To say to colleagues - let's not buy presents

[fia101]

I can't afford it full stop. My boss always buys me an expensive bath shower set (which I don't use) and I then buy her a voucher for the same amount for a shop she likes.

There's then 2 secretaries (one is on her own with kids and she could do without buying back). I wouldn't mind buying for her.

I just see it as a waste people could do without. Prefer to give the money to charity.

WIBU/Scrooge to raise it at next meeting that we don't buy each other presents or we club together for secretaries and tell them not to buy us back?

Whilst i agree with you I think it's way to late to suggest this. I've already bought everything for Christmas so I wouldn't be too impressed with this being brought up in the last meeting (it would be for me in my job) before Christmas.

or a secret santa for a fiver?

Agree secret Santa - prob too late to suggest nothing and maybe not everyone was buying anyway this year- maybe wrong to assume.

but you dont need to reciprocate to your boss surely? my bosses have always been pretty generous, and I dont buy for the boss

Suggest a low cost secret Santa and do it immediately!! It’s getting a bit late. I agree that buying presents for work colleagues is a total waste of money (but then I don’t buy for my immediate family, so probably not the right person to be offering an opinion )

Secret Santa is good. I know it's too late I should've sent round an email (we only have 3 team meetings a year (even though there only 4 of us) so no other time to raise the issue)

I started 3 years ago and took the nod from colleagues (who have now left) that everyone including the boss is bought for.

Yanbu but it’s far too late to suggest it for this year! It’s only two weeks til Christmas, many people will have bought already

Next year, suggest it in about October

You buy proportionate to earning surely and in line with what you can afford.
So of the boss who earns more than you spends £30 on a present you havnt got to spend that back, especially as you cabnpt afford it.

Assume its boss, you, two secretaries? So spend half what you would normally on the boss and buy something generic like she does then spend your usual on the secretaries.