A simple way to thank the people who deliver all your holiday packages

Delivery drivers are basically Santa’s elves during the holiday season, considering all of the Christmas packages they drop off at our houses. If you’re shopping online for Christmas, then you’re keeping UPS, FedEx and many other delivery companies plenty busy. And since it is the season of giving—you might as well make their work day a little more enjoyable. We found a great idea for bringing some joy to the lives of Santa’s hardworking helpers.

In 2016, Lisa Betts Gwin posted to Facebook about leaving a treat for your delivery men and women, and it’s garnered quite a bit of attention online. She suggested putting a basket of food and drinks outside your door with a note that lets delivery workers know they are welcome to help themselves.

“I wanted to do something for the delivery guys that have been doing a great job this Christmas delivery season! (I’ve definitely kept them busy!) I had someone suggest this and I thought it was a great idea,” she wrote on Facebook. 

She later posted an update to let folks know how the idea went over once people began bringing packages to her door.

“Our UPS guy just came by and I could hear him happily laughing before he rang our door bell! (He always hands me my pkgs instead of leaving them at the door!) He was so excited and said he wished he had his camera so he could take a pic,” she said. “I told him it all would still be there the next time he came by! He grabbed a couple of snacks and went back to work.”

This inspired others to try it out for themselves.

“I was expecting lots of packages today and decided to do this. I even saw one of the delivery men as he left and he yelled ‘thank you!’ I was happy to have possibly made his day,” one person commented on Facebook. “They work hard this time of year and deserve it.”

Clearly, this simple gesture is much appreciated during the holiday season! But you can do something nice for delivery workers all year-round, if you’d like. One boy left out a cooler full of water and gatorade for a postal worker during the summer, and his elated reaction was caught on camera.

And plenty of people let their dogs hang out with the UPS delivery guys, and they seem to really appreciate the bond they develop. There’s an entire Facebook page devoted to the dogs that make their delivery routes more enjoyable!

Small gestures go a long way during the holiday season. So let’s all pitch in to ease the workload of the hard-working men and women who hustle all month long to deliver our packages on time!