Help! OMG. Cringe. Cringe. Toe curling embrassment. Facteur just knocked door with calendrier. We had only 3 euros! How/where can we drop some more off? They must cost that to make. In England this time of year shops are bulging with calendars. We’ve had to make our own. Can’t find them in Amboise not even in Leclerc. How much should I have given?
We give 20 euros and plan to have the cash in a drawer in the kitchen well before Christmas otherwise we too find ourselves cashless when they drop by - post / pompiers / dustbin men (two lots).
You probably could leave an envelope in your mailbox with a New Year card and an extra amount. Don’t know about you, but most days we get something in the post that needs the box to be opened.
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We’ve been in the same situation for the past 5 years, and the postie still delivered our mail, so I wouldn’t worry too much ! I simply don’t have cash on me these days. In the end, the postie actually asked me if we wanted one before putting it in the letterbox, which avoids a lot of awkwardness.
I’m not sure that’s the point, especially in these straightened times.
What I meant by that is that the “étrennes” are often perceived as a nice end of year (or beginning of year) bonus for the postie for their diligent delivery, lugging parcels or going the extra mile, but times change, and many folks do not simply carry cash on them these days. Much as I liked our previous postie, he was very much an odd fellow, and quite often inebriated. Coupled to that his tendency to only deliver our mail once a week, if he could be bothered, or unless he had no other choice (parcel, LRAR, etc), I was not particularly favourably disposed towards him.
The post office doesn’t help its case when it regularly switches posties around, precisely in an attempt to avoid them becoming too friendly with the locals, and let’s forget the replacements on essentially zero hour contracts. The calendars themselves might well cost more than 3 Euros, but I’m personally not going to worry about not having a “decent” amount for a calendar I may not actually want (or even like), if it gets shoved in my letterbox.
I used to give generously, but my outlook has definitely become one more akin to that of the grumpy old git in recent years.
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I hate the post calendars, they are horrifically ugly (unless you are a 98 year old grandma possibly or a 6 year old girl in the case of a kitten one we had one year), totally useless for writing anything in etc. I’m SO glad I wasn’t asked to buy one this year (of course I always do!).
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I give 10€ plus with this post I give him cold drinks when it’s warm in the summer.
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I sure @toryroo will chip in on this (with her usual Zuckerberg shouldn’t know what you are doing caution) but what effing use is a paper calendar these days when everything can be recorded on line in an app which you carry about with you on your mobile with instant access…
other than school girls salivating over risqué piccies of their local fire fighting heros 
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No you’re all good 
, don’t think he’s got his hands into the calendars yet 
and there are plenty of other / free source etc options to choose from in that market!
Now see I’d buy that although no longer a school girl
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We keep a paper calendar in the kitchen so know what each other are doing. Otherwise I could waste time searching for OH in a hedge when he’s off at some rdv elsewhere. This year’s is a very plain picture free one we were given at Jardival. The others have gone straight to the charity shop.
I give 10€.
I give €10 too, but happy not to have the calendar
Me too 10€ to my post Lady
50€ to the Pompiers 
they are all volunteers.
N o they are not all volunteers around 30 percent in our area are professional.
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They are chez moi…
I give 10 to the postie and always plan to use the calendar in the office but in reality I rarely do and just chuck it out 12 months later.
The pompiers usually come to the door but this year had a stall in the village centre where I managed to catch them.
I use the calendar regularly.
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There’s always a professional pompier input into the local reseau. If you read the article you’ll see Colonel Coste, Capitaine Bruey and Lieutenant Cullière mentioned. All by virtue of their rank and position likely professionals.
We gave 10 for the calendar, and had given a card before Christmas - resulted in our facteur coming by with a lovely hand made (and personalised) card for us.
I use paper calendars for quickly noting whats going on, (otherwise my husband never knows) and things like vet appointments, eggs laid etc. Even though its staring me in the face when I look at my phone I rarely remember to look at the techy agenda stuff!
I would struggle without my phone reminders of calendar appointments and also recurring events - haven’t used physical calendars for years now.
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I do the same, the Pompiers were absolutely fantastic just over three years ago when my husband was taken ill, they deserve every penny of what I give them.
For the postman, I put the money in a card and put it in the mailbox and here in Finisterre if you put a clothespeg on the flap of the mailbox the postman knows there’s something in there for him to take. I’m not sure if it’s the same all over the rest of France.