Do you give a gift to your Mail person. I have done food from the kitchen in the past after asking if she would accept it. I am not sure what I want to do this year. What kinds of gifts to you give your mail person, trash pickup person, etc.?
I tip the trash people on the last pick up day before Christmas - we have three (trash, recycling, and yard waste) and it's sometimes a challenge to catch them! I give them each $25 in a card. There's no restriction in our area on giving gifts (cash or other) to the trash people.
I give our mail lady a gift of chocolates, a tin of (purchased) holiday cookies, or a candle since I found out that the postal service employees are not allowed to accept cash or gifts cards (seen as cash). I don't know how the postal service would ever know but I think it's best to stay within the rules.
I tip my hairdresser extra on my last appointment before Christmas (same as the trash people plus a box of chocolates).
I try to do the 100% RAK tip for wait staff at least once during the holiday season.
I stay away from home-made treats any more. There's just too many people with allergies or who live in a household with someone with allergies. Seems a shame to go to all the trouble of baking and then have them not be able to enjoy the treats. At least with a commercial box of chocolates or cookies, they can read the ingredients and re-gift them if there's an allergy issue.