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Christmas is my favorite holiday. For me, Christmas tipping in Colombia is about thanking the people who keep our days running. Porteros who sign for packages. The vigilante on the night shift. Our jardinero, who keeps the plants alive through the rainy season. They keep our world going ’round.
Also, December doesn’t have to be the only time. A box of pastries for the portería or an extra plate from dinner in March counts too. Christmas is just when it’s expected and appreciated.
Christmas tipping in Colombia isn’t really tipping. It’s two different things that people mix up all the time. One is the prima, which is the law. The other is the aguinaldo, which is a gift. Once you separate the two, December gets a lot less stressful.
So this guide covers both. I pulled it together from the law, from Colombian and English-speaking parent groups here in Medellín, and from what our family does. One thing up front, though: there’s no single rule. Even Colombians disagree on this one. If you’re still in your first year in Medellín with kids, add this to the December list.
At a glance
- The topic: What you owe and what people give at Christmas to empleadas, nannies, porteros and building staff in Colombia.
- Who it is for: Families in Medellín, especially anyone facing their first December here.
- The takeaway: Pay the prima by December 20. Everything else is a gift, and something small and sincere is never the wrong call.
Prima vs. Aguinaldo: Start Here
This is the part that trips people up the most, so let’s get it out of the way.
The prima is the law
The prima de servicios is a legal payment for anyone on your payroll. That includes an empleada or nanny you employ directly. Domestic workers have had the right to it since Ley 1788 de 2016.
It works out to 30 days of salary per year, paid in two halves. The first half is due by June 30. The second half is due by December 20. If someone works por días or started partway through the year, it’s proportional to the days worked. El País has a clear breakdown of the 2026 math, including people who work one day a week.
Prima at a glance
- Who: Anyone on your payroll, including empleadas and nannies
- When: By June 30 and by December 20
- How much: Half a month’s pay for each half of the year, proportional to days worked
- 2026 example: On the minimum wage of 1,750,905 COP, each half is at least 875,452 COP. The auxilio de transporte can raise it, so check your own numbers.
- Pro tip: Pay it a few days early. December 20 lands right before Christmas, and that money matters.
If you haven’t set up the formal side yet, start with my guide to hiring an empleada in Colombia. It covers contracts, social security, and the rest of the prestaciones.
Dotación is due December 20 too
There’s one more thing on the same date. Workers who earn up to two minimum salaries get dotación, which means work clothes and shoes. It kicks in after three months on the job. Deliveries are due April 30, August 31 and December 20. Also, you can’t swap it for cash. Valora Analitik explains the rules.
The aguinaldo is a gift
The aguinaldo is different, though. It’s a voluntary Christmas detalle: cash, a gift card, an ancheta, or something homemade. So nobody can expect it.
But here’s the confusing part. Plenty of Colombians, and most payroll websites, also call the prima “aguinaldo.” So when someone asks if you paid the aguinaldo, it’s fair to ask which one they mean.
Who Gets Something at Christmas
Christmas tipping in Colombia usually covers the people who keep your daily life running. Based on what families here say, the usual list looks like this:
- Your empleada or nanny. The prima comes first, then a gift on top if you choose.
- Porteros. Remember there are usually several shifts, day and night.
- Vigilantes and ronderos. These are the security staff and the night rounds guy.
- Building cleaning and maintenance staff. That includes the todero who fixes everything.
- Gardeners. This mostly applies in casas and bigger conjuntos.
- Teachers and profes. At jardines and colegios, this usually runs through a class fund organized by the madre del salón. Many funds also cover art, music and PE teachers. Profes from outside classes, like swimming or gymnastics, usually get something small one by one.
- Anyone else who shows up for you every week. In our unidad, a guy comes on Sundays to wash cars. He gets something too.
What People Give: Cash, Gift Cards or an Ancheta
Across friends, local Facebook groups and parent chats, the same few options for Christmas tipping in Colombia keep coming up.
Cash in an envelope with a card
This is the most common choice, and also the most useful. One Colombian put it simply: people need money, and cash lets them decide.
Supermarket gift cards
Éxito comes up the most. Jumbo and Ara also show up. One family switched to Ara because it’s cheaper, so the same amount buys more. Malls offer gift cards to select stores, too.
An ancheta
This is a Christmas gift basket-tray-like full of usually food, sometimes with a bottle of aguardiente or whisky. Anchetas are easy if your list is long. Plus, you can order them almost anywhere in December.
Baked goods
Cookies with a bottle of wine came up more than once. It’s personal, so it works well for building staff you don’t know well.
Still not sure? Ask. A friend asked her portero if he’d prefer cash or gifts, and he picked gifts for himself, his wife and his daughter. Some people will be shy about answering, and that’s normal. So ask early, give them a few days, and they’ll usually tell you.
How Much Do People Give?
This is the question everyone wants answered, and the honest answer is that it varies. Still, a few numbers for Christmas tipping in Colombia show up again and again.
Use them as a starting point, not a rule.
So treat these as a starting range, not a rule. Your building, your budget, and how much you rely on each person all matter more than any number here.
What about someone who just started?
If someone joined right before Christmas, like a new nanny or a profe who started in November, some families give them less. Usually that’s at least 50,000 COP.
I do it differently. I pay it forward and give new people the same amount as everyone else. They’re about to become part of team, whether that’s in a class or in our neighborhood. So I try to keep it fair from day one.
The Building Collection
Many buildings run a collection for staff. The administración or someone from the consejo sets out an envelope or a box, then splits the money or buys gifts for everyone. Plus, it covers the staff you never see, like the night shift.
First, ask your administración in early December if there is one and how they split it. Then decide if you want to add something individual for the people you see every day. Lots of families do both.
What if you rent?
The common view in the groups is that the renter gives, since you’re the one using the service. I agree, especially for families. Porteros keep an eye on the kids in the lobby and the parqueadero. And if you’re like us, they’re also the ones calling up about every Rappi order, from groceries to the cartulina you remembered at 9 p.m. the night before it’s due.
Does Estrato Change Christmas Tipping in Colombia?
Yes, and this is where Colombians disagree.
Some say aguinaldos are really for family and close friends. Others say everyone they know gives to porteros, cleaners and empleadas every year. Someone else added that it depends on your estrato and your building. Another Colombian’s take was that foreigners overthink this.
They’re all a little bit right. Then again, if you’re new, giving something small and sincere is never the wrong call.
Small Things Matter More Than You Think
Here’s my take. I know empleadas who got nothing at Christmas, from Colombian and foreign families alike. One told me she would have been happy with a bar of chocolate.
It works the other way too. Before Día de la Mujer in March (the big one, not the October Día de la Mujer Colombiana), I suggested in a parents group that flowers and chocolates for your empleada would go a long way. One mom wrote back that her nanny cried.
It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be something, especially for the people who take care of the people you love most. Including you.
What We Do
For the people who work in our home, I aim for at least 150,000 COP per person. For anyone who’s been with us for years, it’s one bigger gift worth around 200,000 COP or more. We’ve gifted instant pots and microwaves before when we asked if there was something they’d like. I also fill a Christmas stocking for each of them with small things, because that’s the part of my US Christmas I keep.
Beyond that, I make sure we’ve paid into the teachers’ fund in each class. The kids’ swim and gymnastics profes get a small gift too. That’s our version of Christmas tipping in Colombia, and yours can look completely different.
Christmas Tipping in Colombia: Quick December Checklist
A quick checklist
- Pay the prima by December 20, ideally a few days early.
- Deliver the December dotación if it applies.
- Ask the administración about a building collection.
- Get small bills and envelopes early in the month.
- Label envelopes by name or shift, so you don’t skip anyone.
- Hand everything out before December 24. If someone takes vacaciones in December, do it before they leave.
My tip
Gifts throughout the year mean a lot too. Several people mentioned sending pizza and a Coke down to the night shift. Porteros remember that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the aguinaldo mandatory in Colombia?
No. Christmas tipping in Colombia is voluntary, so a gift is up to you. The prima de servicios is mandatory for anyone on your payroll, and it’s due by December 20.
Do I have to pay the prima to a part-time empleada?
Yes. It’s proportional to the days she worked, so someone who comes one day a week still gets a prima.
How much should I give my portero for Christmas?
Families in Medellín report 50,000 to 150,000 COP per portero. Many give through the building collection, and some add something individual on top.
Is it better to give cash or a gift?
Cash or a supermarket gift card is the most practical. An ancheta or baked goods adds a personal touch. If you’re not sure, ask.
When do people give Christmas gifts to building staff?
Most people hand them out in the weeks before December 24. Nochebuena is the big night here, so earlier is better.
Do renters or owners pay into the building collection?
Usually the renter, since you’re the one using the service. Check with your administración, because buildings differ.
Final thoughts
There’s no perfect amount. Start with the prima, then add something sincere for the people you see every day.
It’s the thought that counts and, to me, the least we can do to show gratitude for people that show up for us every day.
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