Hunt Staff Christmas Boxes

[Herne]

I noticed on another thread people talking about what they give Hunt Staff for Christmas, be it in the form of a cap at a Christmas meet or as a "Christmas Box".

In my experience, people seldom give enough (and I am not Hunt Staff, or even related to any, so have no self interest).

Most people lob in a fiver or maybe even a tenner and think they've been generous.

Now, obviously, no one can give more then they can afford to give, and a little from someone with very little is worth more than a lot from someone with lots etc., etc, etc; but very many people do not put in a lot of thought before deciding how much they think they can afford to, or ought to, give.

A fiver seems like a nice gift, until you consider what it's for. This is your expression of gratitude to the hunt staff for an entire season of sport. You might not go out every day, but the Hunt Staff do the work to provide you with probably 50, 60 or 70 days in a year from which to choose.

As those who have any involvement with shooting will know, if you go for a day’s shooting, it is considered normal to tip the keeper £20, £30, £40 or even more for one day’s sport. If you hunt 10 times in a season, then your fiver amounts to 50p per day. In terms of tips, that does not indicate a whole lot of gratitude. How much do you leave the waiter/ess in a retaurant after a meal. More than that, I suspect...

Hunt staff work just as hard as gamekeepers and get paid no better. They are equally deserving of gratitude.

But that’s not the end of it – there’s a very good chance that the money you put in will be divided up between several members of Hunt Staff (Huntsman, whips, grooms, etc), which means that your fiver is only actually maybe a quid to each member of staff. For a whole season’s sport. Whoopee do.

So, when deciding what to put into the Hunt Staff’s Christmas Box this year, think a little harder first.,



PS: Traditionally, Christmas Boxes to staff should be given on Boxing Day – that’s why it’s called “Boxing” day.

 

[rosie fronfelen]

i gather you are more into shooting than hunting, have you thought that hunt staff work with hunters,not just for themoney(lets face it, they'll never make a fortune from this vocation)but for the life and more often than not the accommodation thrown in as well. i was always very grateful for any extra remuneration at christmas time!! of course some hunts pay more than others and i'm sure all hunt staff are very much appreciated at this time of year anyway. we are a 2 man band here, our master,huntsman(my hubby) and me so situation is abit different!!

 

[MrWoof]

PLEASE give as much as one can possibly afford.

Hunt Staff are out in all weathers, sometimes after dark, looking for hounds when the pack has been taken home light.
Staff are very pleased when they can go home all on.

We cannot thank them enough really.

I usually lob in £50 and also give the Huntsman and his wonderful Wife another personal present as well.

Do without a bottle of Gin or Scotch for two or three weeks - and give the equivalent in cash.

What would we do without them and their dedication?

 

[Maesfen]

Well said and I agree completely; hunt staff are the salt of the earth and always there when you need them.

 

[Clodagh]

I read somewhere that it should be a %age of your sub, can't remember how much but 10% seems reasonable to me. So, if your sub is £700 then give them £70. Ours is split betwen the hunstman and groom. THey do a sterling job and get paid penauts, give them a Happy Christmas!

 

[Steeleydan]

General concenses in our hunt is not many people will be giving to our huntsmans christmas box, he is utterly rude to subscribers and doesnt even so much as say hello when spoken too,hes truly evil to the horses, plus money is tight for everyone, he gets a very very good wage per year plus no bills to pay for his house, no flesh round, not exactly hard worked doesnt even go out in the summer cutting out rides and building jumps, so afraid ours wont be getting a very generouas Christmas box.

 

[RunToEarth]

i gather you are more into shooting than hunting, have you thought that hunt staff work with hunters,not just for themoney(lets face it, they'll never make a fortune from this vocation)but for the life and more often than not the accommodation thrown in as well. i was always very grateful for any extra remuneration at christmas time!! of course some hunts pay more than others and i'm sure all hunt staff are very much appreciated at this time of year anyway. we are a 2 man band here, our master,huntsman(my hubby) and me so situation is abit different!!

Surely the same could be said for gamekeepers though- it's hadly a glamourous and well paid job, but similar to hunt staff a lifestyle choice, done through the love of it more than the money.
Completely agree with OP though, people don't tip enough.

 

[Herne]

Quote Salimali: <<i gather you are more into shooting than hunting>>

Not so as you'd notice, no.


<< have you thought that hunt staff work with hunters,not just for themoney(lets face it, they'll never make a fortune from this vocation)but for the life and more often than not the accommodation thrown in as well. i was always very grateful for any extra remuneration at christmas time!! of course some hunts pay more than others and i'm sure all hunt staff are very much appreciated at this time of year anyway. we are a 2 man band here, our master,huntsman(my hubby) and me so situation is abit different!!>>

I'm really not quite sure what point you're trying to make here? That hunt staff don't need tipping because they are in it for the lifestyle? Not sure I'd agree...

 

[Lollii]

Our hunt normally collect £25.00 from everyone on boxing day, there is normally a minimum of 100 people out (£2,500 minimum) that's not a bad Christmas bounus is it?

 

[rosie fronfelen]

i haven't written that hunt staff dont need tipping!! i agree that they do, and said that i was always grateful for any extras at this time of year. things hace changed over the years financially, wages are far higher now, bound to be, but my little christmas box many years back was an extra fiver on top of my wages- to me at the time that was great. not all hunts can afford big tips, but they do the best they can. i guess i am looking back to a different world where cash wasn't everything-

 

[winterhorses2]

i haven't written that hunt staff dont need tipping!! i agree that they do, and said that i was always grateful for any extras at this time of year. things hace changed over the years financially, wages are far higher now, bound to be, but my little christmas box many years back was an extra fiver on top of my wages- to me at the time that was great. not all hunts can afford big tips, but they do the best they can. i guess i am looking back to a different world where cash wasn't everything-

It would be nice if everyone was informed of this tradition.
As we are from a drag pack, our masters don't deem it relevent, (Don't get me wrong, my OH gets a box, it's just its takings from the day, not asking for donations) but we work just as hard if not harder than most to provide sport for our followers...
As for wages being higher, i think that might be open to suggestion....
I'm not asking for the world, just for people to recognise what we do and some non fox hunting folk, may not realise the tradition of boxing day?

 

[rosie fronfelen]

i would be in my glory if i received the wages of grooms of today. i started out on £15 a week- not as a trainee but a fully fledged AI and NPSAD. i thought this was the bees knees and it lasted me all week, and being out every night! we are talking 70s here mind you, and also no start and finish times either!!

 

[winterhorses2]

Don't get wrong, i'm not trying to moan about the money or hours. We have worked this xmas morn. There are certain things you accept being a huntsmans wife lol. It is just the tradtions i feel that we, as a pack are lacking.

 

[qwertyuiop]

There are all sorts of jobs that require working unsocial hours, in grotty weather, for a poor wage and they never get tipped. Why tip hunt staff over say, a Highways Agency road repairer, or an airport ground handler?

I find the whole tipping thing embarrassing and out-dated. Pay staff properly in the 1st place rather than relying on charity hand-outs.

 

[rosie fronfelen]

you and us( although we aren't a drag pack) are similar in some ways. we are a 2 man band,+ me, and we plod on best as we can,(we have many genuine helpers, when needed) but no wages are involved whatsoever. we have no committee,
(thank god) but its work til finish, today being no different, which is how it should be!!





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[foxhunter19205]

When I was a hunt groom, the huntsman was given all the money and told to divide it up between us. Only later did I find out he divided it according to rank!! Some people gave us a 'tip' directly.....numerous bottles and other gifts. I remember one chap telling me he would provide me with a turkey; it arrived christmas eve evening fully feathered etc. At least it was dead!!

 

[marmalade76]

Have to agree with Broken Arrow. I bet the hunt staff earn more than my OH, and we don't get a house (most likely in a gorgeous location) plus bills thrown in. He does not get tips (although someone once left a bottle of scotch in the cab of his pick-up, but to this day we don't know who it was!) Every day this week he has been out feeding and bedding down cattle and dairy cows for friends who, unlike us, can afford to go to Disneyland!

He does this kind of work because he loves messing about with tractors and such like, its a nice way of life, as I'm sure it is for hunt staff with what they do.