Julie W
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,209
Jun 27, 2014 22:11:06 GMT
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Post by Julie W on Dec 10, 2017 14:24:41 GMT
We've been in our current house for two years, and our mail-lady is extraordinary. I work from home several days a week, so I'm in a position to see her often when we get packages. She has doggie treats in her bag and knows my dogs name. She's thoughtful about where she places packages if we are not home, and in general is just a kind, decent person. Of course that should be her job, but there is an extra effort that I really appreciate. Especially on her days off - we have a locked mailbox and the backup guy never pushes the mail all the way in our slot - (what's the good of a locked mail slot if you don't push it all the way in).
Anyway, I'd never considered giving a mail carrier anything but I want to do something for her. Either some dog treats so she doesn't have to buy them and/or a Petco gift card - and also a coffee card.
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Post by peano on Dec 10, 2017 14:34:24 GMT
I don't understand giving people gifts for doing the jobs they are paid to do. When I had businesses, I gave my customers gifts as thank you's for buying from me. The customer had a choice with whom they did business and I wanted to let them know I appreciated that they chose me. I didn't receive a gift from my clients and didn't expect one. I don't understand why you the customer want to give extra to someone you (or in this case you as the taxpayer) are already paying.In the case of the mail carrier - a federal employee with a salary, benefits and pension, I never see him or her. Our mailbox is 600 feet from the house and when they do bring something up, they leave it on the porch with a quick rap on the door I may or may not hear. That's fine. I get what is supposed to come to my house. They did their job and I did mine when I paid for postage or shipping on what I ordered. I get gas at a full-service station in town. Costs a little more but worth it. And they always give my dog cookies. They don’t have to be pleasant or spend money on dog cookies but they do and I (and Posie) appreciate it. So at Christmas when I’m putting together cookie trays, I give them one too. I round up my 20% tip for my regular manicurist. I get one extra coat of glitter polish each time, which they don’t charge me for. At Christmas time I double her tip and give her chocolates. The mailman man works overtime at our house because I do so much online shopping. Our driveway is a PIA to back out of but he still drives to the back and places packages near the garage where they’re sheltered. I’ll give him a GC to a coffee store. I respond to generosity and consideration from people. It makes me feel good to reciprocate.
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Post by leannec on Dec 10, 2017 14:51:10 GMT
We have a super-mailbox so I never see the mail carrier ... I do get packages delivered to the door from UPS, etc. but it is never a regular person ... So I guess my answer would be "nothing"
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Post by Patter on Dec 10, 2017 17:51:03 GMT
I don't understand giving people gifts for doing the jobs they are paid to do. When I had businesses, I gave my customers gifts as thank you's for buying from me. The customer had a choice with whom they did business and I wanted to let them know I appreciated that they chose me. I didn't receive a gift from my clients and didn't expect one. I don't understand why you the customer want to give extra to someone you (or in this case you as the taxpayer) are already paying.In the case of the mail carrier - a federal employee with a salary, benefits and pension, I never see him or her. Our mailbox is 600 feet from the house and when they do bring something up, they leave it on the porch with a quick rap on the door I may or may not hear. That's fine. I get what is supposed to come to my house. They did their job and I did mine when I paid for postage or shipping on what I ordered. I get gas at a full-service station in town. Costs a little more but worth it. And they always give my dog cookies. They don’t have to be pleasant or spend money on dog cookies but they do and I (and Posie) appreciate it. So at Christmas when I’m putting together cookie trays, I give them one too. I round up my 20% tip for my regular manicurist. I get one extra coat of glitter polish each time, which they don’t charge me for. At Christmas time I double her tip and give her chocolates. The mailman man works overtime at our house because I do so much online shopping. Our driveway is a PIA to back out of but he still drives to the back and places packages near the garage where they’re sheltered. I’ll give him a GC to a coffee store. I respond to generosity and consideration from people. It makes me feel good to reciprocate. Yes, this! Our mail carrier also give dog cookies but I asked her to save them for other doggies as my boys have a grain issue and only have special cookies. She goes above and beyond. Heck we even gave a gift to our daughter’s cardio thoracic anesthesiologist at Duke. He is AMAZING, switched his schedule around when he saw she was having a 2nd heart surgery so that he could be there to do it too, and then let our other daughter spend a week with him shadowing since she is going to medical school. Was he doing his job? Yes, but he went above and beyond what other doctors do, and we appreciate him immensely. We wanted him to know that and thank him.
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Post by librarylady on Dec 10, 2017 20:37:54 GMT
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Post by katlady on Dec 10, 2017 20:58:57 GMT
Saw that on the news. So cute!
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Post by utmr on Dec 10, 2017 21:19:10 GMT
At our old house, he stole our mail. At this house he only delivers when he feels like it, and leaves nasty notes if a car is "too close" to the mailbox. We pay $120/year for a PO nox to avoid dealing with him.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jul 2, 2024 3:08:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2017 21:32:43 GMT
Mail and garbage? I don't tip nor gift them. I don't know them. There are three or four people who do our route. One does a terrible job of separating the mailers (junk mail) so I often get double the ads. Another will skip mailboxes if she thinks the car is parked too close. I've had mail people mark my packages as delivered but actually deliver them the next day. I've had times where I was outside when they pulled up and tried to take the mail directly from them. One got rude and said I don't know if you live here or not so no.
But I do understand those who have developed a relationship with their mail people. Growing up, we had a mailman who did our neighborhood for 20+ years. My parents got to know him, gave him a card every year, and later went to his funeral when he passed away. I'm pretty sure my mom stuck a $5 bill in the card for coffee, later a McDonald's card. In my parents' current neighborhood, they've had the same mail lady for the past 5 years or longer. My mom knows her through something else so they are friendly.
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zookeeper
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,909
Aug 28, 2014 2:37:56 GMT
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Post by zookeeper on Dec 10, 2017 21:46:20 GMT
I don't even know that we have the same carrier from day to day much less week to week. I cannot gift something to my mail carrier when I don't know from day to day that it is the same person.
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Post by chaosisapony on Dec 10, 2017 22:09:47 GMT
This time of year all the postmen, UPS, and Fedex drivers are seasonal temps. I very, very rarely see our regular driver any time between late November and January. So I don't worry about tipping or gifting. A couple of years ago we had an awesome mail carrier. He truly went above and beyond even going as far as giving people on his route his cell number so we could text him if we weren't going to be there and we had a package. He'd make arrangements to meet us with the packages somewhere in town. Awesome guy. I'd get him a gift card and a cold soda for his birthday in July and a box of chocolates at Christmas time.
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Post by AussieMeg on Dec 11, 2017 0:41:19 GMT
I am another one who thins this is a strange thing to do. I don't know anyone who would give a gift to their mailman. But I'm not in the US.
I work full time so I never see my mailman. I don't even know if it's the same guy every time. And I rarely get anything delivered so I have no idea who the courier is. It definitely wouldn't be the same person each time anyway.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 11, 2017 1:38:44 GMT
I’d be afraid of that here too. Our neighbors hid a bunch of candy filled plastic eggs at Easter for their kids a couple years ago and a squirrel went around and found all of them and stole the candy out of them! Their kids were so bummed out that their egg hunt was ruined.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jul 2, 2024 3:08:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 3:58:18 GMT
In the 8 years I've lived in this house I think I've laid eyes on a mail carrier twice. Generally I"m at work when mail is delivered. Packages are never left on the doorstep. I get a card in my box to go to the post office to pick it up which is annoying on the times I WAS at home but he/she didn't bother to get out of the vehicle to even ring my bell. I won't be gifting my mail carrier(s) I have no idea if there are 1 or 20. I have no relationship with any of them.
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Post by smokeynspike on Dec 11, 2017 7:07:17 GMT
I don't have any relationship with my mail carrier other than I live here, and whoever works for the USPS for my route, delivers my mail. We've never spoken and I don't have the slightest clue what they look like. I'm not gifting under those circumstances.
Melissa
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Post by stacmac on Dec 11, 2017 10:24:20 GMT
We just leave a little box of lollies with a note "to our postie". Last year we got a thankyou card back "from your postie, Brian ". The kids loved it. We also give a little box to the man who drives the garbage truck because both my kids love the garbage truck so much for some reason!!
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,742
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Dec 11, 2017 12:12:22 GMT
I don't tip. I can see the mail truck drive by, but I have no idea who is inside. They don't come up the driveway or stop to chat.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
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Post by scrapaddie on Dec 11, 2017 12:57:25 GMT
I do find the idea of giving the postman a gift for any occasion very strange. I really try to get to know my postal carriers. I had wonderful carriers in TX and here. I know they work super hard, and I like to let them know how I appreciate them. His do you get to know them? Even if I am home When the mail comes, they just drive by and their truc, stop by the mailbox, and drive on. There is no opportunity for personal interaction. I can’t even tell you it’s a man or a woman
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 11, 2017 15:14:21 GMT
I really try to get to know my postal carriers. I had wonderful carriers in TX and here. I know they work super hard, and I like to let them know how I appreciate them. His do you get to know them? Even if I am home When the mail comes, they just drive by and their truc, stop by the mailbox, and drive on. There is no opportunity for personal interaction. I can’t even tell you it’s a man or a woman I work from home and have dogs that seriously go off any time anyone comes up our long driveway. (The one dog goes off over anything but really goes berserk if someone is coming up the driveway or is up by the house.) I send and receive a lot of packages that need to be dropped off on our porch because our mailbox is down by the street. If I know there is a package on the way and both my dogs are going really nuts, odds are good someone is outside. If I’m home I try to get out there and catch her when she pulls up so she doesn’t have to get out of her vehicle. The UPS guy never drives up the driveway, he always runs everything up on foot. By the time the dogs are barking, he’s already up to the house with it and ringing the bell so I almost never catch him in person.
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Post by Patter on Dec 11, 2017 16:26:36 GMT
I really try to get to know my postal carriers. I had wonderful carriers in TX and here. I know they work super hard, and I like to let them know how I appreciate them. His do you get to know them? Even if I am home When the mail comes, they just drive by and their truc, stop by the mailbox, and drive on. There is no opportunity for personal interaction. I can’t even tell you it’s a man or a woman I am home everyday, and I also am out with my dogs a LOT. When I first moved here, I made a point to introduce myself to her when she drove around. We have chatted over the years, exchanged phone numbers, and I enjoy seeing her and helping her if she needs something when she’s out on her route. She goes above and beyond, and I appreciate her. Even in TX when I wasn’t home and there was a community mail location, I still got to know her and became friends. She was usually at the mail location for a while as there were many, many boxes to put mail into so it was easy to stop when I saw her there.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
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Post by scrapaddie on Dec 11, 2017 23:30:10 GMT
His do you get to know them? Even if I am home When the mail comes, they just drive by and their truc, stop by the mailbox, and drive on. There is no opportunity for personal interaction. I can’t even tell you it’s a man or a woman I am home everyday, and I also am out with my dogs a LOT. When I first moved here, I made a point to introduce myself to her when she drove around. We have chatted over the years, exchanged phone numbers, and I enjoy seeing her and helping her if she needs something when she’s out on her route. She goes above and beyond, and I appreciate her. Even in TX when I wasn’t home and there was a community mail location, I still got to know her and became friends. She was usually at the mail location for a while as there were many, many boxes to put mail into so it was easy to stop when I saw her there. Growing up, I knew our mailman. The same mailman brought baby congrats when my brother was born and sympathy cards when he died almost 19 years later. But here.... no
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Dec 12, 2017 7:51:38 GMT
If mine could ever learn to read addresses correctly, and could get my mail actually IN my mailbox regularly, and delivered our mail before 7:00 in the evening, and if we even had the same one more than a month at a time....well when all that comes to pass I might think of getting something for that person. Until then...nope. Boy-friend just started working as a mail carrier this year. He's a sub, so he will take over for the regular he's assigned to on the days they don't work, or he'll take over for someone else. He just transferred cities. But the last city he was in,t he did every route there, so while there are supposed to be regular carriers for every route, it won't always ever be the same one for a whole month. At least that's how it's done here. Now if you are saying each it's a new regular each month then I guess the previous regulars aren't keeping their jobs or routes. Especially if they are not delivering the mail to the right place, I'd hope they would get taken off their route for that. Unfortunately boy-friend saw that happen all the time. He would approach someones mailbox and find letters in it that said weren't theirs. He makes sure never to do that and is shocked at how much it happens. But the office never seemed to make a fuss about it. And I know here, the carriers have to be back at the PO by 6pm or they miss the delivery truck.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jul 2, 2024 3:08:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2017 9:38:43 GMT
Nothing. Our mail carrier is a terribly grumpy woman who does the absolute least required of her and who has ruined or almost ruined many of our things due to her treatment of the parcels.
However, I adore my UPS man. He's been our same guy for almost 10 years. He loves my kids. He brings Matthew a lollipop with every package and if we're not home, he leaves the lollipop on top. He's so so so sweet. He even remembers my kids' birthdays.
Reading your posts are giving me some good ideas of what to do for him so thanks everyone for sharing.
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Post by monklady123 on Dec 12, 2017 11:02:14 GMT
If mine could ever learn to read addresses correctly, and could get my mail actually IN my mailbox regularly, and delivered our mail before 7:00 in the evening, and if we even had the same one more than a month at a time....well when all that comes to pass I might think of getting something for that person. Until then...nope. Boy-friend just started working as a mail carrier this year. He's a sub, so he will take over for the regular he's assigned to on the days they don't work, or he'll take over for someone else. He just transferred cities. But the last city he was in,t he did every route there, so while there are supposed to be regular carriers for every route, it won't always ever be the same one for a whole month. At least that's how it's done here. Now if you are saying each it's a new regular each month then I guess the previous regulars aren't keeping their jobs or routes. Especially if they are not delivering the mail to the right place, I'd hope they would get taken off their route for that. Unfortunately boy-friend saw that happen all the time. He would approach someones mailbox and find letters in it that said weren't theirs. He makes sure never to do that and is shocked at how much it happens. But the office never seemed to make a fuss about it. And I know here, the carriers have to be back at the PO by 6pm or they miss the delivery truck. I don't even understand that. How can someone be a "regular carrier" if they're not on a route "regularly"? It used to be that we had the same guy every single day, except when he was on vacation or sick. Occasionally I'd run into him at the grocery store and he remembered by name. He'd buy Girl Scout cookies from my dd's troop when they had their cookie booth there. My ds was young when we first moved to this house and the mail carrier would call him "buddy" and shake his hand. Every once in awhile ds would get a card or something from a relative. The carrier would say "hey buddy! You have some mail today!" with a big smile. He carried dog cookies. (We didn't have a dog then but I'd love to know if he could have charmed my very anti-mailman dog.) If we still had someone like that I would definitely give him a holiday gift. omg....those were the "good old days" in terms of mail delivery around here.
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julieb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,845
Jul 3, 2014 16:02:54 GMT
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Post by julieb on Dec 12, 2017 14:02:10 GMT
Our mailcarrier changes from day to day, so I've never given them anything. I do think that is a thing of the past - I don't know anyone who gives to their carrier.
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Dec 12, 2017 17:35:05 GMT
Boy-friend just started working as a mail carrier this year. He's a sub, so he will take over for the regular he's assigned to on the days they don't work, or he'll take over for someone else. He just transferred cities. But the last city he was in,t he did every route there, so while there are supposed to be regular carriers for every route, it won't always ever be the same one for a whole month. At least that's how it's done here. Now if you are saying each it's a new regular each month then I guess the previous regulars aren't keeping their jobs or routes. Especially if they are not delivering the mail to the right place, I'd hope they would get taken off their route for that. Unfortunately boy-friend saw that happen all the time. He would approach someones mailbox and find letters in it that said weren't theirs. He makes sure never to do that and is shocked at how much it happens. But the office never seemed to make a fuss about it. And I know here, the carriers have to be back at the PO by 6pm or they miss the delivery truck. I don't even understand that. How can someone be a "regular carrier" if they're not on a route "regularly"? It used to be that we had the same guy every single day, except when he was on vacation or sick. Occasionally I'd run into him at the grocery store and he remembered by name. He'd buy Girl Scout cookies from my dd's troop when they had their cookie booth there. My ds was young when we first moved to this house and the mail carrier would call him "buddy" and shake his hand. Every once in awhile ds would get a card or something from a relative. The carrier would say "hey buddy! You have some mail today!" with a big smile. He carried dog cookies. (We didn't have a dog then but I'd love to know if he could have charmed my very anti-mailman dog.) If we still had someone like that I would definitely give him a holiday gift. omg....those were the "good old days" in terms of mail delivery around here. There are regular carriers that always do the same route and then they each have a sub for either Saturday or when they want to take days off. How sweet that your carrier was so personable like that. When I was young I remember only one mail carrier and he left a joyous impression on me. I hope my grandmother left him gifts. She would have me bring out a glass of soda for our gardener every time he came to mow our lawn, so I'm pretty sure she did.
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Post by mrsscrapdiva on Dec 12, 2017 17:37:40 GMT
It is good to hear that in other parts of the country you have consistent mail service and carriers. We have a regular that we will see for weeks and then suddenly he is gone and we have a different person everyday. Also our mail comes anywhere between 4:00pm - 7pm. And once in a blue moon it will come at 11 am. The past few years things have really changed.
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Post by giatocj on Dec 12, 2017 17:50:08 GMT
Not a thing. We have a different one almost every single day and it just seems wrong for the mail carrier du jour to benefit over any of the others.
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River
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,532
Location: Alabama
Jun 26, 2014 15:26:04 GMT
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Post by River on Dec 12, 2017 17:50:31 GMT
I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one that's never even seen our mail carrier. I don't know if they are a man or woman. I can't even tell you what time our mail gets delivered.
I order very little online and never anything too big to fit in our mail box at the road. You can't see my house from the road (long drive way) and can't ever think of a time our mail carrier has had to come to the house.
If it weren't for the peas, I never would have known that gifting the carrier was a thing.
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Post by femalebusiness on Dec 12, 2017 18:12:10 GMT
We have the worst postal workers in California. The people on the street behind us get our mail about fifty percent of the time. I had to quit subscribing to magazines because if we got them at all they were a month late, had been read and had coffee stains on them. My political mail has usually been opened. I never get the grocery store ads until the day before the sales are over. If I had the time I would write a long post, that no one would believe, about how bad our postal service is.
Every year or so I have to send a LONG letter to the Post Master with a list of their screw ups and then the mail gets delivered correctly for a couple of months before they go back to the regular shitty service. The last letter that I sent to the Post Master was three typed pages of all of the times the mail was lost or delivered wrong. Every neighbor that I know has the same complaints.
So no, I would never gift one of the incompetent jerks that DON'T deliver my mail.
ETA: And now it is even worse than years ago because the carrier can't pull the damned phone away from their ear long enough to check that the correct mail is going into the correct box.
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Post by monklady123 on Dec 12, 2017 18:22:58 GMT
It is good to hear that in other parts of the country you have consistent mail service and carriers. We have a regular that we will see for weeks and then suddenly he is gone and we have a different person everyday. Also our mail comes anywhere between 4:00pm - 7pm. And once in a blue moon it will come at 11 am. The past few years things have really changed. Every once in awhile this will happen to us too. I always feel like chasing him down and begging him to adopt us permanently. Our normal delivery time is after dark and often not till 7:00.
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