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Do you buy your co-workers or bosses Christmas gifts?

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  • Oct 31st, 2014 8:54 am
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User avatar
Jun 28, 2012
5562 posts
815 upvotes
Calgary

Do you buy your co-workers or bosses Christmas gifts?

If so, who and how much do you spend on them?

Does it make you look cheap if you dont?
22 replies
Deal Addict
Mar 10, 2011
2583 posts
798 upvotes
Toronto
I have worked for various large companies and no I never give presents. It does not look bad at all. In fact giving a gift may make it look like one is trying curry favor with a superior.
About all I see is female employees bringing in treats..ie cookies or chocolates for everybody but thats it.
Deal Addict
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Oct 3, 2010
1903 posts
186 upvotes
1st company = no gifts to give or receive
2nd company = manager gave a gift card (5-10 bucks) to all subordinates & employees did not give anything to the manager. The following year the manager didn't give anything.
3rd company = no gifts to give or receive. Half of the people in my department are on vacation.
Deal Fanatic
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Dec 15, 2004
6654 posts
1455 upvotes
I would do it if I am the boss or it's a company thing to exchange gifts.
if not then I would just avoid it.
it doesn't make you look cheap if you don't buy gift, but it will make you look like sucking up to someone if you buy.
Deal Addict
Feb 27, 2013
1195 posts
144 upvotes
Montreal
no but i do bring cookies, cakes or candies from time to time
Deal Guru
Nov 21, 2011
11402 posts
5239 upvotes
Definitely don't.. I don't expect it either. Maybe a card here or there but not more than that.
Deal Fanatic
Sep 5, 2002
6630 posts
964 upvotes
We are required to give 15% of biweekly salary to our manager and 20% of salary to project manager.

It makes the holidays a tough time. :(
Deal Addict
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Oct 3, 2010
1903 posts
186 upvotes
Anyone work for a company that celebrate the christmas tradition "Secret Santa" at work?
Deal Addict
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May 4, 2010
1863 posts
582 upvotes
No, no gifts. I would find that weird/awkward. Bring in treats for the department or something.
Member
Sep 10, 2012
274 posts
39 upvotes
My previous (small) company did a gift grab thing, which is supposed to wind up with people going around in a circle, picking a random present and opening it, and then the next person can take that or take another gift, but the stealing part never really happened. The first year I was there the value was ridiculously low - $5 (it's hard to think of ideas that cheap that aren't "a box of chocolates", I made biscotti and I think I spent $5 on the pistachios :P), the next year it was more like $15.

Current company doesn't really do anything. I really hope JohnB is joking.
Deal Addict
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Jul 19, 2012
1988 posts
339 upvotes
Canada
no, i don't ..... i wouldn't waste a single penny on those leeches at work.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 27, 2009
5755 posts
7939 upvotes
Ontario
JohnB wrote: We are required to give 15% of biweekly salary to our manager and 20% of salary to project manager.

It makes the holidays a tough time. :(
Why (in a contract or something)?? Like the employees are giving the managers their holiday bonuses? Do you get a CRA tax credit for your income tax return for doing that (are the percentages based on gross income or net income)? What do the managers give the employees?
Member
Jan 21, 2012
362 posts
61 upvotes
SCARBOROUGH
I once went above and beyond for coworkers....
no one really did the same for me and i looked like a fool........

dont do it, IMO.
I gave Whiskey and Liquer to the team. about...5-7 people...300 dollars all together...
Sr. Member
Jan 5, 2009
573 posts
52 upvotes
Toronto, ON
I've participated in a kris kringle/secret santa the past few years, $10 max and usually it's giving a $10 SBUX gift card and receiving a $10 timmys. Usually female employees bring in home-baked treats/store bought. Never bought my boss anything and my boss usually saves up promotional/ discountinued merchandise and raffles it out at xmas. Usually a dinner nearby to the workplace which the company pays for
Deal Addict
Feb 7, 2006
2470 posts
1415 upvotes
Appak02 wrote: I once went above and beyond for coworkers....
no one really did the same for me and i looked like a fool........

dont do it, IMO.
I gave Whiskey and Liquer to the team. about...5-7 people...300 dollars all together...

Damn, same thing happened to me at my first job - didn't spend a TON of money, but put in a lot of thought into each person's gift. In return, I got absolutely nothing. I wasn't expecting much, but to get 0 from everyone was a bit sad. Either way, I learned my lesson and would rather spend my $$ on family and friends (and myself!), not co-workers.
Deal Expert
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Oct 13, 2009
21200 posts
10721 upvotes
Iqaluit, NU
I once got severely gypped on a bad Santa game. I've also won big

Big win:

Had a see you next Tuesday boss with an even bigger douchebag VP. Douchebag paints a picture and wraps it up as a gift (I kid you not). Brown nosing c u next Thursday picks the POS painting and just to be an ass I steal it from her. Sadness ensues for her and pure satisfaction ensues for me. I wound up giving the pic to my stoner friends but that's neither here nor there. My satisfaction level was over 9000 + 5.

Big loss:

Bought a Canadian club gift set for bad Santa in another company. When my turn to pick comes up I get a bottle of goose given by my boss. Chick in AP decided to steal my goose at the bitter end of the game and I wind up with tacky POS $2 bejeweled salad tongs. You just don't go around stealing a mans goose. Just ain't right.

Moral of the story: don't be an ass and give anything other than alcohol at Christmas
Member
User avatar
Nov 24, 2007
206 posts
23 upvotes
Kaon
We used to do a serect santa with a max budget amount. We had girl that baked she'd make everyone personal treat tins.
Deal Guru
May 29, 2006
10930 posts
3663 upvotes
we get a company gift, which includes a grocery gift card, a ornament/Christmas themed gift, and a bonus, which is based on years of service.

then for the 15 of us in administration, we have a pizza party with gifts/you can steal gifts

plus the CEO takes the 15 of us to a fancy restaurant for lunch with drinks.

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