jean111 Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 We had a pollyana (sp?) at work today with an app. $20 amount. I gave a Burt Bees gift pack, found through this site (a good gift, I thought). Almost everyone else gave gift cards! Is that what is done now, just exchanging gifts cards? Am I missing something? Has anyone else found this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 We stopped doing Secret Santa at work because people just put down gift cards on want list. Might as well have been exchanging $20 notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean111 Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 Exactly how I felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I find that a lot of people put down gift cards because we don't really know each other well. I have more fun on the days preceding (we do dollar type gifts for 4 days and then a 10-15 dollar gift on the last day). The sneaking around and plotting to get it on the desk without being seen is the fun part. Once again I drew someone that sits right across from me (2 years ago I was in a simialr position on a different team). SHe knows that I work ding to dong as a 10 hour person so I have to be crafty when I get it on her desk. Tomorrow I'm thinking of getting a senior from another team to bring it to her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scanner420 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I stopped because of the giftcard thing. This year, I suggested that everyone chip $20.00 for a Kureig, but they turned me down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I stopped because of the giftcard thing. This year, I suggested that everyone chip $20.00 for a Kureig, but they turned me down! That sounds like a great idea. I've thought about getting DH one, but he drinks black coffee 95% of the time. So its less expensive to just brew it in the coffee maker he already has. (Kitchenaid $100, got it for $8 online return @ Target!)Now if people in his office decided to chip in on one for their department then I would be all for it. Just so he could have a vanilla latte when he wants one. You should try again next year and mention how nice it would be to have a vanilla latte with out having to waste time on lunch breaks driving to a coffee shop and they would save some money too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I feel like this is what family gift exchanges are turning in to also. We get the exact same $25 gift card from DH's brother and SIL (5 years) and its more a gift card for DH then it is for the both of us. I like to spend time getting a great gift for them and DH has said if I want to give them a gift card too then we should, but I don't like the idea of trading gift cards. Ugh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 The gift card thing seems to bypass the whole spirit and is basically giving someone $x amount of money just to get it back so as a department we decided against it. Supervisor actually mentioned it earlier but other person didn't respond and I didn't want to pressure her since we'll be jobless come April there's only the 3 of us left. (I'll probably get them each a little something since they've really been very good to me.) On the other end of the spectrum the Supervisor is in on one with management and she commented how stupid it was to even have a wish list as ppl should just pick stuff they think you'd like :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean111 Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 And that was the other idea they had.....if we did not do Secret Santa, then we would pick names and get a list of three items that person would want. If some one tells you want they want, where is the fun and element of surprise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scanner420 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 That sounds like a great idea. You should try again next year and mention how nice it would be to have a vanilla latte with out having to waste time on lunch breaks driving to a coffee shop and they would save some money too. Thanks, but I'm not a Lattte kinda guy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverstreak24 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 At my work, we all just exchanged giftcards last year and it was boring. This year, we had to bring actual gifts valued at $25.00 and noone knew who brought what...it had to be non-gender specific and we have people of all ages, but I know the people at my work all LOVE chocolate, so I went to dillards and bought a huge 3lb box of gourmet chocolate for around $30.00....that was last week, this week the recipient of the chocolate told me how annoyed she was that all she got was a lousy box of chocolates....I guess, sometimes you just can't win lol! :0) (I didn't tell her I brought the chocolates cause she would have felt like an idiot because she was complaining to me about them...I felt bad she didn't like it though...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 At my work, we all just exchanged giftcards last year and it was boring. This year, we had to bring actual gifts valued at $25.00 and noone knew who brought what...it had to be non-gender specific and we have people of all ages, but I know the people at my work all LOVE chocolate, so I went to dillards and bought a huge 3lb box of gourmet chocolate for around $30.00....that was last week, this week the recipient of the chocolate told me how annoyed she was that all she got was a lousy box of chocolates....I guess, sometimes you just can't win lol! :0) (I didn't tell her I brought the chocolates cause she would have felt like an idiot because she was complaining to me about them...I felt bad she didn't like it though...)You can be my secret santa anyday!!! Don't know anyone on my team that would have complained about that gift!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokanm Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Hey some people are never happy . I know very few people who would not be thrilled with gourmet chocolates. If they didn't like it they could even regift it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 this week the recipient of the chocolate told me how annoyed she was that all she got was a lousy box of chocolates.... That is kinda lousy I mean if you don't like it regift it :) (especially if you may be complaining to someone who bought it for you with kindness). When my brother worked at the bank they did something similar but they selected some order and as each person picked they could keep what they got or swap with someone else's gift. Not sure if this was prior to unwrapping or not but I always thought that was a cool way of doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I know many, many people that would LOVE the gift of chocolate. Every year DH gets a gift basket from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory from one of the vendors he buys from and he enjoys it so much. He is a football/tech guy and has tons of toys and he LOVES chocolate! (and coffee) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2Four Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 We got sick of the gift card thing so this year for our Christmas party everyone brought an unwrapped toy to give to the Salvation Army. We all felt much more satisfied! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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