Employers in Mexico are required under labor laws to pay salaried workers, including domestic help, an annual year-end “bonus” called the aguinaldo.
The amount due is equivalent to the worth of at least 15 days of wages, to be paid in cash no later than December 20. Gifts in kind may be added to the payment as an extra reward for valued employees, but not a substitute for the aguinaldo.
Offering holiday tips or gifts to low-level government employees and private service providers is also commonly practiced by citizens in appreciation for their labor.
In the Chapala area, local garbage collectors usually drop off an envelope for later pickup of contributions. On average, most expats customarily kick in 100 to 200 pesos for each man or at least 500 for the whole team.
According to City Hall officials, Chapala police officers are not authorized to solicit tips from the public. However, voluntarily handing out cash to personnel at police headquarters is not prohibited.
Plumbers, electricians, repairmen, propane delivery workers and grocery store baggers are others who are grateful for monetary rewards or tokens of appreciation from regular customers at Christmastime.
The aguinaldo has its origin in Rome, referring to the traditional gift or extraordinary payment made annually for the celebration of Christmas. It dates back further to the Celtic culture in which there was customary to hand out the “eguinad” as a New Year’s favor, based on a belief that the best omens for the coming year are attracted with generous gifts.
Obligatory payment of the aguinaldo in Mexico was added to the statutes of the Ley Federal del Trabajo, Article 87, in 1970.