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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Passive / Agressive Leaving Gift

138 replies

MadamCantona · 13/10/2016 23:37

I used to work in a very male environment; the type of place where the testosterone was so heavy I started to grow a beard and most other females worked in an admin capacity.
I don't want to sound ungrateful (a theme that follows throughout this post) but I hate any leaving 'do' that involves me and tried to exit this role with as least fuss as possible. My leaving gifts were what you would expect from a load of men who chuck money at a problem at the last minute; massive flowers, chocolates and a gift card; obviously all women love chocolate and can easily manipulate a huge bouquet on the Tube whilst heavily pregnant (see what I mean about sounding ungrateful?). However, I know my ex-boss would have relegated the tedious task to his PA, a Lady - who I could not get on with at any level, despite doing all the usual when I started - why don't we do coffee/ lunch / drinks? Offering to help with business and social events etc.
I've just opened the gift card - it's a Cowshed gift card - lovely, you might say. However, it can only be redeemed in store - not online - and I have no idea what the value is so reluctant to re-gift and pass any possible 'schlep' on. I do wonder about the message of the card; 'Cow' being the operative word and that she must have gone out of her way to purchase it!

OP posts:
MadHattersWineParty · 14/10/2016 00:21

Christ it was probably only supposed to be a treat!

QueenLizIII · 14/10/2016 00:24

I'll take it off your hands.

viques · 14/10/2016 00:34

How ungrateful. Make sure you write them a thank you card but remember to forget to mention how thoughtful it was to get you a gift from a high end baby friendly cosmetic company, instead tell them that flowers bring on your hay fever and the chocolates made you vomit.

0pti0na1 · 14/10/2016 00:39

I've never heard of Cowshed, but if the voucher is going to be more trouble than it's worth, you could quietly sell it on eBay.

Redglitter · 14/10/2016 00:40

If anything she's gone right out her way to find something she thought would be nice for you.

You sound very ungrateful and are definitely reading far too much into it.

Motherfuckers · 14/10/2016 00:49

You are reading waaaaaay too much into this. My last gifts were from fat face and hairy growler, what does that say about me? Grin

LilQueenie · 14/10/2016 00:50

cowshed is great and yabu. If this the attitude you had whilst working there then Im surprised you were given such a nice gift. Who cares that you cant use the voucher online. Are you going to spend the rest of your pregnancy in the house?

LuluJakey1 · 14/10/2016 00:51

Well if the 'cow' is intended to be an insult, it is well-deserved and you are a very worthy recipient based on your post.

Lynnm63 · 14/10/2016 00:51

I'd never heard of them either but they have a corporate gifting section. Maybe your company always gives from this company. They might keep a few of different amounts for this ind of situation or other corporate gift situations. I think your pregnancy hormones are overthinking things.

QueenLizIII · 14/10/2016 00:51

Id rather have been given that than my last leaving present from work.

Yono · 14/10/2016 00:53

Sounds ok to me. Could you call cowshed and ask how much the voucher Is for?

wonderingsoul · 14/10/2016 00:54

Ybvvvvu

Its a leaving present that 1 they didnt need to get you

2 you had 2 genic gifts and 1 thoughtfull but not to your tatse gifts

Im really struggling to think how you see the passive agressive vibes

Out if curiosety what would have been an ok gift?

KoalaDownUnder · 14/10/2016 00:59

Bloody depresses me that people think like this.

Glastokitty · 14/10/2016 01:00

That's a lovely gift, and I can beat you hands down on the worst work gift ever. After eight increasingly unhappy years in my last job, I hadn't told anyone at work that I was planning to emigrate to Australia. Once our visas were sorted and our stuff was shipped, I took great delight in handing in my notice to my utter cow of a boss (who had many times expressed a wish to move to a hot country). I did my months notice, and chattering away about my plans (driving my bully boss mad), and on my last day was presented with a card, and a bottle of Jacob's Creek! The excuse given was that they knew I wouldn't want anything bulky to carry. Grin. Clever of them really.
The miserable fuckers then asked me to send an email when I got settled in, I made sure to send some lovely photos. Grin.

On tha practical note I'm sure if you ring the Cowshed shop they can tell you how much credit is on your card so you can use or re-gift as you please.

Somersetlady · 14/10/2016 01:01

Has the woman who bought the gifts been pregnant recently, does she use the tube?
Massively overthinking it probably but rather than berate your miserley character prehaps its possible to put it down to oversensitivity due to pregnancy hormones!

Why not go and get a massage early in your maternity leave to reduce the tension and negativity you are currently feeling?

MadisonAvenue · 14/10/2016 01:06

You sound very ungrateful. When I left my job just before my son was born I received nothing, not a single thing, and that was after working there for 10 years.

QueenLizIII · 14/10/2016 01:08

www.cowshedonline.com/mother-and-baby/udderly-gorgeous

www.cowshedonline.com/spa/our-treatments/maternity-treatments

It was very thoughtful, they have a range of maternity products and treatments.

Kewcumber · 14/10/2016 01:23

Jesus - you should try adopting, you're lucky if manage to wring a card out of anyone!

TheWitTank · 14/10/2016 02:15

YABU.
My lovely DH worked at a company for twenty years. Off sick twice, loyal, hard working, never any issues. His leaving gift was fuck all. Not even a card.

kali110 · 14/10/2016 02:21

Really Confused why don't you give it back then?

LauLau93 · 14/10/2016 02:24

At least you got a gift. The fuckers at my place couldn't even be bothered.

BrainPrions · 14/10/2016 02:36

Wow. I worked in an office with a bunch of women and we'd get each other chocolates and silly things like that. It's a corporate gift, don't look too much into it.

Bogeyface · 14/10/2016 02:37

The thing is, when someone has been vile to you then you cant help wondering if there is a message in things like this so I can see where the OP is coming from.

That said, not putting the card value receipt in with the gift card is odd, I always do that so the person knows how much is on there.

I didnt get a smegging thing when I left work to have DD, and that was because my boss was pissed off because she knew she wouldnt hit her team targets once I had gone as she couldnt manage to save her life.

GreatFuckability · 14/10/2016 02:45

I......I mean......you.....what?!

I genuinely can't think of anything to say. what an utterly, utterly WEIRD interpretation of a gift.

Balanced12 · 14/10/2016 03:15

YABU , as PP have said it's a gift they didn't have to get you anything. If you don't want it pass it on, give it to a Christmas raffle or something.

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