Workplace Pollyanna Gift-Giving

[arwalden]

Poll question: Workplace Pollyanna Gift-Giving

Do you like them or not?

I always hated them on SEVERAL LEVELS. -- I would actually spend up to the limit on my gift... and in return, someone would give me something they picked up at the Dollar Store. (Yeah yeah... it's supposed to be the "thought" that counts, but when you're obligated to participate, then it's only natural to feel cheated when you've been cheated!)

I hate them because I would inevitably choose the name of someone I didn't get along with... and it would irk me because I felt obligated (there's that word again) to make a good-faith effort to spend up to the limit. --- Perhaps the person who bought me a Dollar Store gag-gift was trying to tell me something.

What do you think?

-- Allen

[Lady Freedom]

1. Bah!!!!

I'm going to the dollar shop and forget it! Why bother witrh the happy-sappy stuff! Hech I'm giving out charcoal! I still have some left from summer BBQing!

[Lady Freedom]

9. Better yet, I'm giving them a bill...

for all the headack meds I'll need to put up with all their happy-sappy holiday cheer!

[arwalden]

2. And Then There's The Show-Off Who Always Goes OVER The Limit...

... and spends $25 on something when the budget was supposed to be $10. And guess who gets it? The ass who went on-the-cheap and bought me a chia-pet. LOL


-- Allen

[bleedingheart]

3. I hate gift exchanges!

Detest them...
Its all a marketing scheme!

The best way to enjoy the holidays is to prepare loads of appetizers get some good booze and share in the company of the people you like/love and value....

I only buy gifts for my kids, the salvation army kids and relative's kids...


By the way my brother introduced everyone to a chocolate martini yesterday...it was great... I only could taste a bit since I am on so many steriods right now...but it was divine!!! I will have to post the recipe when I get it because it makes a great holiday drink!

[Bertha Venation]

7. you're my kinda people, bleeding heart

:D

[bleedingheart]

8. ya know its only sad that we don't have more times

to just enjoy the spirt of other people's company... to be honest as an adult the best thing about the holidays is the fellowship...the gift giving stuff is overrated...

The only vice i have is decorating for my kids...they bring out the fun festive part of the holiday for me... so we are preparing the house for major decorating...

This summer I am going to host a soltice party to celebrate in the company of others as well as to help promote Dem party politics!...I hope to make it a new tradition.

[trof]

4. Did they call it "Secret Santa"?

:puke:

[bearfartinthewoods]

5. she-bear led a revolt against this nuttiness.

she posted on the employee BB "whoever gets my name in the gift exchange, please donate whatever you would have spent, to (and she named the shelter she works with)

then she signed her name. the next day there were seven more names on the announcement and it was decided to take up a collection for the shelter and skip the gifts.

[Bertha Venation]

6. I do not participate

I try to bring something small and homemade for all the staff on my floor. Last year it was little bags of Chex party mix. This year I'm thinking of making gingerbread people.

But to buy something for someone you barely know is just too damned shove-it-down-your-throat X-mas commercialistic buy-buy-buy-buy-buy shit. I hate it.

[supernova]

10. I hate forced office joviality

It's not that I haven't usually enjoyed my coworkers, some have been great company. By the same token I've certainly put up with my share of office bitches, goof-offs and back-stabbers.

But I dislike being asked to buy a present for someone who is at best an acquaintence, as if we're all supposed to prentend we really area close, lovey dovey family. :eyes:

[Heddi]

11. Argh. I HATE them

Mainly because I go to work because I HAVE to--not because I want to. Generally speaking, the people I am forced to work with are not the people I would choose to surround myself if given the option. They never are. Maybe 2 people MAX at where I work (at any given job) are okay people that are cool to hang out with, but the other 150 are just...assholes.

Secondly---I hate the faux "I liked you enough to get you a $10 gift" bullshit. These are the people that make my job harder, that give me more work to do, that come in late and don't get reprimanded, that leave early without a word from the manager, that take 4 hour lunches and talk personal on the phone all day---all without recourse. And I'm supposed to LIKE you enough to spend $20 on a gift?

I've found that in the 10+ years I've been legally able to work, the 'amount' for gift giving has increased dramatically. Used to be $10. Then it went up to $20. Then $25 or $30. What's next--$100???

I used to work at a company---the boss was Jewish (nothing wrong with that) and EXTREMELY extremely well off. I mean, this guy could wipe his ass with $100 dollar bills and not even notice the loss of $$.

Well, EVERY YEAR, the manager (who was up the boss's ass) would REQUIRE -- Yes, REQUIRE -- that every person in the office contribute THIRTY DOLLARS for his Channauka present. There were about 30 people there, so this asshole who couldn't find it in himself to give ANYONE a raise, no matter how long they've been working there, gets $900 worth of presents for Channauka.

THEN---Come Xmas time, we'd be required to cough up ANOTHER $20 for his Christmas Present (?????). So there's ANOTHER $600 for a Xmas present.

NOTHING he ever got was used. Once, the boss got him Polo-brand shirts (Like he was unable to buy these for himself if he wanted). NEVER wore them.

Once, she got him this fancy-schmancy radio. Sat unopened in his office for YEARS until one day it just wasn't there anymore. Guess he threw it away.

THEN, on top of coughing up $50 for the boss, The manager reminded us that SHE TOO deserved a present, as well as our other co-workers.

Now, this wasn't a high-paying job. It was lowly, menial, and bad paying. My mother worked there for 10 years and still wasn't making more thn $9 an hour.

If you DIDN'T give the manager the money, she would TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR PAYCHECK (illegal, I know).

98% of the people working there were single parents who were struggling to pay the bills. They didn't even spend $50 on their KIDS for Xmas---but they spent it on the cheap-ass boss.

Some years we got a Christmas Bonus---a free turkey ($15 value), or a box of Chocolates ($8 value).

The last year I worked there, the MINIMUM gift amount for your "Secret Santa" co-worker was $30 -- MINIMUM. You'd get so yelled at if you refused to participate, or if you spent under $30.

I have HATED Xmas giving shit since then. It's a waste of my time and money.

If I like someone well enough, and have the cash, I'll be happy to buy them a present because *I* want to---there should be no forcing about it. No peer pressure, no "let me see your recepit"

It also puts people like me at a disadvantage, because I enjoy making my holiday presents. This year, I'm making hand-made scarves (and I've got the carpal tunnel to prove it). Didn't cost more than $3 in yarn, but I spend at least 3+ days making each scarf....doesn't that count for SOMETHING?

One year, there was an Xmas party at the boss's house (not the cheap ass from above, another boss). Bring a present, we were told. NO limit. Don't feel pressured.

So I went to the DOllar Store and got some really nice candle holders and candles. You really couldn't tell they were from the dollar store at all.

Well, every other of my suck-ass co-workers bought in $45-dollar bottles of wine, or a $40 box of gourmet chocolates.

I didn't feel bad about my dollar store gift. They were nice candle holders. If someone else wants to be stupid and spend $50 on a bottle of wine, so be it. I'm not a dumbass (at least not with gift-giving).

So we did the present exchange, and the lady who got my present really really liked the candle holders. Then, some dumbass sales rep I worked with screeched out "Hey! You got those at the DOllar Store! I can't believe how cheap you are"????? Cheap? You mean SMART? The day I die is the day I spend $40 on chocolates for co-workers I can't stand.

[demnan]

12. Hate them

for all the reasons above and more. I did get one thoughtful (not expensive) gift from one of these things once. One of the LAN guys got me a little clock with picture frames (because I was always taking pictures for the LAN website) it was nice because it was very thoughtful and useful too.

I found the perfect gift for these kind of things. Dilbert calendars. Sends the right message to the right people, you know?

[arwalden]

13. Wow... I Read Every Word...

and I definitely understand your frustration. (And to think that *I* thought *I* hated it more than anyone else. You've definitely got me beat there.)

Love, Allen

[ProudGerman]

15. The day someone asks/tells me to get a gift for a higher up..

is the day I laugh right in their face. They make more money than us, usually tons more. The gift giving should be the other way around. I look at this way, and usually say it too, "I make you tons of money all year long, I am NOT gonna be buying you a gift for Xmas".

[philosophie_en_rose]

14. I hate them!

It always turns into a competition. Although I can find some great things under the price limit and fulfilling the lame theme, I resent having to take so much time to do it.

I sort of like "White Elephant" where you can only bring something that you truly consider to be junk. That way, no one has to spend money or have their feelings hurt.