Holiday Tip Predicament at Upper West Side Condo

Hold the door – and don’t forget to tip the doorman, the porter, the super, and ….

If residents thought the dilemma of holiday building tipping season was challenging, take a look at today’s New York Sun which reports of a conflict at one Upper West Side building, the Columbia Condominium at 275 W. 96th St., where employees were suspended after changing the locks on boxes where their holiday gratuities were stored. The staff members grew concerned that the same keys were used to lock this year’s boxes as the previous year; two employees were suspended and one was warned. While all are back at work, the union is investigating the case. The union's stance on tips? The union tells the Sun, "SEIU Local 32BJ offers no guidelines on tipping to apartment building management or residents. To tip or not at holiday time and, if so, how much to tip are decisions that are entirely in the hands of residents, as they should be."

Earlier in December as the holiday season began, Gothamist looked back at "What's a Good Holiday Tip?" noting that Curbed reported that some residents receive holiday tipping guidelines from management while New York Magazine’s Tipping Handbook offers us the inside scoop on “What They Really Think,” including doormen opinions with nannies, dog walkers, and other service providers.

Still searching for the perfect give for your doorman, super, porter, and others whose names were listed on the holiday card you received from the building? Columbia University Professor Peter Bearman’s book "Doormen" (University of Chicago Press) offers additional advice on the psychology behind the gift. Read an excerpt of the book here or take some advice from The Emily Post Institutite, an organization founded in 1946 which serves as a "civility barometer" for American society. They refer to the tip dilemma as "Holiday Etiquette."