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As it gets closer to dec 25 an important issuse needs to be addressed. Should we give presents to our goyis co-workers, aquantennces, mailman, sanatation engineer and others.
1) it can be a lesson for our childen
2) it will make a chillul hashem if we don’t
3) we can get brownie points in the future
or
1) WE DONT INTERACT WITH GOYIM
2) it may be halachikly incorrect
what do you do?
“Chugga”????
I usually dispense a meaningful gift at this time of year; I do not call it an x-mas gift. Rather, I offer it with wishes for a healthful new year (it is a new year on the civil calendar, of course).
I do this for several reasons: (1) it is no different than an end-of-the-year performance bonus, similar to what many employers offer; (2) most of the folks to whom we give these gifts are in service-oriented jobs that do not carry high-wages – a cash gift, or a gift card, or even a gift basket of food, can be well appreciated; (3) I do appreciate the folks to whom we offer these “new year” gifts – whether it is the super, or the cleaning lady, or the baby-sitter, these are folks who are good to us, caring for our apartment, our children, and keeping any eye out on our behalf year-round. Why would I not offer a token of appreciation? I acknowledge that the timing might be problematic, but that is why we usually offer it at Thanksgiving and explain that it is new year’s gift offered early in recognition of various seasonal expenses they might be facing.
There is no quicker way to ruin the relationship with your employee than by NOT giving a tip/gift for THEIR holiday. It just solidifies the idea of “Cheap jews” in their minds. They know that jews give gifts/bonuses to jewish employees around Jewish holidays, it is bad business practice to NOT do this around THEIR holiday.
This is STRICTLY A BUSINESS DECISION.
We tip our mailman, sanitation collectors, and UPS delivery guy.
Besides the fact that by the small tip ($20-$25) we give them once a year we get great service from them throughout the year, it also shows them and my children that we have Hakaros HaTov.
Lakewood Dude:
Mailman: NO
Street & Sanitation: NO
neighbors: NO
Police Commander: YES
Employees: YES
Business Vendors: YES
I follow best business practices with targeted investments!
I dont see why not? its not like we’re celebrating their holiday. Its just a token of appriciation. We give/get Channukah presents, so why not give them for their holiday?
Lakewood Dude:
If we don’t interact with Goyim why do accept services from them? Perhaps you should consider driving your trash to the dump yourself so that there is no interaction between yourself and the sanitation engineer, same goes for the mail ; pick it up yourself from the post office.
If there may be a halachic problem in giving it specifically for Dec. 25th, try marking it “In appreciation for all you’ve done for us this past year” or give it to him a few weeks early.
Anyway the entire Dec 25th holiday has become so unaffiliated with religion in this country (except for those who are really devout). It has become a commercialized marketing campaign. Did you know that the percieved character of Mr. Clause (not the story, his physical features0 was actually a marketing campaign created by Coca-Cola?
What happens if your mailman is Jewish? I use to know a Frum Mailman.
My wife gave a holiday present to a Black woman who works with her. The next day the Black woman told that is was such a nice gift and wrapped up so nice so she didn’t open it up yet, SHE PUT IT UNDER HER KRATZMICH TREE. So now my wife’s name is on a present under a kratzmich tree
Its probably halachicly worse to call it “chugga” than to give a token of thanks. At least call it, their chugga.
Lakewood Dude – Do you have any reason why it should be assur? I think it is very kidayin this day in age to always make a kiddush hashem by respecting goyim, they are always looking out how the Jews dont cooperate with them.
Any idea on the proper amount to tip a schoolbus driver? I was thinking of taping a $10 bill to a large chocolate bar but maybe that’s too cheap. (there are no other kids at our bus stop to split it with).
Lakweood Dude – Whats wrong with $18, why you negating it as a cheap jew.
Mailman are prohibited from accepting a gift.
We gave our housecleaner a nice bonus just today. If you hold by Tosafot, HaMeiri, and Remah that Christianity isn’t asur for non-Jews, I can’t see what the problem would be. If she were Jewish I would have given it before this week.
Artchill – I wouldn’t try giving a gift to a police commander. It might make him/her suspicious as to what you were up too (and it’s probably illegal).
But for the others? Why not? You don’t have to mention the specific holiday. For that matter, there are other people besides Xtians around, and they might not like “Merry Xmas!” either. Give an appropriate tip, with the message, as mentioned above, “For all you’ve done for us this year.”
And if it’s local custom t tip, and you don’t, the “cheap Jew” label will surely be applied.
There’s almost never a bad time to show genuine gratitude.
I give a token gift to the mailman, newspaper guy, etc…they are very appreciative and my service has never been better
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