How Much to Tip for the Holidays: 2026 Holiday Tipping Guide

Published 2026-10-29

The end of the year is when many people thank the workers who help them all year long, from the babysitter to the building super. There is no law or fixed rule, and a holiday tip is always a choice. Still, most etiquette guides follow a simple idea: give about what one visit, one session or one week of work would cost. The table below turns that into amounts, and the Christmas budget calculator helps you fit the total into your holiday spending.

Holiday tipping guide by service

Rules for mail carriers and other workers

Some workers aren’t allowed to accept cash. As federal employees, US Postal Service carriers may accept a gift worth up to $20 per occasion, such as Christmas, and no more than $50 in gifts from one customer in a year. They can never accept cash or anything that works like cash, including checks and prepaid Visa or Mastercard gift cards. A gift card for a specific coffee shop or restaurant, worth $20 or less, is fine. Snacks and drinks to enjoy on the route aren’t counted as gifts at all.

Teachers, nurses, home health aides and city sanitation workers may also be covered by school, employer or city rules, so check before giving cash. A heartfelt card or a group gift is always acceptable.

What people actually give

Holiday tipping is far from universal. In Bankrate’s 2024 tipping survey, only about half of Americans planned to tip their house cleaner, childcare provider or children’s teacher, and fewer than a third planned to tip their mail carrier. Typical planned amounts were about $50 for house cleaners and childcare providers, $25 for teachers and around $20 to $30 for landscapers, mail carriers and trash collectors. If your budget is tighter than the amounts above, you are in good company.

How to decide who to tip

1. Start with the people you see most, especially those who work in your home or care for your children or parents.
2. Consider how long you have known them and the quality of their work. A nanny of five years deserves more than a sitter you hired twice.
3. Think about whether you tip all year. If you already tip your hairstylist 20% at every visit, a smaller holiday gift or a card is enough.
4. Set a total and divide it. Add holiday tips as a line in your Christmas budget so they don’t come as a surprise.

When and how to give

• Give in the first two or three weeks of December, before people go on holiday.
• Cash in a card with a short handwritten note is the most common way. Many workers also accept payment apps; a gift card is a good choice when cash isn’t allowed.
• For workers you rarely see, such as trash collectors or a building’s night staff, leave a labeled envelope with the building manager or attach it to the bin on collection day.

If you can’t afford to tip

Holiday tips are a thank-you, not a bill. If money is tight this year, a sincere note explaining how much you appreciate someone’s work, homemade treats or a small gift is a kind alternative. Etiquette experts point out that most service workers would rather keep a loyal customer than receive a tip you can’t afford.

Holiday tipping when you eat out

For restaurants, bars, delivery and rideshares, nothing changes at the holidays: the usual 15% to 20% applies. Some people tip a little extra on busy days like Christmas Eve or for big holiday party orders. Use the tip calculator to work out the tip and split the bill, and see our everyday guide on how much to tip for restaurants and services.

Frequently asked questions