Should I give something else to the neighbors for helping with the snow?

How did they react to the wine?

Personally, I think I would leave it at the wine and if there is another big snow storm, give them the restaurant cards if they come around again.

I’d give them the cards too. Sounds like a lot of work, They deserve something a little extra for being so neighborly. Go that extra mile.

The gift cards would be a great thing.

Thinking more about it, it probably would be nicest to give the gift cards. Or you could bake something and bring it over to them?

@janbb: I handed it to the one guy who was still shoveling my walk. By that time, the other guy was on his roof shoveling snow off of that. I told the guy “one for you, one for him. It was a holiday gift from my job.” He was thankful and smiling and said “I can’t keep them both?” with a laugh. I shrugged and smiled and went back in the house. I saw he put one of the bottles on the other guy’s windshield.

@jca2 It’s one of those tricky things because you don’t want to diminish the generosity of their action by making it seem like it’s a transaction. It sounds like he was pleased with the wine. I think if it were me, I’d be inclined as I said above to maybe bake something and bring it over to the families involved.

Good point. When I was pondering it yesterday, I was thinking I didn’t want to make it seem like I was paying them.

I asked a friend of mine last night and his response was yes, get them something because you want them to be willing to do it in the future.

Your neighbors helped you out of kindness. You expressed your gratitude by giving them bottles of wine, a friendly and, yes, neighborly gesture. I’d stop there and not get the restaurant gift cards. As @janbb so wisely wrote, you don’t want to diminish an act of generosity by making it awkward.

No, you needn’t give any more. They volunteered their services, you didn’t hire them. Allow them the satisfaction of doing something kind for another.

How long did it take, do you guys frequently exchange favours, and are those neighbors okay financially?

If it took less than an hour or you’ve helped them in the past, you’re probably fine with the wine. If it took longer or they’re going through hard times, I would go a bit further. Cookies or other treats if they’re doing well, simple cash if they aren’t.

We hadn’t exchanged favors in the past, except that one helped me get my cat out of a tree about four years ago. One guy (the cat in the tree guy) is a fireman and the other is a contractor. Both are married. One has a fireman wife and the other has a retired nurse wife. I don’t think either one is hurting for money.

Do you cook/bake? I’d suggest some home-made cookies.

Or sandwiches.

@janbb Has this exactly right. Giving them a gift with an explicit dollar value turns their act of neighborly kindness into a transaction with a price for their labor. A much better way to show appreciation is with something you make for them. Baking a nice treat and a card would be the perfect way to express your gratitude.

Helping others has its own rewards, the wine was enough.

I think the wine was enough. Maybe if you get 3 more snow storms I would think it was so excessive that something more seems warranted, but for neighborly acts of kindness I would leave it at the wine.

I do things for my neighbors all of the time, because they are out of state a lot. I don’t expect anything. I’m very happy to help them, I think your neighbors felt reward in simply helping you also. When a hurricane was coming they let me park a car in their garage, when we have guests they let me park in their driveway. Sometimes when they come home they bring me a small gift, like pecans from Georgia, which I think is a nice thought, but completely unnecessary.

At one time he fixed the grass between our houses, probably on both of our property, and I gave him $40 to help pay for the sod. Another time they gave me $100 bill for watching their house, and they wouldn’t hear of me refusing, so I accepted it graciously. Over the last few years I have mailed them items they have needed, and basically the $100 is getting used up I guess, but nowhere close to that amount of money yet. Anyway, we do so much for each other that we don’t really keep track, and then once in a while we do something to address that it has started to add up to a lot of expense and work.