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For a USPS mail carrier, do not give cash or cash equivalents. USPS generally allows a non-cash gift worth no more than $20 per occasion, with a $50 total limit from the same customer during the calendar year; a greeting card is allowed. For other household and community service providers, there is no single required holiday amount. Bankrate’s 2025 survey offers a benchmark among people who tipped, not a minimum or universal expectation.
USPS rules: what can you give your mail carrier?
USPS considers customers prohibited sources for gifts to postal employees. Its limited exception allows an employee to accept a non-cash gift with a market value of $20 or less per occasion, up to $50 in total gifts from that same customer during the calendar year. The annual ceiling is a limit, not a suggested amount. See the USPS employee ethics rules.
Cash and cash equivalents are not allowed, including checks, money orders, and major-brand gift cards. The USPS Postal Bulletin also identifies payment-app transfers such as Venmo and Cash App as cash equivalents. A $20 survey median does not mean you may give your carrier $20 in cash.
Can I give my mail carrier a gift card?
USPS distinguishes retail gift cards from cash-equivalent cards. Its ethics FAQ says a retail gift card worth $20 or less may be accepted, while cash and cash-equivalent cards are prohibited. A card redeemable like cash is not a workaround; when uncertain, choose a greeting card or another clearly non-cash gift within the limit.
#1 Best Overall
- The Package Includes - 36 packs Christmas thank you cards in six different designs, come with matching envelopes, stickers and glue points, will offer sufficient quantity and delicate design to meet your needs to express thanks.
- Christmas Theme - Our greeting cards featuring Christmas and winter theme, adopt watercolor design with pine tree forest and printed with the words of thank you, elegant and delicate, great supplies to express your gratitude.
- Material & Size - Made of good quality paper material, sturdy and durable, smooth surface for fluent writing. Each piece measures 4 x 6 inch, leaving proper space for you to write your blessings and personal feelings, easy to carry and use.
- Envelopes & Stickers - These set comes with matching envelopes, stickers and glue points, when you finish your writing, put the card into the envelope and seal it, making it more private and official.
- Wide Range of Use - Writing down your invitations or greetings on the blank place, and stick stickers on the cards or envelopes. Great for Christmas, wedding, birthday, holiday, winter party and many other occasions, to express your gratitude to your guests, friends and family members, etc..
What gifts are permitted?
The USPS FAQ says an employee may accept a greeting card, modest food such as a cup of coffee or doughnut, or another non-cash item worth $20 or less. Food should not amount to a meal. USPS employees are not required to accept gifts; if you want to express appreciation without navigating the limits, a thank-you card is a straightforward option.
Holiday tip amounts reported for other providers
Bankrate’s 2025 Holiday Tipping Survey, published December 3, 2025, reported these median amounts among respondents who said they tip each type of provider. They describe what surveyed tippers reported, not official guidance or a recommended minimum.
Rank #2
- 8 DESIGNS WITH GOLD FOIL - These Christmas thank you cards have 8 unique ornament designs. Each says thank you in elegant gold foil, and 2 designs add a second foil in blue or green. All 24 fold to 4 x 6 inches, 4 designs stand tall & 4 sit wide.
- CHRISTMAS THANK YOU CARDS, BLANK INSIDE - Every card is blank inside, so you thank each person in your own words. Write one short line or fill the page. Send these holiday thank you cards to anyone who gave a gift, hosted a dinner or helped out.
- 24 CARDS WITH ENVELOPES AND SEALS - Each card gets an envelope and a seal. The envelopes come in red, blue and green with a printed pattern liner, and close when you wet the flap. The sticker seals are embossed gold in 5 designs, one for each flap.
- 250GSM CARDSTOCK, MATTE LAMINATED - The cards are thick 250gsm cardstock with a matte laminated front, so the gold foil stands out. They come in a gift-ready protective box. Send thank you Christmas cards to family, friends, co-workers and clients.
- WE JUST WANNA MAKE YOU SMILE - Your happiness is our priority. If these Christmas thank you cards ever fall short, we'll make it right. Enjoy 24 holiday thank you notes ready for every Christmas gift, co-worker, and client.
| Provider | 2025 median among people who tipped | Users of the service planning to tip |
|---|---|---|
| Housekeeper | $50 | 56% |
| Childcare provider | $48 | 47% |
| Landscaper, gardener, or snow remover | $50 | 37% |
| Teacher | $25 | 47% |
| Mail carrier | $20 | 27% |
| Trash or recycling collector | $25 | 21% |
The shares planning to tip show that tipping was not universal in any of these surveyed categories. The mail-carrier median is a survey result only; USPS gift rules still apply. The survey does not establish a customary amount for every region, household, or employment arrangement.
How to choose an amount that fits your situation
Use the survey as context, then decide based on your own budget and circumstances rather than treating its medians as a bill. Consider how often the provider serves your household, the nature of your relationship, local practice, and whether an employer policy or existing service charge governs payment. A sincere note of thanks is also appropriate when a tip is not affordable or not suitable.
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Rank #3
- 💕Size: 3.5x5 inch (After folding).
- 💕Package: Card x 52, Envelope x 52, Sticker x 52.
- 💕Great quality: Made from premium 210gsm cardstock (Other<200).
- 💕A Little Card To Say A Big Thank You Cards: It is specifically designed by WowBefun.
- 💕Nice Printing: looks exactly like the picture. It's blank on the inside so u can customize your message.
Housekeepers and childcare providers
For recurring, personal services, you may weigh frequency and the provider’s role in your household when deciding whether and how much to give. Bankrate’s reported medians were $50 for housekeepers and $48 for childcare providers among respondents who tipped; they are reference points, not obligations.
Teachers, landscapers, and waste collectors
School, employer, or local policies may affect whether a gift is appropriate, so check the rules that apply to the recipient before giving one. Bankrate’s medians among tippers were $25 for teachers, $50 for landscapers, gardeners, or snow removers, and $25 for trash or recycling collectors. Those figures do not establish what any particular recipient may accept.
Rank #4
- You Will Get: 24 pcs greeting cards with 24 pcs envelopes and 24 pcs matching seal stickers. Notice: There is no glue on the envelopes, you can use the stickers to seal the envelope
- Christmas Design: Our thank you cards feature charming red and brown hot cocoa mug design with classic Christmas elements that captures the cozy warmth of the winter season
- Proper to Use: Made of good quality paper, sturdy and fluent enough to write. Each card is 4 x 6 inch, big enough to share your personal feelings on the blank part. The envelope is 4.3 x 6.3 inch, the seal sticker is 1.6 inch in diameter
- Convey You Best Wishes: These thank you cards are blank, you can write down your sincere greetings or gratitude feelings
- Widely Used: Writing down the words you want to express on the blank place. Perfect for Christmas parties, office gatherings, winter weddings, bachelorette parties or festive dinners
Tips versus automatic service charges
The IRS distinguishes a tip, whose amount the customer voluntarily chooses, from a mandatory service charge or automatic gratuity. That is a federal tax distinction, not a holiday-etiquette rule or a reason to assume that a holiday gift qualifies for a tax benefit. See the IRS guidance on tips and service charges.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Package Includes - 32 packs Christmas thank you cards in 4 different designs, come with matching envelopes, stickers and glue points, will offer sufficient quantity and delicate design to meet your needs to express thanks.
- Holly & Berry Design - Featuring Christmas and winter theme, adopts watercolor design with holly, berry and poinsettia, printed with words of thank you, fresh and delicate, will nicely increase fun and festive atmosphere.
- Material & Size - Made of good quality paper material, sturdy and durable, smooth surface for fluent writing. Each piece measures 4 x 6 inch, leaving proper space for you to write your blessings and personal feelings, easy to carry and use.
- Envelopes & Stickers - These set comes with matching envelopes, stickers and glue points, when you finish your writing, put the card into the envelope and seal it, making it more private and official.
- Wide Range of Use - Writing down your invitations or greetings on the blank place, and stick stickers on the cards or envelopes. Great for Christmas, wedding, birthday, holiday, winter party and other occasions, to express your gratitude to your guests, friends and family members, etc..
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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