Work Christmas Present Exchange Vent

[ehellion]

Just need to vent. Thanks in advance. My husband's work has been talking about exchanging gifts for some time. Dh and I get our Christmas shopping done early (as in July-completely done by November) because we don't want to go shopping during December. It's complete and utter chaos out there, lol. We don't need the extra stress.

So, everyone at his work is wondering if they're going to be exchanging gifts. My husband wants to know because he'll have to venture out into Christmas shopping hell and it just keeps getting worse as Christmas approaches. His work decides no Christmas gift exchange. Whew! Great news.

Last night they say they've changed their minds and everyone had to draw a name out of a hat. (Of course DH drew his own and had to pick another name, lol. I told him he should've kept his own name, lol. Yes, it would've threw everything off, but I thought it was funny.)

So tonight, the week before Christmas, THE WORST WEEK FOR SHOPPING, DH has to venture out into shopping hell and buy his coworker a present. *sigh* Just when you think you have all your holiday shopping done, lol.....

[Brentwood]

How well does he know this co-worker? Is there a price limit? We on the board here might be able to offer some suggestions to make it easier for your husband.

[platys]

This is when online shopping is useful, unless they actually mean to exchange this week.  Yikes!

I have Amazon Prime (for I am an addicted internet shopper) so I've been taking full advantage of free two-day shipping.  But a lot of sites this year have pretty cheap, fast shipping - overstock.com, for example.

[kingsrings]

Just need to vent. Thanks in advance. My husband's work has been talking about exchanging gifts for some time. Dh and I get our Christmas shopping done early (as in July-completely done by November) because we don't want to go shopping during December. It's complete and utter chaos out there, lol. We don't need the extra stress.

So, everyone at his work is wondering if they're going to be exchanging gifts. My husband wants to know because he'll have to venture out into Christmas shopping hell and it just keeps getting worse as Christmas approaches. His work decides no Christmas gift exchange. Whew! Great news.

Last night they say they've changed their minds and everyone had to draw a name out of a hat. (Of course DH drew his own and had to pick another name, lol. I told him he should've kept his own name, lol. Yes, it would've threw everything off, but I thought it was funny.)

So tonight, the week before Christmas, THE WORST WEEK FOR SHOPPING, DH has to venture out into shopping hell and buy his coworker a present. *sigh* Just when you think you have all your holiday shopping done, lol.....

Okay, I don't understand this "have to" business. I have never, ever worked at a company where the gift exchange was mandatory. It has always been completely voluntary, and those who don't want to participate certainly don't have to and aren't peer-pressured by anyone to do so. Not only that, but your DH's company inconvenienced everyone even more so by first saying that there wasn't a gift exchange, and then changing their minds. I think your husband and everyone else was well within their rights to turn down this little inconvenience, but if he has already given in and drawn a name, then he's stuck now. You might want to advise him to avoid the crowds and shopping hell just by stopping in at a Starbucks or something similar and grabbing a gift card. That is much less stressful and time-consuming than the malls or shopping centers.

[ehellion]

Yeppers. I feel this "have to" business is ridiculous myself. I told DH so, too. But he didn't want to be a party pooper. Everyone but DH thought this gift exchange would be fun *eye roll*. At least everyone agreed they didn't want to particiapte in the Christmas Dinner.

Ahhh, the grand Christmas Dinner to thank all the employees for their hard work. Heck, even my frugal bosses at my work have a dinner and invite the spouses. Not DH's work, lol. Employee's only. Luckily everyone told the supervisors they would rather get a Christmas bonus or something they could enjoy with their families as their Christmas thank you. So that means nothing this year, lol.

Well, Dh drew the name last night (Monday) and the gift is due Wednesday (tomorrow), so he's just going to go to Best Buy and get his coworker a dvd relating to something he's interested in. I absolutely love internet shopping, so to have this last minute Christmas gift exchange kind of put me out.


BTW, this response is supposed to for to "All" but I'm still figuring out how to work this new forum, lol.

[hobish]

BTW, this response is supposed to for to "All" but I'm still figuring out how to work this new forum, lol.

"All" is the default reply on this forum, and from what we've gathered, it's the only way to be able to reply.

[ehellion]

Oh, okay. That's what I thought. Thank you! How do I respond to a particular person? Do I hit quote? Or is there no way to respond to a particular person and just have to do it in the order it's posted? (Did that make sense, lol? I have a head cold and am not sure if I make any sense; not that I usually do, hehe.)

[melodrama]

Sigh.  At least you get a real gift exchange.  My company used to do that, now we do "White Elephant".  Which would be fine, if everyone played by the same rules. 

But last year,--despite the organizer sending an e-mail with guidelines--gifts varied wildly from boxes of Radco ornaments (very expensive) to wine samplers (not a white elephant gift!) to a plastic heart shaped locket with a picture of my boss inside (which I got, TYVM)

I dread it this year...

[magicdomino]

So did everyone draw names on Monday night for an exchange on Wednesday?  I predict a lot of presents will be coming out of re-gift closets at that company. 

[kingsrings]

Oh, I hate it when people don't play by the gift exchange rules! One year I went to a party where the rule was that the gifts couldn't be more than $10. So some people proceeded to bring gifts that clearly were in the $25 range. This made the rest of our gifts look cheap in comparison. I do like the White Elephant kind of gift exchange because then I can get rid of stuff I don't want anymore. That locket thing sounds like a joke gift, but if it wasn't a joke gift exchange, then it was inappropriate to give. What is a wine sampler?

[ehellion]

So did everyone draw names on Monday night for an exchange on Wednesday?  I predict a lot of presents will be coming out of re-gift closets at that company. 

Yep, lol. I only wish we had something to regift. Is that bad, lol? Nope, Dh is putting real thought into this. Hopefully he doesn't receive a plastic heart locket with a picture of his coworker in it *snicker*

[ehellion]

Sigh.  At least you get a real gift exchange.  My company used to do that, now we do "White Elephant".  Which would be fine, if everyone played by the same rules. 

But last year,--despite the organizer sending an e-mail with guidelines--gifts varied wildly from boxes of Radco ornaments (very expensive) to wine samplers (not a white elephant gift!) to a plastic heart shaped locket with a picture of my boss inside (which I got, TYVM)

I dread it this year...

A plastic heart shaped locket with a picture of your boss in it....you're killing me! That is so funny, but it's not, lol. Hopefully you'll get wine samplers so you'll have something to get you through this fiasco, lol.

[ehellion]

Oh, okay. That's what I thought. Thank you! How do I respond to a particular person? Do I hit quote? Or is there no way to respond to a particular person and just have to do it in the order it's posted? (Did that make sense, lol? I have a head cold and am not sure if I make any sense; not that I usually do, hehe.)

Hey, lookie! I figured it out! Go me! Woo-hoo!

[ehellion]

How well does he know this co-worker? Is there a price limit? We on the board here might be able to offer some suggestions to make it easier for your husband.

Can you believe the price limit is $20!? I thought that was a bit steep, but maybe I'm just frugal, lol. I figured maybe $10 tops. I usually spend $5 on my coworker here in my little office.

[BatCity]

This is where having a box of miscellaneous gifts comes in really handy.

DH got roped into one of those last week...while I was out of the country (what...didn't you all miss me?)!!!  He sent me an email griping about it, and I told him to go to the guest room closet, drag out the box and pick something.

Boy, was he happy.  And it didn't hurt that the recipient was someone he doesn't care for who's already put in her notice.