The holidays are a perfect time to say thank you to the people who provide great services to us all year long. An envelope with cash is nice, but a gift they can unwrap shows you took the extra time to appreciate their hard work. If you are stuck for the idea for the babysitter, hair stylist, postal worker or the cleaning service, check out a few of these one-size-fits-all gifts.

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1. A gift of the movies – While 2020 might not be the year of the movie theatre, you can still gift a digital streaming service. Perhaps you suggested a series that you loved on Prime, but your hairstylist only has Netflix, consider getting them a gift card so they can try the service for a few months. Looking for something a little more budget friendly for the mailman? Purchase a gift card online from Redbox.com and wrap up with a box of microwave popcorn and a box of M&M’s.
2. An automotive gift – This is the perfect gift for the babysitter with her first car, a male teacher or the football coach. Consider a gift card to purchase gas, get an oil change or have the car detailed. You can also add the gift card to a basket with cleaning products, air fresheners, ice scrapers or an emergency road kit.
3. The gift of good health – Even before COVID-19, winter brought cold and flu season. Create a basket with hand sanitizer, individual tissue packs, lip balm, hand cream and cough drops. Not sure if they like cherry or honey flavor? Consider adding a Walgreens, CVS or Rite Aid gift card instead. Your babysitter might enjoy the gift card to buy makeup or other cosmetic products.
4. The gift of a good meal – Choosing a restaurant gift card for someone is risky. They may have had a bad experience at there or have food allergies that you don’t know about it. A Restaurant.com gift card allows the recipient to purchase their own gift cards from local restaurants at a discounted rate. There are also deals available on Restaurant.com for travel, entertainment and lifestyle items.
5. The gift that keeps on giving – A magazine subscription is something that can be enjoyed long after the holidays are over. Let the receiver choose from over 3000 magazine titles including People, Parents and Sports Illustrated with a gift card to Magazines.com. Or pick up great 12 month discounts on magazines like HGTV, Men’s Health and Reader’s Digest on Amazon.
6. A gift they get in the mail – Everyone loves getting packages in the mail! Cratejoy has so many cool subscription boxes – truly something for everyone. If you know a little bit about the person you are buying for – if they like wine or board games or books or aromatherapy – there is a box that they will love!
7. A gift they can choose themselves – Sometimes the best gift is one that you can pick out for yourself. Give the gift of an Amazon or eBay gift card and you open the doors to countless gift options. If online shopping is too difficult for older recipients, a Visa gift card can be used at local stores, restaurants or for any service they choose.
8. It’s a wrap – The coolest gift I received from a customer was a wrapping paper kit. It comes with wrapping paper, matching bows and ribbons and gift tags. You can also make this an inexpensive gift if purchased at the end of the season or at the dollar store. Create a gift of matching paper or gift bags, tissue, gift tags, ribbons and bows. Don’t forget to include tape and scissors.

Money is the most popular holiday tip but the question remains, “How much should I give?” It is customary for the holiday tip to be the cost of a regular service. For example, if your normal haircut is $40, then the holiday tip should be $40 on top of the regular service fee. 

For the occasional service, like a holiday cleaning service or vacation pet sitter, a small $10 to $15 tip is appreciated. Gifts for the building superintendent, your son’s coach or math tutor should be based on how often you use them and how much help they have provided – $25-$50 is appropriate.

Many companies put a limit on what their employees can accept as a gift so it is best to check ahead of time. The US Postal Service, for example, cannot accept gifts valued at more than $20 and alcohol is prohibited. 

Beware of the Re-Gift

A Re-Gift, for those of you who don’t know, is a gift you have received but don’t like. However, it comes in cute holiday packaging and you forgot to get a gift for your – fill in the blank – so you Re-Gift it to them.

As a person who has received several Re-Gifts in my time as a dog groomer, I beg you – look in the packaging for a personal note or gift tag that was made out to you. I have to laugh at the gifts I got from “Marci” with a tag inside that said “To Marci, From Jennifer”.

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