By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The holiday season is over, but if your generosity hasn’t diminished you need to know that there are laws that may forbid you from giving gifts to certain people.

New York police were searching for a woman so they could GIVE HER MONEY BACK. The woman told a trooper that she saw him doing a good job, and to say thank you she handed him an envelope with a thousand dollars in it. The police need to return it to her because by law, state police can’t accept gifts.

Laws in every state prevent some people from accepting gifts.

Most states forbid public servants like politicians or candidates from taking gifts and in many states, regular old public employees can’t accept gifts if they’re meant to buy influence. And gifts don’t have to be cash to be prohibited. Tickets, travel expenses, cars, even an offer of future employment may be prohibited.

So, if you see a public official doing something wonderful, bake him cookies, or write him a note, or just say “thank you”. That’s worth a million dollars.

Not really, but at least he can accept your thanks.