Who to tip at Christmas and why you should sweat the small stuff (Opinion)

Every year, people ask me about holiday tips for people who work hard helping us throughout the year. There really isn't a go-to list as everyone has so many different types of service provided to them every year. My thought is that if someone in a service industry has made your life easier, consider throwing them a little extra cash this season.

For me, the list included the guys who hauls away our trash every week. We put an envelope with cash on the lid of one of the cans the Monday before Christmas. If you are one of the lucky ones who kept working this year and can afford it, $20 a person is a very nice gesture. If you had a rough year, $5 or wait for them to show up and offer water/coffee, maybe some holiday cookies. We also give an envelope to our postal carrier and UPS driver John who has been the same guy since we moved into our current house. We also added for years, when the kids were little and walking to school, the crossing guards Tony and Andy who made mornings a little brighter.

If you get home delivery for groceries and/or order out from DoorDash, Grubhub or any other service provider delivering hot food to your door, consider an extra $5 over the normal tip. If you do the drive-thru at your favorite overpriced coffee house, same thing, give the person handing you your coffee a $5 bill. You will make their day.

Remember, my rules in life are a bit contrarian to what many people think and preach. How many times have you heard "don't sweat the small stuff"? Right, It's BS. The small stuff is where your power as a human lies. You control the smile, wave, thank you's and tips. The big stuff? Not much you can do about that, right? So go ahead, sweat the small stuff. Tip, smile and appreciate the people who help make your life a little easier. I've found that focusing on the small stuff is the best way to impact the big stuff.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.