I could strangle him!

[Gigi]

Background: I have a client(BWW) for whom  I do a lot of the Christmas stuff (shopping, goodie baskets, cards, wrapping, shipping) and organize all of the  special events at their home.  I've been doing this for many years. One of the other people who handles other things for the family (JR) is on the Christmas gift basket recipient list. I have also known JR for years and have had a good relationship with him.

As I was preparing the delivery dates for the baskets in December I happened to speak with JR.  During that conversation he mentioned his SO, who had been on tour for over a year, was coming home 12/20  and they were leaving the next day to spend a couple of weeks together.  They would be away for almost 3 weeks.  I mentioned that I'd have the basket delivered after they returned.  He went into a long dissertation about how it was not necessary, they can't or don't eat or drink many of the kinds of things that are normally in such baskets, there wasn't a thing they need, Christmas is for kids, make a charitable contribution instead  yada, yada, yada.

Now, I know BWW very well, and I know BWW wanted him to get something. I also know JR and SO like to go to movies frequently.  So, instead of a basket full of stuff they wouldn't use, I got him a bunch of tickets to the movie theatre chain with the most outlets in this area.  I don't mean a pair of tickets, I mean several pairs.  I personally put the tickets in his Christmas card and mailed it.

I just got a call from BWW asking if I had sent him a basket. When called about some work that needed to be handled he said he heard that some other people had gotten gifts from BWW but he had not. When BWW asked him if he was sure he hadn't gotten a basket, he replied that he had gotten nothing.  I outlined my convo with him and the fact that the movie tickets were of more use to him.  BWW just chuckled and then asked me to send him "The biggest, most obnoxious basket you can conjure up."

Fortunately BWW isn't annoyed at me, but I am sure annoyed at him!  So now I have to do obnoxious and I don't do obnoxious well!

[Rose2Bear]

Eh, If BWW asked you to send a basket in the first place, you probably should have just done that since it's really up to him. Do you assemble the baskets yourself? If you do, maybe you could have done one with tickets included in the basket - maybe some popcorn, some DVDs, etc.

Also, maybe its possible the card got lost in the mail?

[Suze]

Oh - sure you can - obnoxious is easy - tastfull is not.

best way to do obnoxious is to go to off brand stuff - if chocolate, don't get any of the good stuff, get the cheap stuff in the grocery aisle.

Clashing colors are also good. Oh and you could also get some tacky underwear to put in it.

((((((BAD SUZE ---- GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM))))))

Ok - I think I put my bad little self away. 

as I said obnoxious is easy - if you look at it and your little voice tells you that is not right for a basket -- get it, it will be perfect.

[EvilAlice]

He went into a long dissertation about how it was not necessary, they can't or don't eat or drink many of the kinds of things that are normally in such baskets, there wasn't a thing they need, Christmas is for kids, make a charitable contribution instead  yada, yada, yada.

It sounds like maybe he thought you were saying that you, personally, were going to send him a gift basket.  Was it clear that the movie tickets were from BWW and not you? Maybe he thought you were going to send, then once he got the movie tickets, tied it in his head to his conversation with you and somehow got the issue confused in his mind so that the movie tickets ended up being from you?

It was incredibly rude of him though to ask why he hadn't got his gift basket. 

[Gigi]

I actually have a lot of leeway in deciding about these gifts. BWW has huge problems making any kind of decision and just wants to write a check and not be involved too much in the choosing process.  Yeah, I know, strange, but if it's not a good gift it's not BWW's fault since I chose it.  I seem to have a knack for matching up gifts & recipients and I'm careful to be sure what they get is a good fit for them. It helps that I personally know 99% of the people on the list.  BWW gets the kudos for getting it right.  I get paid well to do it.  It's a win for everyone.  I do create many of the custom baskets during the year, but with the holiday crunch we sometimes use vendors that have given good service in the past.

Because JR has some health issues and cannot eat/drink a lot of things, and based on his stated preference the movie passes were sent instead.  I wish he had called me instead of BWW.  Now a bunch of $$ is going to be wasted sending him an "oopsie" gift that he won't use.  I hope he finds someone to pass it along to who will enjoy it.  I hate waste!

Since the tickets were in the Christmas card from BWW there's no way he would think they were a gift from me.  We don't exchange gifts.

The whole thing is just strange.  I'm going to check BWW's desk to see if the card was returned from the Post Office.  I'm probably going to call him too.

[Bijou]

I actually have a lot of leeway in deciding about these gifts. BWW has huge problems making any kind of decision and just wants to write a check and not be involved too much in the choosing process.  Yeah, I know, strange, but if it's not a good gift it's not BWW's fault since I chose it.  I seem to have a knack for matching up gifts & recipients and I'm careful to be sure what they get is a good fit for them. It helps that I personally know 99% of the people on the list.  BWW gets the kudos for getting it right.  I get paid well to do it.  It's a win for everyone.  I do create many of the custom baskets during the year, but with the holiday crunch we sometimes use vendors that have given good service in the past.

Because JR has some health issues and cannot eat/drink a lot of things, and based on his stated preference the movie passes were sent instead.  I wish he had called me instead of BWW.  Now a bunch of $$ is going to be wasted sending him an "oopsie" gift that he won't use.  I hope he finds someone to pass it along to who will enjoy it.  I hate waste!

Since the tickets were in the Christmas card from BWW there's no way he would think they were a gift from me.  We don't exchange gifts.

The whole thing is just strange.  I'm going to check BWW's desk to see if the card was returned from the Post Office.  I'm probably going to call him too.

Is it possible that he got the card and opened it but didn't realize there were tickets in the envelope?  If the tickets were not inserted into the card and the card placed with its opening toward the top of the envelope, he could have pulled out the card, completely missing the tickets.  Maybe he'll want to check the envelope. 

[Slartibartfast]

If it were me, I'd send a basket with all the things he complained he couldn't eat.  But then again, that's why BWW is hiring you and not me :-D

[Gigi]

Is it possible that he got the card and opened it but didn't realize there were tickets in the envelope?  If the tickets were not inserted into the card and the card placed with its opening toward the top of the envelope, he could have pulled out the card, completely missing the tickets.  Maybe he'll want to check the envelope.  

Nope, the tickets were inside the card and there was sufficient postage to cover the extra weight.

So here's what I did...He has been enrolled in a _____ of the month program.  He'll get an initial package this week and a package every month for a year.  It's stuff I know he can eat. On the surface it doesn't quite fill the obnoxious requirement, but actually he'll get his nose rubbed in it and he'll be stuck with writing a note to BWW every month.  He does write TY notes, I'll give him credit for that.
A bit PA on my part, I confess, but how can anyone complain about getting such a thoughtful gift?

[fklwmn]

I wonder if he got the card, assumed it was a christmas card and either threw it away without opening it, or else laid it down somewhere without opening it and never got back to it? He could find those tickets in June!!!

I second the idea that the movie tickets would have been better sent in a gift basket. I don't even think you HAVE to add popcorn or DVDs (though it would be a nice touch). since you were supposed to send a gift basket to him, it seems like that would have been better than sticking them in a card that might or might not get opened (says Trina, who opens Christmas cards, bills and checks, but not much of anything else!)

[ShadesOfGrey]

Now a bunch of $$ is going to be wasted sending him an "oopsie" gift that he won't use.  I hope he finds someone to pass it along to who will enjoy it.  I hate waste!

Perhaps he has someone that he passes the basket off to every year, and he's upset because this year he didnt have one to give? His actions are tacky still, but the only thing I can think of.