Just had this discussion 'bout 10 minutes ago. Nothing! All of the guys were relieved, the women still want to do "Secret Santa" or something among themselves.
agree with Liddy it causes more problems than goodwill
We tried a secret santa once in the office and it was a disaster people were taking gifts and didn't put a gift in the bag so we were short gifts, people threw gifts they didn't want back into the bag and tried to get another one
Just not worth it. Just all go to a bar and have a drink and go home like respectable people.
Lol timebob you are so right!! It never works out! Secret santa? We arent children for christsakes! And theres always the person who, even tho you say $10 limit, gets someone like an ipad, and you're standing there with your talcum powder you found in your mothers bottom drawer!
some money will be spent on materials but I do hand made every year. This year there are 5 of us including the best boss in the world and I am crocheting star wars theme hats. I am making a bunch and everyone gets to pick the one they like best.
All us lowers have to pitch in and buy the three talking heads gifts this year and I'm pretty pissed about it. It wouldn't be a big deAl if the gifts weren't $150+ per boss man and we hadn't gotten screwed over for our summer bonus.
If you're doing secret Santa or white elephant I say do a $10 max, nothing fancy and you can do homemade.
Now if you are good buddies with your office mate that is a diff story. It does always suck when you put lots of effort and cash into a gift and they don't return the sentiment. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy,.just something that says hey I value our friendship too.
JSierra: don't give any money if you don't want to. I've been up and down this road a few times before. It's not worth it. I think it's presumptuous to push somebody for money when you don't know what their financial situation is like. Whomever's collecting the money will survive. Don't let any pettiness or drama sway you. Besides $150 is a lot of money. At my company we usually do potlucks or take our managers out to eat.
AuntL & FlirtyChick there are about 15 of us contributing so it's at least in a somewhat manageable amount{ --___--} ha yeah right. It is a really great office and they do a lot and give a lot to their employees, plus since it's a smaller office everyone is pretty close so it ins't too outrageous. I'm pretty much just making up reasons why it's okay. I won't be there this time next year and they have done a lot so I reason that it's just me giving back. But still, idk why they absolutely had to pick out something that pricey.
When I am employed, I usually bake a big platter of cookies and muffins for everyone. If I have co-worker friends I might make them a tin of candy. I do the same thing for my husband's workplace and for teacher's gifts.
Spend what you can *afford* on people you actually like or absolutely have to give a gift to.
If you're strapped for cash, there's no shame in baking something or picking up donuts. I know I would be truly thankful to a colleague who made their famous rum cake or chocolate chip cookies versus getting yet another mug and coffee set from Starbucks. Not that there's anything wrong with that but at $10-$20/ea, save your money on me. Seriously. We're cool. I promise.
My team does a "White Elephant", which gets out ahead of the whole, "Holy crap, I gotta buy 20 gifts for my coworkers!" panic. One $15 gift, a really fun lunch and two hours away from our desks as a group is awesome. Did I mention that a lot of the gifts end up being wine or beer? And we're an otherwise conservative office. I've gotten gift cards, cute holiday decor and -- yes -- a Starbucks mug with coffee grounds set. But it's voluntary and I don't feel like it was out of some misplaced obligation.
If you're the boss, demonstrate your appreciation somehow or another. It will pay throughout the year.
For that matter, no one should be *tsk tsk-ing* the administrative assistant (or other lower-paid employees) for not gifting anything. Be nice to them. Thank them for all they do to help you throughout the year. Even if all they do is tell you that the boss isn't in whenever you have an emergency. For once, ask them to show you how to do something for yourself that you've typically just had them take care of. You will be surprised how much favor you curry when you're not some over-educated, over-paid dolt who can't operate a scanner.
Co-workers shouldn't be gifting each other. Buying gifts for people who report to you is a different story. A good boss/supervisor shows appreciation for a hard-working staff at the holidays. The amount depends on what is affordable and how many people are on the team.
I give $50 Costco gift cards to two people who work for me. That's more than double what the big boss spent on us. I swear he regifted candy dishes from the 1980's. Damn tight ass. My present boss is taking the supervisors and significant others to the county club for dinner this year. That reminds me I need a new dress....
Depends on the co-worker. Our dept. does a gift exchange, where there's a $10.00 limit and you bring a wrapped gift, and we draw numbers to see who can choose first, then each person can take another person's gift up to 2xs. Since I don't know who will get my gift, and it might be someone who annoys the shit out of me, it's usually a chocolate bar and a coffee card. One year, I got one of those Rosemary Christmas trees after some swapping. Loved it.
Co-workers I like get something small, usually Christmas socks. Co-worker I work w/ the most gets a bigger gift, 'cause she's nice and she usually gives me and MY KIDS presents. Other co-worker gives me her homemade canned goods which are great.
Have a co-worker I buy gifts for all the time, but the woman bakes and brings in baked goods all time. Homemade Cannoli with homemade ricotta cheese, cookies, muffins, breakfast casserole's for our early staff meetings, and a lemon-layer cake with whipped cream and Limencillo which is a full on foodgasm in every bite. About 3x's a week, we will come into the staff room and find food from her waiting to eaten. So I give her cooking stuff like crazy, along with basil and herb plants to encourage the cooking and show my appreciation. Can't tell you how many crappy days have been improved by her magic bars or italian cookies.
Nothing, nada and zip. Have a meeting and agree you arent working to buy each other gifts. Bake cookies or some shit.
ReplyDeleteZero.
ReplyDeleteEh? Gifts for co workers? Not on my watch. Enough to do spending on the people I actually like / feel obligated to.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have made an amazing Xmas cake this year and if there's any left over after Xmas I might treat them.
DeleteJust had this discussion 'bout 10 minutes ago. Nothing! All of the guys were relieved, the women still want to do "Secret Santa" or something among themselves.
ReplyDeleteagree with Liddy it causes more problems than goodwill
ReplyDeleteWe tried a secret santa once in the office and it was a disaster people were taking gifts and didn't put a gift in the bag so we were short gifts, people threw gifts they didn't want back into the bag and tried to get another one
Just not worth it. Just all go to a bar and have a drink and go home like respectable people.
Lol timebob you are so right!! It never works out! Secret santa? We arent children for christsakes! And theres always the person who, even tho you say $10 limit, gets someone like an ipad, and you're standing there with your talcum powder you found in your mothers bottom drawer!
DeleteAgreed. Life's hard enough this time of year without adding to your shopping list.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletesome money will be spent on materials but I do hand made every year. This year there are 5 of us including the best boss in the world and I am crocheting star wars theme hats. I am making a bunch and everyone gets to pick the one they like best.
ReplyDeleteAgree with all of you.
ReplyDeleteNothing, I like my co-workers but why would I buy them Christmas gifts?
ReplyDelete$0.00
ReplyDeleteAll us lowers have to pitch in and buy the three talking heads gifts this year and I'm pretty pissed about it. It wouldn't be a big deAl if the gifts weren't $150+ per boss man and we hadn't gotten screwed over for our summer bonus.
ReplyDeleteIf you're doing secret Santa or white elephant I say do a $10 max, nothing fancy and you can do homemade.
Now if you are good buddies with your office mate that is a diff story. It does always suck when you put lots of effort and cash into a gift and they don't return the sentiment. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy,.just something that says hey I value our friendship too.
Js, why do you HAVE to chip in for management?????!!!!!! THEY shoukd be buying YOU gifts!!!!!!!! Id end that shit asap.
DeleteJSierra: don't give any money if you don't want to. I've been up and down this road a few times before. It's not worth it. I think it's presumptuous to push somebody for money when you don't know what their financial situation is like. Whomever's collecting the money will survive. Don't let any pettiness or drama sway you. Besides $150 is a lot of money. At my company we usually do potlucks or take our managers out to eat.
Delete@JSierra: $450 total? No way. I'm with auntliddy. End it.
DeleteAuntL & FlirtyChick there are about 15 of us contributing so it's at least in a somewhat manageable amount{ --___--} ha yeah right. It is a really great office and they do a lot and give a lot to their employees, plus since it's a smaller office everyone is pretty close so it ins't too outrageous. I'm pretty much just making up reasons why it's okay. I won't be there this time next year and they have done a lot so I reason that it's just me giving back. But still, idk why they absolutely had to pick out something that pricey.
DeleteWe always did the Secret Santa thing and had a limit of $10.00.
ReplyDeleteCheap Holiday Spirit!
Baked goods are always a good gift. I do a cookie bake every year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am employed, I usually bake a big platter of cookies and muffins for everyone. If I have co-worker friends I might make them a tin of candy. I do the same thing for my husband's workplace and for teacher's gifts.
ReplyDeleteNothing bought--bring in some cookies or Xmas candy during the holiday season, maybe.
ReplyDeleteI have no coworkers. Sad panda.
ReplyDeleteI have 5 people on my team and I buy them gifts every year! They work damn hard and make me look good!!!
ReplyDeleteSpend what you can *afford* on people you actually like or absolutely have to give a gift to.
ReplyDeleteIf you're strapped for cash, there's no shame in baking something or picking up donuts. I know I would be truly thankful to a colleague who made their famous rum cake or chocolate chip cookies versus getting yet another mug and coffee set from Starbucks. Not that there's anything wrong with that but at $10-$20/ea, save your money on me. Seriously. We're cool. I promise.
My team does a "White Elephant", which gets out ahead of the whole, "Holy crap, I gotta buy 20 gifts for my coworkers!" panic. One $15 gift, a really fun lunch and two hours away from our desks as a group is awesome. Did I mention that a lot of the gifts end up being wine or beer? And we're an otherwise conservative office. I've gotten gift cards, cute holiday decor and -- yes -- a Starbucks mug with coffee grounds set. But it's voluntary and I don't feel like it was out of some misplaced obligation.
If you're the boss, demonstrate your appreciation somehow or another. It will pay throughout the year.
For that matter, no one should be *tsk tsk-ing* the administrative assistant (or other lower-paid employees) for not gifting anything. Be nice to them. Thank them for all they do to help you throughout the year. Even if all they do is tell you that the boss isn't in whenever you have an emergency. For once, ask them to show you how to do something for yourself that you've typically just had them take care of. You will be surprised how much favor you curry when you're not some over-educated, over-paid dolt who can't operate a scanner.
Co-workers shouldn't be gifting each other. Buying gifts for people who report to you is a different story. A good boss/supervisor shows appreciation for a hard-working staff at the holidays. The amount depends on what is affordable and how many people are on the team.
ReplyDeleteI give $50 Costco gift cards to two people who work for me. That's more than double what the big boss spent on us. I swear he regifted candy dishes from the 1980's. Damn tight ass. My present boss is taking the supervisors and significant others to the county club for dinner this year. That reminds me I need a new dress....
ReplyDeleteA little donation to the Human Fund ought to cover it.
ReplyDeleteTen bucks plus tax, and that is if you really like them.
ReplyDeleteI work alone...so that is easy. Staff parties however just suck.
ReplyDeleteMy cuttoff is $22. But things here in Canada are more costly than in the US.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the co-worker. Our dept. does a gift exchange, where there's a $10.00 limit and you bring a wrapped gift, and we draw numbers to see who can choose first, then each person can take another person's gift up to 2xs. Since I don't know who will get my gift, and it might be someone who annoys the shit out of me, it's usually a chocolate bar and a coffee card. One year, I got one of those Rosemary Christmas trees after some swapping. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteCo-workers I like get something small, usually Christmas socks. Co-worker I work w/ the most gets a bigger gift, 'cause she's nice and she usually gives me and MY KIDS presents. Other co-worker gives me her homemade canned goods which are great.
Have a co-worker I buy gifts for all the time, but the woman bakes and brings in baked goods all time. Homemade Cannoli with homemade ricotta cheese, cookies, muffins, breakfast casserole's for our early staff meetings, and a lemon-layer cake with whipped cream and Limencillo which is a full on foodgasm in every bite. About 3x's a week, we will come into the staff room and find food from her waiting to eaten. So I give her cooking stuff like crazy, along with basil and herb plants to encourage the cooking and show my appreciation. Can't tell you how many crappy days have been improved by her magic bars or italian cookies.
@Miss Scarlett: I'm jealous
ReplyDelete