AIBU Secret Santa

[MrsFezziwig]

Having read about the twentieth thread this year where Secret Santa has gone wrong - crap presents, people left out, passive-aggressive presents, too much/too little spent, AIBU to think we should just bin the whole concept? Can anyone reassure me with examples of how their work/school/family life has been immeasurably enriched by the Secret Santa experience?

[curryforbreakfast]

Having read about the twentieth thread this year where Secret Santa has gone wrong - crap presents, people left out, passive-aggressive presents, too much/too little spent, AIBU to think we should just bin the whole concept?

You've read lots of threads about relationships gone wrong, should we bin the concept of relationships? Lots of problems with families, we should bin those too. And food, lots of food related complaints, we should ditch the concept of food.

[Boynamedsue]

I was thinking this exact thing yesterday. Does anyone actually like it?! You either get a crap 'novelty' gift which ends up in the bin or a bottle of wine and I'd rather just spend the tenner myself and buy wine I actually like.

I think in families it's quite nice if you only buy for kids and do Secret Santa for adults but at work it should be banned gavel

[anyoldname76]

i like secret santa, last years present wasnt my favourite but i enjoy the whole gift giving feeling, I like the people at work and its nice to give a gift to someone you spend 40hours a week with, this way means i only have to get one gift but everyone is happy, at my workplace you can opt out if you want but no one has.

[ScreamingValenta]

I wouldn't say my life has been 'immeasurably enriched,' but I've had some nice, thoughtful presents in my time. A colleague I didn't know very well once bought me a lovely pair of gloves - I'd been moaning about losing a glove a couple of weeks beforehand - he must have remembered - I was very impressed!

[curryforbreakfast]

We do NOT need Secret Santa!

i bloody do! We do it for my family, and I have to get two presents instead of 20, so you can prise it from my cold dead hands.

[RaeSkywalker]

I won’t be doing it at work next year- more trouble than it’s worth!

I am doing it with other parents from baby group though- will do that again, because we’ve all written a list of things we’d like, so it’s easy and fun.

[LivingDeadGirlUK]

I organise it in my office and its always good fun. Its a small company so we all know each other pretty well. There are people who leave it to the last min but I check there is a gift for everyone before handing them out.

[Allthewaves]

Tell me about it. Person at work decided to do one where u have to opt out of it. So forcing people into it. I said no but my name was still put in so suprise present for me (I was even there) and two people didn't receive presents.

[MrsFezziwig]

curryforbreakfast I must admit I struggle to see the place of Secret Santa in the world as being on a par with relationships, families and food - but I also approve the application of extreme logic so obviously YANBU

[Redinthefacegirl]

There are 18 adults in my immediate family (not including DH) so family secret Santa saves me a bomb and means adults have a gift to open.
Then I do 2 more sets of secret Santa with school and uni friends kids. We could not bother but it's nice to think about others with out getting overwhelmed (4 vrs 21 gifts). So I'm a fan.
Avoid work ones like the plague.

[curryforbreakfast]

Well the logic was sound even if the examples are extreme! If you got rid of everything that people bitch about on here we wouldn't have much left, would we?

[Glumglowworm]

About six years ago I had a wonderful secret Santa gift where the person had put thought into it and I genuinely loved it, fairly sure it was over budget too.

Every other year I’ve had generic stuff, nothing awful but stuff I can easily live without.

BUT getting to dress up as Santa to hand gifts out is the highlight of my working life, so I think it should stay

[HerRoyalNotness]

I'm with you. We just did one with baubles, in theory we all should have ended up with a beautiful bauble for the tree as the budget was generous. In practice about 5 got beautiful.baubles, 10 were nice, 4 people ended up with rubbish and 1 person has 2 red and white painted glasses that look like they came out of someone's cupboard. that went straight in the bin

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

I ran a very successful Secret Santa for dozens of us at work for about a decade with much wine and many mince pies. Basically a piss-up paid for by the company with gifts thrown in. Marvellous.

[Ikanon]

I think it's cos I live in hope of a good one. I said 'I just want it to be thoughtful

I got a mirror and a shit smelling candle.

But the person I bought for worked out it was from me and emailed to say thank you it was great. Some of the presents made the receiver so happy (50%?) Are those good enough odds?

I've had some super ones in the past.

[IncyWincyGrownUp]

I have enjoyed buying for my work secret Santa. I was lucky enough to pick out a colleague I get in with, and I’ve bought something that I absolutely know will make her giggle.

[OhBeggerItsMorning]

I used to clean a school, so I was in after hours compared with the rest of the staff, so didn't necessarily get announcements made during the day. One year the secret santa was moved forward a day and no one told me, so the present I gave was a day late. It was also for my son's teacher!

The next year, I was determined it wouldn't happen again so made sure I took my present in early. Unfortunately I had also noticed a name left in the box we chose our names from (on the staffroom windowsill I wiped down every day) so someone else was going to be left out. I'd spotted some nice scarves in a local shop that were more expensive than the limit, but they had been marked down to well below the limit so bought one in case it was needed as an 'extra' gift. If not needed I would keep it for myself.

Being nosey, the evening before exchange, I looked at the wrapped presents to see whose had been delivered early (part-timers leaving them on their last day working before opening presents day, people being super organised etc) and noticed that one person had two presents. The only two people with the same first name, organiser hadn't put surname initial on slips of paper for choosing and two people had bought for the same one (and put last initial on tag). Thankfully we had a nice bottle of wine from previous school Christmas presents. I don't like most wine and DH will only drink one glass then rest gets left so long it ends up being wasted, so we tend to re-gift them. Bought a wine bag so we had an extra present if needed.

Next day, last Friday of school, going out for Christmas meal and secret santa exchange. Thought I'd better give the organiser of secret santa a heads up about what I'd spotted. Said had extra presents if needed. They checked the presents after everyone had dropped them off and the extra two were needed. They were very grateful to me, I felt very smug happy. Made up for previous year when I'd been late with my present, as the organiser was the person I'd brought the present in late for that year!

When coming back to school after Christmas holidays the lady who had received the scarf was wearing it, really suited it and used it a lot. I felt more smug then. Person who had been missed didn't realise they'd been left out, was still training and a part-timer so wasn't hugely well paid and really appreciated a nice bottle of wine.

Secret santa is rife for going wrong and not worth the hassle to do in the workplace. Only works when done properly and everyone brings in their present.