Tips on tipping during the holiday season

NEW YORK - When it comes to holiday tipping, there are some obvious recipients. Doormen, maintenance workers, security guards, and more. But etiquette experts say that although you might already be shelling out a lot on gifts and tips, don’t close your wallet too soon.

“We think of who are these people we are using right now, but we should think of everyone we are using throughout the year,” said Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, founding President of The Etiquette School of New York. “Sometimes, we forget the people who help us in the summertime like the pool attendants, the lawn people, the shrubbery groomers, the bus driver, maybe even the manicurists.”

Napier-Fitzpatrick says that tipping can be a financial burden, but insists that a little something can go a long way.

“If you don’t have money, you can make them cookies or fudge. Everybody likes that at Christmastime,” Napier-Fitzpatrick said.

And if you can’t really afford to give out any more tips or you don’t have time to make them something, Napier-Fitzpatrick says that it’s good to keep in mind that people remember how we make them feel, so an extra smile, a hug, a card or eve a thank you can make a big difference.