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What do you buy your boss for Christmas? merged


jarerice

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When I worked the girls in the office all went together and got the boss a detail certificate for his car one year. He REALLY needed it. Another year we had an aerial photographer take a picture of their house and property. He loved that. One year we got him an Ohio State Lamp that kind of had the Tiffany lamp look to it.

My boss was a dentist so it was really hard to think of stuff to get him that he didn't already have.

For his wife, who was our office manager, we would get a spa gift certificate, or a big basket of Mary Kay stuff...that kind of thing.

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I work for my self now, but the last job that I had a boss at, I was pondering the same thing. However, one day he mentioned how much he used to love to play chess. I found a really nice frosted glass chess set marked down and bought it for him. He thanked me and thanked me. He said he and his daughter got lots of use out of it. They had not played for years and it brought them closer together.
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In the past I have given gift baskets of homemade goodies but frankly the amount of appreciation given isn't worth the amount of work that goes into it. (Ditto for the family members that received the same baskets)

 

Last year I gave big cookies in tins that I picked up at WalMart. Same thing I gave to regular co-workers. I am not even sure that anyone of my multiple managers even thanked me and of the co-workers it was minimal. Some co-workers that I am closer to got bottles of wine but again unless I handed it directly to them they did not even say thanks. This year I am swearing off gifts in the workplace but will probably break down at the last minute (I always do).

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In the past I have given gift baskets of homemade goodies but frankly the amount of appreciation given isn't worth the amount of work that goes into it. (Ditto for the family members that received the same baskets)

 

Last year I gave big cookies in tins that I picked up at WalMart. Same thing I gave to regular co-workers. I am not even sure that anyone of my multiple managers even thanked me and of the co-workers it was minimal. Some co-workers that I am closer to got bottles of wine but again unless I handed it directly to them they did not even say thanks. This year I am swearing off gifts in the workplace but will probably break down at the last minute (I always do).

I know what you mean about the thanks. I work in a small company. I am one of two managers and we have 7 staff. The head manager gives all of us a 20 dollar gc to walmart every year and I use my Gotta deal skills and tricks to get each staff and the other manager a valuable gift at a fraction of the cost. I did the homemade goodies to hear them picking it apart like "she knows I don't like this and she knows my kids don't like that" type thing. So that is when I started doing small gifts. They know that I do this for the other manager as well.

 

Well the lady that takes charge of the staff always has each staff member donate 10 dollars for each of us. (I guess this is where you learn that although he is head manager of the plant, I have direct supervision of most of the staff by myself but they hate me because I won't take any crap and he plays favorites.). Anyway, they always come to me to beg 10 dollars from me as well. But they never go to him to beg money for my gift, because he has already given me one? Go figure. any way.... I don't care if they give me a darn thing because I know it's a show for the other manager to think they are so wonderful... but they collect $80 total for him and $70 for me. But he gets a gift card for $100 and I get a gift card for $50. It's not the amount, but it's the fact that the lady that does it probably doesn't tell the other ones what she is doing. And to top it off he left the card out last year where I saw it and it had everyone's name signed to it except mine. pfffftt.....

 

I am considering this year telling them that after buying the staff gifts I don't have the extra $10. I am sure he can still get 100 and I can just get 40... lol..... Then they can feel crappy when they think I spent a fortune on them all.. I got them the electronic organizers that were on sale at office depot a couple months ago for 99 cents each... jokes on them... lol....

 

But again, I wouldn't care but I get no thank yous or anything but I hear them just gushing thanking him for their gc's. I want to say "wake up people, he figures raises and he probably gives himself enough extra each year to cover that... "

 

I think I sound bitter.. I need a new job. ...

 

Dear Santa......

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I work for myself and I get nothing. I do daycare and give kids a gift i spend 10$ on each one and then , I give the parents a tray of cookies we make and candy as well.

 

I don't know I willdo it this year, we are going on vacation and after feeling like they don't appreciate me when I watch later then I am open etc etc. I guess I figure why spend all the extra money and time and effort when it seems they can not get me a simple card. I get along great with all of them just seems weird to not get someone who takes care of your kids all year a simple card would be nice. Its not the amount but the thought that counts.

this year maybe a year of only cookies!

 

Dh got a gift card to eat at a place that is not even in our area that we live .... talk about stupid! he is a food sales rep and the main office is 2 hours away. the gift certificate is for a restuarant in that are! you would think they would get him one for were we live not for a place hours away... not like we drive 2 hours to eat at Chilis restaurant!

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Seeing as I'm full time stay at home mom now I guess that makes me my own boss so I'll have to buy something for myself! :)

 

Seriously though, there's always my husband's boss who happens to be a very nice lady and any other number of people he decides to do something for. That means it's my job to come up with something; his idea is always gift cards. Me, I'd prefer to make some of those recipes in a jar unless something pops up on BF.

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My boss is my dad. But last year, I got him a gift basket filled with GC to a hotel in a close tourist/casino resort in New Mexico, a gas GC, a resturant GC and lots of snacks for the trip. It seems excessive, but he is my dad too. Maybe a good idea for an office group to do. I worked out great. He took the trip during work time, so I go a vacation from the "boss" too.
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I work for a small family owned business. Each year we all chip in to buy a gift for the owner and his wife. It has varied from gift certificates for B&B, gift cards, etc. This year we are having a portrait made to match those of his dad and grandfather.

 

In addition, we also used to do Secret Santa, but have started a tradition of something much more keeping with the spirit of the season. We take the money we used to use to buy each other gifts we really didn't need, and use it to sponsor a child in foster care. We get the age, gender, and a wish list for each child we sponsor, and shop for gifts for them instead. It is so much fun to shop for them and know you are making Christmas better for someone truly in need.

 

Depending on the boss, perhaps you could sponsor a child in their name, or make a donation in their name to a favorite cause or charity of theirs.

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  • 1 month later...

Last year I heard him mention he broken their blender making drinks with ice. So when I saw a Kitchenaid blender on sale for $40 (reg $120) I asked the other 3 people to pitch in $10 and he was thrilled.

 

Thanks to GottaDeal this year he is receiving a Marbolo(?) BBQ set. The others can do their own shopping. Or not.

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I am not buying my boss anything as a Xmas gift. I get ornaments for everyone in the office... but I don't buy Xmas gifts for coworkers.

 

saying that... my boss is my friend, and I will likely get her a present which will be given outside of work ;)

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they hate me because I won't take any crap and he plays favorites.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

And that, JB would insure that you got a nice gift from me if you were my boss. I can't stand bosses who play favorites. My boss does it all the time and his favorites are the ones who walk around and do nothing but snitch on other people or sleep on the job (I am 3rd shift). And no, they haven't snitched on me, they can't get anything on me.

 

My boss is not well liked at all. One year one co worker tried to take up a collection to buy him a gift and got a grand total of $11 and that is from a staff of around 30 people. Even his faves wont put in for him a gift because they probably don't really like him either.

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Thankfully, when I worked, we just did a Secret Santa exchange, boss included. It was nice, as it's hard enough to figure out what to get some family members (for me). If I had a boss to buy for, I'd probably do a gift basket of things they liked to drink/snack on--or a gift card to somewhere I knew they shopped/ate at.
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Maybe some homemade scottish shortbread? It's super easy to make - it's just butter, flour and sugar.

 

QUOTE]

 

I'd be worried that he'd take it wrong...Like---Gee-I'm scottish--& you made me shortbread! Ha-Ha. Very funny.

 

However---when I read that "my boss is scottish" that was my first response too. I Love shortbread! And it IS easy!!!!!!!

 

I just wouldn't want it to look stereotypical. Know what I mean?

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