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holiday tipping question

kkards

Veteran

i just realized that because of the calender this year (1 less week between thanksgiving and Christmas), i will not being getting my hair cut during the "holiday season". i have an appt for the Sat before Thanksgiving and then not until the Sat after New Years. so now i am wondering about what to do about my holiday gift. would you A) give it the week before Thanksgiving, B) the Sat after New Years, C)stop by between Thanksgiving and New Years, or D) something else?
TIA

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15 replies

Latest reply was from Echo

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Week before Thanksgiving

MsMary

Veteran

I think any of the above would be perfectly fine! Week before Thanksgiving is probably easiest and makes it the least likely to slip through the cracks.

Diana

Veteran

Before thanksgiving. I think everyone appreciates a little something extra before the holiday shopping.

Parsley

Veteran

If I may piggyback here, may I ask what you all give to your hairdressers at the holidays?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I'm ashamed to say I only go for cuts maybe 3 times a year, so I never run into this situation. And one of my hairdressers is a good friend of mine, way beyond acquaintance. She was my friend long before she started cutting hair. What to do in that situation?? (I should add that we bartended together for years and I always tip her above 20% when I go in, and she gives me a discount rate to start with)

Diana

Veteran

Like Mo, I probably only go to the hairdresser 3x a year for cut/color so I don't give a separate holiday gift. I do tip generously every time I go even though she's the owner and it's not technically required. And I usually buy a bottle or two of shampoo or conditioner since I've read multiple places that salons make their highest profit margins on product.

kkards

Veteran

parsley, i gift/tip the cost of my appointment. the salon used to have an assistant how would always make sure to block out time for me even if i hadn't booked my appt yet, i used to give her $10.00. she left this year, and i probably won't give anything to the new assistant.

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

As others have said I'd do before Thanksgiving.

Now I'm going to piggy back on this question. I've been taking guitar lessons since February. Do I need to do a tip/gift for my guitar teacher?

Parsley

Veteran

Thanks, kkards! I never know what the right amount is.

kkards

Veteran

DA--that's an interesting one. i think that i would. maybe a gift card to a restaurant that you think they would like.

Kimberley

Veteran

I would also tip before TG (otherwise I might forget!).

@ DA: I also tip/gift my DD's piano teacher....

bj1111

Veteran

i specifically avoid any services around the holidays for this reason. getting a cut and color next week then not again until after x-mas.

minimalist

Veteran

A holiday tip on top of the 25-30% I usually tip? Is it terribly gauche of me to always tip the UPS guy etc at Christmas but *never* to have thought of something extra for hairdressers?

I like kkards' restaurant-card idea for my & bf's hairstylist. bf has never tipped his UPS guy, didn't know it was a thing, and since lately I'm the one who gets the door more often than not, that's sort of on me this year. How much? I worry about setting expectations then it slipping my mind one year and someone wondering if something's wrong.

What other people might I have forgotten? Who all do you usually tip / gift extra for the holidays?

Anonymous

I always give cash, no gift cards, no baked goods, etc. I tip my hairdresser and waxer 100% at Christmas. (Been going to them both for more than a decade.) Give the mailman, newspaper carrier, trash guys and recycling guys $10 - $20 per person. I run out to the trash guys early in the morning and hand it to them and say, "Thank you, we appreciate you guys, great job!" They must remember -- they pull our cans up the driveway all year, while the neighbors' cans are scattered all over the street. Everyone wants to be acknowledged and appreciated.

Echo

Veteran

I don't book appointments often enough to give my hairdresser something special at the holidays, but I tend to tip very generously. As far as other services go, I tip my UPS man. He is the best, and I am a little embarrassed to say that he is here far too often (I shop online too much!). Whenever I am baking when he stops by I send something along with him, and for the holidays I typically give him a tin of homemade cookies and a card with cash. I usually write, "Thanks for being our Santa Claus!" on it. Living in a rural area, we have no garbage collection, and I give gifts to my children's teachers at the end of each school year instead of the holidays (different faiths, and I don't want to offend).

Regarding the OP, it is a little late for me to say now since it is after Thanksgiving, but I would either gift before Thanksgiving or make a special stop during the season instead of waiting until after the new year.