Gift idea for hardworking mail carrier
February 20, 2019 8:01 PM
My mail carrier has been out in all weather this winter, totally reliable and always pleasant. I know I can't give cash or gift cards. So what could I give them that they would actually appreciate?
After searching previous questions I am extra grateful, since those questions were almost all about bad mail service.
After searching previous questions I am extra grateful, since those questions were almost all about bad mail service.
In addition to a card and a bit of cash, write a letter to your mail carrier’s supervisor about how great they are. Mention that in your note. Do not mention the cash in your note.
posted by bilabial at 8:20 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by bilabial at 8:20 PM on February 20, 2019
Write a letter to the postmaster of your local office! Include a copy of the letter in a thank you card for your carrier.
There's some pretty strict rules, and what your carrier will accept may vary for all sorts of reasons. I've had mail carriers who were pretty insistent they couldn't take anything unless it was occasion dependent, like the holidays; carriers who would happily take a piece of cake for later with no problem; and carriers who wouldn't take anything just for being mail carriers but *would* take a small hot coffee if I said something like, "Happy VERY COLD Day!" and made it "an occasion". (Although I've rarely had a mail carrier refuse small freshly baked goods they can eat on the fly, like a single chocolate chip cookie.)
If you can/want to, talk to your carrier (and don't do it on their busiest mail day). Tell them thank you in person, and maybe have a plate or small container of goodies they can either pick from or take with them, and then gauge their response to that. (You can also try leaving it on your mailbox.) They may refuse for their own personal dietary needs, or they may be upfront and say, them's the rules. If you can talk to them a few times and get to know them better you'll have a better answer. (That's how I found out my last mail carrier lovvvvvvved chocolate.) But if you can't or don't want to do that, a thank you card and a letter to their supervisor will always go over well, be appreciated, and not break any rules/place them in any kind of dilemma.
posted by barchan at 8:22 PM on February 20, 2019
There's some pretty strict rules, and what your carrier will accept may vary for all sorts of reasons. I've had mail carriers who were pretty insistent they couldn't take anything unless it was occasion dependent, like the holidays; carriers who would happily take a piece of cake for later with no problem; and carriers who wouldn't take anything just for being mail carriers but *would* take a small hot coffee if I said something like, "Happy VERY COLD Day!" and made it "an occasion". (Although I've rarely had a mail carrier refuse small freshly baked goods they can eat on the fly, like a single chocolate chip cookie.)
If you can/want to, talk to your carrier (and don't do it on their busiest mail day). Tell them thank you in person, and maybe have a plate or small container of goodies they can either pick from or take with them, and then gauge their response to that. (You can also try leaving it on your mailbox.) They may refuse for their own personal dietary needs, or they may be upfront and say, them's the rules. If you can talk to them a few times and get to know them better you'll have a better answer. (That's how I found out my last mail carrier lovvvvvvved chocolate.) But if you can't or don't want to do that, a thank you card and a letter to their supervisor will always go over well, be appreciated, and not break any rules/place them in any kind of dilemma.
posted by barchan at 8:22 PM on February 20, 2019
It's not much, but I clothespin a high-end chocolate bar with a bow and a Thank You post-it to the lid of my mailbox on a particularly bad weather day around the winter holidays.
I also leave a bowed box of cookies on top of the refuse/recycling bins around the same time.
posted by ClingClang at 8:32 PM on February 20, 2019
I also leave a bowed box of cookies on top of the refuse/recycling bins around the same time.
posted by ClingClang at 8:32 PM on February 20, 2019
My mail carrier loves homemade baked goods or packaged candy. I leave them on the mailbox or personally pop out to offer if I'm home. It's the thought that counts!
posted by smorgasbord at 8:33 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by smorgasbord at 8:33 PM on February 20, 2019
My understanding of the USPS gift policy is that a gift card of $20 or below is fine, as long as it "cannot be exchanged for cash" (i.e. a Mastercard gift card or something like that). I've given Starbucks cards before since those cannot be exchanged for cash.
posted by rogerroger at 8:37 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by rogerroger at 8:37 PM on February 20, 2019
My husband is a mail carrier and Starbucks gift cards are pretty standard end of year top. He probably has 6 cards in his wallet right now.
posted by vespabelle at 8:59 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by vespabelle at 8:59 PM on February 20, 2019
"I've given Starbucks cards before since those cannot be exchanged for cash."
Starbucks and just about any gift card can be exchanged for cash. A $20 Starbucks card brings $14.40 cash.
posted by bz at 9:04 PM on February 20, 2019
Starbucks and just about any gift card can be exchanged for cash. A $20 Starbucks card brings $14.40 cash.
posted by bz at 9:04 PM on February 20, 2019
How about some handwarmers, or really good socks (like Smartwool)?
posted by Preserver at 9:05 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by Preserver at 9:05 PM on February 20, 2019
A $20 face-value gift card to any merchant (yes, even Starbucks) is still a “cash equivalent,” so skip those. However, a gift certificate valued in terms of services (e.g. movie passes), or exchangeable for tangible personal items, would be OK, as long as you originally spent less than $20 on it.
posted by armeowda at 10:04 PM on February 20, 2019
posted by armeowda at 10:04 PM on February 20, 2019
Gifts are great but truly- as others have posted- TELL THEIR BOSS. Be sure to frame your letter in all the acceptable ways. Emphasize what a great representative of the postal service they are, and that sort of thing. Use concrete instances if they are OK to share (don't include praise for doing things that you're not sure are part of their official job description, causing your good effort to possibly backfire).
I have to make this case this at work all the time- it's great to have people say nice things to my face, and give little gifts, but direct, unsolicited, customer feedback to higher-ups is gold. At review time, that sort of thing is what gets you raises and promotions.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:19 AM on February 21, 2019
I have to make this case this at work all the time- it's great to have people say nice things to my face, and give little gifts, but direct, unsolicited, customer feedback to higher-ups is gold. At review time, that sort of thing is what gets you raises and promotions.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:19 AM on February 21, 2019
Everyone loves to complain, but so few take the time to craft a well-written, worthwhile praise letter. This is worth doing- thank you for the idea!
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:20 AM on February 21, 2019
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:20 AM on February 21, 2019
My mail carrier is a terrific guy; just this week he brought a package up the drive and tucked it in the door to keep it dry. He does stuff like this routinely. I'm on a rural route and this is above and beyond. I have made him blueberry pie in the past, making choc. chip cookies as soon as I can remember to buy chocolate chips. Maybe I'll get a Dunkin gift card to go with.
posted by theora55 at 11:38 AM on February 21, 2019
posted by theora55 at 11:38 AM on February 21, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Toddles at 8:08 PM on February 20, 2019