Holiday tipping is the one season when etiquette asks us to look back at the whole year and thank the people who quietly made it work: the sitter who stayed late, the housekeeper who knows where everything goes, the building staff who signed for a hundred packages. It is also one of the most confusing customs, because the expected amount depends on the relationship, how often you see the person, and how much you already tip along the way.
The good news is that holiday tips are flexible. They are gestures of appreciation rather than payment for a specific service, and a modest amount with a sincere note is always appropriate.
Who to tip, and how much
The ranges below follow the Emily Post Institute’s holiday tipping guide, a widely used reference. Emily Post frames most amounts as “up to,” so treat them as a ceiling for people you see often rather than a floor for everyone; your budget and how long you have known someone both matter.
| Who | Customary year-end gift | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular babysitter | Up to one evening’s pay, plus a small gift from your child | A drawing or card from the kids is often the part they keep. |
| Housekeeper or cleaner | Up to one week’s pay | Scale down if they come less often than weekly. |
| Live-in nanny or au pair | Up to one week’s pay, plus a gift from your child | Live-in help such as a cook or housekeeper may receive one week to one month of pay. |
| Day care staff | A gift, or $25–70 for each staff member who works with your child | Check the center’s gift policy first. |
| Doorman | $15–80, or a gift | $15 or more each when there are several. |
| Superintendent | $20–80, or a gift | More if they handle frequent repairs for you. |
| Trash and recycling collectors | $10–30 each | Check local rules first; some municipalities restrict cash gifts. |
| Mail carrier (USPS) | A gift clearly worth $20 or less, no cash | Postal rules; see the box below. |
| Package deliverer | A small gift in the $20 range | Private carriers set their own policies. |
| Barber or salon staff | Up to the cost of one visit, or a gift | At a salon, divide among the people who work on you. |
| Yard or garden workers | $20–50 each | Hand it to the crew lead with a note if you don’t see everyone. |
| Dog walker | Up to one week’s pay, or a gift | Treats for the pet are a nice touch, not a substitute. |
| Personal trainer, massage therapist, pet groomer | Up to the cost of one session, or a gift | Optional if you already tip well each visit. |
| Teachers | A small gift, class gift or note | Not covered by the Emily Post list; many schools set gift limits. |
What other households are doing
Bankrate’s 2025 holiday survey, fielded by YouGov with 2,445 U.S. adults in late October 2025, offers a useful reality check. The share of people planning to tip each kind of helper was:
| Provider | Plan to tip |
|---|---|
| Housekeeper | 56% |
| Childcare provider | 47% |
| Teacher | 47% |
| Landscaper | 37% |
| Mail carrier | 27% |
| Trash collector | 21% |
Source: Bankrate holiday tipping survey, December 2025. Bankrate also reported that the share planning to tip childcare providers fell from 55% and teachers from 53% compared with the year before, and that median holiday tips for landscapers rose from $30 to $50 and for trash collectors from $20 to $25.
The same survey found that 38% of Americans often feel obligated to tip regardless of the service. That pressure is worth naming: a holiday tip given out of genuine thanks lands better than one given grudgingly, and a heartfelt note costs nothing.
How to give a holiday tip gracefully
- Make a list early. Write down everyone who helps your household regularly, then set a total budget before assigning amounts. A simple tracker such as Giftwise helps you remember who you thanked last year and what you gave.
- Use crisp cash in a card. Cash is still the most practical gift for most service workers. Seal it in an envelope with a short, specific note.
- Give in person when you can. Hand it over with a sentence of thanks. If schedules don’t line up, leave it somewhere safe and clearly labeled.
- Divide crew tips fairly. For a team (landscapers, building staff), either give separate envelopes or hand one to the lead and say how it’s meant to be shared.
- Check employer rules. Teachers, public employees and some hospital or care staff face gift limits. A note or a modest group gift avoids putting them in an awkward spot.
- Give before the holidays. Early to mid-December reaches people before they travel or before their own holiday expenses peak.
Sample wording for the card
For a caregiver or sitter
Dear Maya, thank you for everything you did for us this year, especially all the evenings you stayed late without complaint. The kids adore you, and we couldn’t do it without you. Wishing you a restful holiday. With gratitude, the Okafor family
For building staff or a crew
Thank you for keeping things running all year, from the packages to the snow. We notice and appreciate it. Happy holidays! Apartment 4B
When money is tight
Holiday tips are not a test of generosity. If the budget doesn’t stretch, prioritize the people you rely on most and haven’t otherwise tipped, such as a weekly housekeeper or a regular sitter. For everyone else, a sincere note or something homemade is entirely appropriate. Research on gratitude suggests people consistently underestimate how much a thank-you note means to the person receiving it; see our guide to writing thank-you notes.
Do
- Include a short personal note with every tip
- Prioritize people you see often and don’t tip otherwise
- Respect employer and postal gift rules
- Give consistently from year to year where you can
Don’t
- Give cash or gift cards to a USPS carrier
- Wrap money in a way that makes the amount awkward to discover in public
- Skip someone one year without a word if you’ve always given
- Treat a holiday tip as compensation for a problem; talk about that separately
For everyday amounts throughout the year, see our main US tipping guide, and for presents to friends and family, our gift etiquette guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give a holiday tip if I already tip all year?
No. If you tip a service provider every visit (a hair stylist, for example), a year-end extra is a kind gesture rather than an obligation. Holiday tips matter most for people you don't tip regularly, such as a housekeeper, childcare provider or building staff.
Can I give my mail carrier cash or a gift card?
No. As the Emily Post Institute notes, U.S. Postal Service rules allow carriers to accept only gifts clearly worth $20 or less, and not cash or gift cards. A small treat or a thank-you note is ideal.
What if I can't afford holiday tips this year?
Give what you can and add a sincere handwritten note. A specific thank-you is remembered long after a small cash gift, and no reasonable person expects you to stretch a tight budget.
When should I give holiday tips?
Ideally in early to mid-December, before people travel or take time off. Cash in a card with a short personal note is the traditional and most appreciated format.
Sources
- Bankrate — Holiday tipping survey 2025 (YouGov, 2,445 U.S. adults, Oct. 2025)
- Emily Post Institute — Holiday Tipping Guide
Statistics are quoted from the linked publishers as of October 2026. See our methodology.