), so spread the seasonal love around to everyone.

City Workers

Mail Carrier / Newspaper Delivery Person
How much to tip: $20
Delivering mail and your daily paper is a brutal gig in the winter, when a few feet of snow and slush could pile up in front of your house. Pay for the extra effort with a note from President Jackson.

Trash Collector
How much to tip: $10-20 per person
Assuming you’re even allowed to tip your garbage collectors (not all municipalities allow public service workers to accept tips), it could make their holiday season to receive a few extra dollars.

Home Helpers

Housekeeper
How much to tip: One week’s pay
You could leave a nice little gift for your house cleaners, or you could get him/her/them what everyone really wants -- cash.

Gardener
How much to tip: One week’s pay
Treat the holidays like an extra week of garden maintenance, even if your gardener isn’t doing much this time of year.

Caretakers

Babysitter / Child care
How much to tip: One day’s pay
Whether your babysitter comes to you or you drop your kids at a daycare center, the employees who watch over your precious darlings deserve a holiday bump.

Pet Walkers / Groomers
How much to tip: The cost of one session
You tip the people who take care of your biological children, so you should tip the people who take care of your furry ones too.

Teacher
How much to tip: Donation to the school
Don’t be that weird parent who tips the teacher for “special consideration” for your kid. Instead make any sort of donation you can to the school to benefit all the kids, or just send your kid in with a sweet treat for the whole class.

Barber / Hairstylist

How much to tip: $20-50
Palm a little extra to the person who maintains your locks right after they give you that stunning look for your holiday card pic.

Christmas Tree Attendant

How much to tip: $20
Assuming the guy isn’t cutting the tree down in the forest, a 20 should do nicely for helping you load your Christmas tree onto your car.