Holiday Gifting

Its that time of the year again,when you have to loosen the purse strings and gift the folk who have helped you all year long . I am referring to doormen, supers and porters. Incidentally we just called our super to inform him that we would be mailing checks for him to distribute. Are you as tenants also expected to tip around the holidays?Do you confine yourselves to building personnel or do you include your regular dry cleaners, the postmen who deliver your mail to your building, your hair stylist and others to the list?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/nyregion/21appraisal.html?_r=1&src=tptw
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ajadedidealist Dec 21, 2010
In my building, tipping doormen is not just customary, but seriously necessary. Doormen tend to expect a large amount each (it probably makes up a massive proportion of their overall income), and those who fail to tip, or tip an insufficiently large amount, are definitely noticed and sometimes given the cold shoulder.
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uptowngirl Dec 22, 2010
@ajadedidealist I think it is the same situation in mine as well though I believe that building doormen on an average make about 60K a year that's not a bad wage isn't it?
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hhusted Dec 22, 2010
My girlfriend and I always give to our super. We give a card with cash. After all, it is Christmas, right?
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Uraniumfish Dec 24, 2010
Egads, the cold shoulder? It seems a bit too much power these doormen have don't you think? Last I remember, tipping as an idea was voluntary, not mandatory.
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NeverSleeps Dec 26, 2010
I just moved into a new apartment in November. Do I have to loosen my purse strings already?
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uptowngirl Dec 27, 2010
@NeverSleeps I think so...
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hhusted Dec 31, 2010
@NeverSleeps: Well, unfortunately, Christmas is over now. So what happened? Did you get him a card and some money?
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ajadedidealist Jan 04, 2011
Our co-op sent out a list of the names of all the doormen, etc., and their length of service in the building as a "friendly reminder/guide". Luckily, we moved back to NYC after Christmas had already come and gone. But I couldn't believe it - one guy's been working in the building for 37 years! Definitely owe him something for that kind of dedication!
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uptowngirl Jan 04, 2011
@ajadedidealist are you back in NYC for a while this time? our co-op does that each year..
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hhusted Jan 13, 2011
@ajadedidealist: That is dedication. I know our super has been in this building for 45 years. He's in his 70's now.
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