Re: Tipping at Christmas

I gave my gardener 10 guid, he always give his customers a box of chocolates every year which I think is a nice gesture and he does tell if my garden doesn’t need cutting or weeding.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

Australians don't tip.

Everybody gets a proper living wage.

End of story. (Though you can tip if you want to)

Re: Tipping at Christmas

I only tip my hairdresser and even then not her personally, I take in chocolates for them all to share.

Someone said they tip the bin man? There is a whole team of them where I live., how do you know which one to tip?

Re: Tipping at Christmas

That's why I used to give them a box of biscuits (good quality ones in a nice box), easier to share, and I know they appreciated them, wrapped up as a present, not like a financial transaction. But nowadays they are under such time pressure they come and go too fast for me to see them, it is a different relationship.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

If you give them cash they can share it out .

Re: Tipping at Christmas

I never Tip at any time of year, I always go to the Recycling Point.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

Hairdresser I tip at the time, not at Christmas, as again it's a different person each time.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

A tip here is for service above and beyond what you would expect from a supplier/producer, so I am not surprised that tipping is not the norm in Oz
What you pay for is what you get, nothing more.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

That's not how I remember tipping in the UK. How I remember it is that if you didn't tip a taxi driver he would drive off over your feet or if you didn't tip the binmen your rubbish was strewn down the garden path for weeks afterwards.

But you are right - in Australia people do their job properly without expecting a tip at the end of it, as they should, after all that is what they are getting paid for.

My first day here in 1966 I took a taxi from the airport to my boarding house in Cremorne Point. When I paid the taxi I tried to tip him and he refused saying, "We don't tip here mate" and off he went. I knew I was going to like the place.

Re: Tipping at Christmas

I haven't tipped the bin men since the envelope I taped to the bin was stolen before they got to it, that had to be a neighbour so I was very dissapointed in that. I didn't tip mr tesco because I have several mr tescos and even a miss tesco it would cost a fortune to tip them all. I don't tip my hairdresser because my husband cuts my hair, although I do make him a cup of coffee for his trouble and he gets a kiss too.
I give boxes of biscuits to pharmacy and GP surgery, and to nurses in hospital in my ward over Christmas.

I don't get a tip for cutting my husbands hair but I do get a kiss and a Diet Coke so can't complain.

I was given a big box of luxury chocolates at work, a big bunch of flowers and a £30 voucher for garden centre. I was a very lucky lady and appreciated that very much. Looking forward to spring to spend it.