Fuck me, some people love to brag don't they?!

[lastcontestantontheapprentice]

AIBU?

One of our managers was in the office today banging on about Xmas, how they're going out today to buy a 20ft tree tomorrow (can you even get 20ft tree?), how they have 18 people for Xmas dinner and it's all so wonderful because of course they have room for a table for 18, how important it is to make an effort for 'the children'
(except their DC are well over 18).
It all sticks in the craw a bit, we've not had a proper pay rise for 5 years (I'm also paid £20k less than my male counterpart, but that's another story) and I just think, yes we know you get a 6 fig salary, do you really need to rub our noses in it?!

Same manager is putting some money towards our Xmas do, so now it's been agreed we should give £10-15 each for a present for them. Bloody hell!

We once had 18for Christmas lunch and it was a fucking nightmare. Not a stealth boast btw, big family.

Think of him or more likely his poor wife doing all that work and chuckle quietly.

Do NOT give that amount for a Christmas gift. It should, if anything , be a small token. Just no.

18 people is the standard sunday dinner for me (big fat Indian family). It's a nightmare would never boast about it!

Bosses like that are complete cocks. Ours have just forked out to take the whole of the extended family to Disneyland Paris. But wont pay us time and a half for Xmas day (weekend hours only)
People with money are dicks.

"People with money are dicks"
Charming

Anyone can be a dick, it's one of the things you don't need money for.

I had a manager who used to come into meetings bragging about all the holidays she had booked to exotic locations. She'd then ask where we were going, but as most of us can't afford holidays (due to no pay rise for 12 years) she'd just get blank looks back. Then she's say "ah well" and go on talking about all her holidays. Bitch.

I don't think all rich people are dicks, however I do think most rich people hate sharing.

I recently read something that said when people are boasting or bragging they're asking you to like them, but that their self esteem is such that they don't believe they'll be approved of/reach others standards as just themselves so they hold out what they have for your approval. I think that when you look at boastful people this can be really evident and therefore helps you feel for them and not get annoyed. He wants your approval surely?

Our director couldn't work out why satisfaction with pay was so low in our recent survey. Funny that, given no pay rise in over 7 years and in practical terms an actual reduction for those below director level!

bakeoff absolutely hit the nail on the head.
Being a dick is an absolute equal opportunities shining light. No respecter of class, creed, colour, age, gender, sex, i could go on.

OP, he sounds like a total bellend, bet his kids can't wait for Christmas

People who feel the need to brag are either making it up, or trying to compensate for something. It's the same for the ones describing themselves as "classy". If you use that word, you are not it. Let them brag.

Namechanger that's the kind of thing we hear. Manager is also female.

This compulsory present contribution has got right on my wick too, my sycophantic colleagues all think collecting £100 together and buying her a silk scarf or whatever is the thing to do

Oh god, the sycophants. I just sprained my eyes rolling them so hard.

Have you got an exit strategy?

Find put where she's getting the 20ft tree and then go and watch her try to get it in the boot of her car! Unless she's got an hgv that ain't going anywhere!

Mine told me all about her 2M house that she was moving into, less than 2 weeks after I was given one of those "promotions" where you get the workload and none of the reward. It's been a tough year, and we're all making sacrifices. Supposedly.

Our directors (partners) made lots of people redundant then the next day there were facebook photos of them drinking champagne in a first class cabin going on holiday .

The OP's manager sounds like an arse.

But one person's bragging is the next person's general conversation. If you ask someone what their plans for the summer are (or if it comes up in conversation) and they say "month in the Seychelles followed by a week shopping in New York then a week in the Caribbean" that's not bragging. That's a factual statement. Just as on another level a week in a caravan in Rhyl shouldn't be perceived as bragging by someone who is going nowhere.

There are a lot of people who have massive chips on their shoulder and think that everyone who has a bit of cash is bragging, boasting or looking down on them. Mostly they're not. They're just getting on with their own lives and have no interest in what others are up to in theirs.

Oh god, yes the tough year talk...yep we've had that. And the how lucky we are to have jobs and get a couple of hundred quid pay rise because of the state of the business yada yada...

I'd not thought about collecting the tree. Brilliant! I'm guessing they probably bung the little people a few £s to deliver it.

A 20ft tree? That's hilarious. Bet she's having it specially flown in from Norway too. Or are a team of reindeer bringing it by sled?

How do you keep a straight face at work all day? Theres no way I'd go along with the collection.

Oh, 'Little people', so Santa's elves are bringing it then?

They would fit in well on the comedy 'two doors down'!!

It has been a tough year sweetie darling, the situation with the euros has meant that holiday home in Italy is on hold and it rained in the Bahamas (true stories)

Tell the others that you're not contributing to the present, they can put twice as much in and feel twice as good about themselves. Knobs.

As for the Boss, social incompetence...

I tend to avoid conversations about my life at work to avoid people feeling judging like you do.
However I do get the frustration at seeing this when your boss is clearly sexist and you're suffering for it.
If you get paid 20k less than your male counterpart is there anything that can be done?
Get on the phone to ACAS.

In this situation, I'd make a contribution of 1p, after all it's the thought that counts.