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Presents for Hairdressers?

(129 Posts)
Candelle Wed 22-Nov-17 12:10:54

Could I please ask what the form is with regard to Christmas presents for one's hairdresser?

What do other GN-ers do? How much do you spend/what do you give (if you give).

I can imagine a hairdresser being given umpteen boxes of chocolates or pot plants, so other ideas welcome. Or, perhaps you give a gift in monetary value.

If you are a hairdresser, even better, as your views would be very helpful.

I am having a pre-Christmas cut soon so ideas and information would be very welcome!

TillyWhiz Thu 23-Nov-17 17:37:03

Living in an out of the way place, I tip the ones who come to me i.e. the postman, the refuse collectors and the window cleaner. I give my hairdresser a tip each time so would not give extra at Christmas ( and my 6 weekly cut and blowdry is £32 with a latte).

Fennel Thu 23-Nov-17 17:49:48

TillyWhiz I was just going to post something almost identical. I give my hairdresser a tip every time too, and always our postie, who often goes out of our way for us.
I would give to the binmen, but I never see them as we have a communal bin system.
I also give €10 to the staff at the agricoop where we buy our pet and poultry food, they're so helpful and do all the heavy carrying.
And I sometimes send a thankyou Xmas card to our family doctors business. They're not paid in he same way as in the NHS.

harrigran Thu 23-Nov-17 17:51:46

My hairdresser comes to the house and she gets a tip each visit, every 6/7 weeks. At Christmas she gets a £20 tip but no gift, she probably prefers the cash.
I give the window cleaner a tip because he has cleaned my windows since the week we moved into this house, 46 years.

1974cookie Thu 23-Nov-17 17:52:39

I always give my lovely Hairdresser a tip each time I visit and nice bottle of wine at Xmas. She is priceless as far as I am concerned. She was the one that I trusted completely a few years ago to cut off my long hair into a short style that gets compliments even now. When I got bored of dyeing my hair at home, I entrusted the job to her, whereby she changed the colour completely from a mid brown to a dark blonde. Evidently, I was a blonde waiting to happen,and again, judging by the compliments, she was spot on. She makes me feel like a million dollars. If I ever win the lottery, she would be on my list of monetary Thank You's.

TerriBull Thu 23-Nov-17 17:55:51

I don't go to the hairdressers over the Christmas period, but if I did, it wouldn't occur to me to buy my hairdresser a present, I only see her 3 times a year, so I'm not always sure whether she remembers me from the time before. When I go I'm there for several hours, highlights, cut, blow dry which comes to over £100, I tip her £5 which probably isn't enough by some people's tipping standards.

RAF Thu 23-Nov-17 18:04:45

I have never tipped my hairdresser, but have been going to her for 28 years, she has watched my children grow up, turns to me for advice, and I think of her as a friend. She has always had a present from me, I try to find something appropriate. When her husband was critically ill I got her a book to better understand his condition and its treatment, which she said helped her so much. This year I have found a backwards clock which looks normal when viewed in a mirror! When I worked in General Practice, the surgery was bursting at the seams with chocolates, biscuits and booze at Christmas. Might even give my surgery something myself this year, thanks to Jeremy Hunt the staff are burnt out.

Clematisa Thu 23-Nov-17 18:41:19

I give my hairdresser a tip every time and sometimes I'm in once a week and othertimes it's fortnightly so I've never thought of giving something extra at Christmas as over a year the tips add up to well over £200.

BlueBelle Thu 23-Nov-17 18:53:32

No one has told me yet why hairdressers and not the shop assistant, why waiters and not the cook, why taxi drivers and not the bus drivers
First person comes up with a rational reason and I ll give a prize

Elrel Thu 23-Nov-17 19:07:21

CarolMary - the staff at my local library always appreciated biscuits or toffees. Sadly the library is no more.
I normally give biscuits or sweets to the reception staff at the doctor’s. Their rules and attitude have changed so much lately that I’m going to give something instead to the hardworking, efficient, and cheerful staff at my small local pharmacy. Times change!

Iam64 Thu 23-Nov-17 19:12:36

I tip my hairdresser every time, not huge but ok. I take a bottle of good red wine at Christmas because I know she enjoys a glass.
Oh Bluebell, but seen your post. I see the haircutter as a special person in my life. It was he for 30 years now a she. Their contribution to my life can't be underestimated. I don't have long flowing locks, I've embraced the grey and a decent cut makes a huge difference. Also, they always make me a cup of tea, chat easily without asking daft questions (are you going out tonight?) and make me laugh. That'll do for me.

lilypollen Thu 23-Nov-17 19:15:55

Box of chocolates/biscuits for Vets and Hairdressers. They can share it with coffee or divi up the spoils as they see fit. It's a seasonal gesture as far as I'm concerned.

quizqueen Thu 23-Nov-17 19:30:48

Sorry, I don't see why anyone should get a tip. Why should a customer subsidise wages; it is up to an employer to pay them. I wouldn't buy a gift for a tradesperson or anyone providing a service I pay for either but that is a matter of choice so it is up to you what you give. The fact that they may be a single parent is totally irrelevant. Often they have placed themselves in that situation by choice but, even if they haven't, their living circumstances are nothing to do with me choosing where I have my hair cut etc.

poshpaws Thu 23-Nov-17 19:38:05

I just give the usual tip (£5) as I'm broke around Christmas. I think the cost of my hair cut is quite high, anyway, so I don't feel mean!

Jalima1108 Thu 23-Nov-17 19:41:20

Well, if I could do something with my hair after spending nearly £40 on a cut and blowdry I might think about tipping.

EthelJ Thu 23-Nov-17 21:23:45

I go to the hairdresser about every 6 weeks and it costs £70+ each time I don't tip as I think it's already too expensive. Instead I give her a card at Xmas with £20 and another card with a similar amount for the junior girls at the salon to share who sometimes wash hair and do the colours. I'm never sure if I'm mean or generous!

MaggieMay69 Thu 23-Nov-17 22:42:43

I give gifts to only family and very close friends, but then, I am a woman of limited means. Happy as Larry but Poor as Pooh! x
I give my hairdresser my nicest smile and am as co-operative as possible as a treat!

MaggieMay69 Thu 23-Nov-17 22:45:39

@BlueBelle I think Hairdressers do get given more gifts because you actually sit and chat to them, its much more personal to get your hair cut than it is to buy a newspaper! Well, I mean, you can stand and chat to your newsagent I guess, but then you might be holding him up, or holding up the line, when you get your hair done though, you are sitting and chatting and its much more personal.
Whats my prize?? ;-) x I will happy accept chocolate!

Harris27 Fri 24-Nov-17 01:47:06

Interesting this as I feel my hairdresser has become a friend mine gets usual tip and bottle of wine x

NanKate Fri 24-Nov-17 07:41:49

Usual tip plus a bottle of wine.

After all these years I have found a hairdresser who cuts my hair beautifully. I hope she never retires. By my reckoning she should just about last me out. ??

Bellasnana Fri 24-Nov-17 08:12:20

No, I don't give my hairdresser a Christmas present.

The postman gets a small tip as a sign of appreciation though. He is always cheerful despite having to work in all weathers.

Brigidsdaughter Fri 24-Nov-17 12:19:03

I don't give gifts to my hairdresser. I tip each time. Hairdo is £56, average in area. (Cut n blow dry.)
Current stylist married with 3 children, not sure how he gets by. His DW probably works. Real life for most stylists. Salon get most money.
I'm with Nora on tipping though. If I had the means, eg won some money I'd always pay well and tip lots too (where earned obviously) as I could, not going to make a millionaire of anyone, is it? If people have the means it's generous and thoughtful to share some out.

Candelle Fri 24-Nov-17 12:20:57

Thank you everyone for your responses and apologies if I opened Pandora's box!

I have been visiting a lovely girl who cuts either in her home or sometimes in mine. Interestingly, I was advised that I should not tip as in a hairdressing salon, so never have. Have a boobed?

I seem to glean that those having 'home cuts' do tip on each occasion.... is this so? If this is the case I will really have to increase thoughts of a present!

As to whether to tip a hairdresser but not a bus driver etc., well, the relationship between a hairdresser and client is fundamentally different to that with a bus driver. A hairdresser is touching one's body, working in close proximity (and knows how to unlock all one's secrets!), whilst a bus driver is a more fleeting acquaintance, perhaps that of exchanging money for a ticket and saying a brief 'hello/good morning'. It is usually the same hairdresser but a bus driver would likely be a different person, depending on shifts etc.

My hairdresser is a lovely girl and I would like to show my appreciation for her work but was unsure of quite what was appropriate. I think either a bottle of good wine or perhaps doubling her fee if I feel generous on the day!

rubysong Fri 24-Nov-17 19:21:51

I might tip a hairdresser if she or he was an employee but mine have always been self employed. I always say, "what do I owe you?" And pay what they ask. If they wanted more they should ask me for more. I think this is logical.
We put £5 in a Christmas card for the milkman and the post person as they come to the door and we live down a steep and rough lane.
Nothing for the dust man as we take our rubbish bags up the lane, they won't come down.

WilmaKnickersfit Sat 25-Nov-17 01:23:15

I like the way my hairdresser cuts my hair that I followed her when she moved salons about 15 years and I wasn't the only customer of hers to do so! She's got married and had 3 children in the time she's been cutting my hair and we are like friends, although I don't see her outside the salon. We've been through the loss of our pets and family members. I see her every month and we're often alone in the salon, so we natter about anything and everything! ?✂??

Willow500 Sat 25-Nov-17 20:59:37

I've been going to my hairdresser for over 20 years - sometimes I tip and sometimes not. It's her salon and most of her clients are elderly ladies with the odd gent thrown in so I don't think they tip much either. I think of her as a friend and I have bought her a ticket to a show in Feb which we'll be going to together so I won't be buying her a gift but do give her a card.