To resent this birthday present system

[callmemaybe8]

Please tell me if I'm being stingy or if I have a point!

I've recently started a new job and been told everyone puts money in to buy a really nice present for people when it's their birthday. That's nice I thought. I was then told there are four birthdays coming up and everyone contributes £5 each for everyone's birthday... so that's £20.


There are about 40 people in the team so that's a lot of money each year £200 to be exact!

Everyone takes part so I would look terrible if I didn't do it, but I can't help but feel a bit meh about the whole thing. My birthday isn't until February so there's a chance I won't even be there/ won't have passed my probation by the time my birthday comes.

AIBU to resent this? I'll probably still chip in, but I don't like how the company just expects it and there isn't much choice in the matter.

[Carolynnnna]

£200 is a ridiculous amount for an office birthday gift!

[Sgtmajormummy]

It’s a system that will eventually bring a £200 gift to you. It would create a lot of bad will if you, the newest member of the group, opted out.
Swings and roundabouts.
Just make sure the designated buyer knows what exactly what you want or need for that amount.

[Oldraver]

I think it way OTT...No one needs a £200 present from work

[BackforGood]

That's going to depend on your budget though CheekyRedhead. £2, or even £5 isn't 'nothing' to a lot of people.

Indeed, although I am now hugely more 'comfortable' financially than I was 20 or even 30 years ago, if I were giving away a fiver a week, I'd prefer to give it to my own dc than to some random person who happens to work in the same building as me, that I don't have any particular relationship with. It seems an odd thing to do.

[buddhasbelly]

We have this system.

I have said it should just be cake and flowers instead of "everyone put £5 in" - my objection was met with "don't worry Buddha if you're struggling to afford it"

I explained time and time again that my objection is that due to our place of work we have a lot of people off in the holidays so eg of your birthday is in the summer you might only have 2 or 3 people around contributing in comparison to 15 contributing (full team) at peak times when no one is off...

Why should someone with a summer birthday pay £75 throughout the year for others but only have a few around at their birthday (they always get arranged in haste a few days before).

Worse still is when those 2 or 3 people feel bad for said summer birthday person and and up forking out £20 each so that it's all 'even.'

I think everyone decided I am scrooge.

[BackforGood]

*£20 not £2

[Sunnymeg]

We had this at one of the places I used to work although admittedly the contribution was a lot less. The woman in charge of it would buy staff thoughtless, generic presents. It carried on until she bought a member of staff who was a Type 1 Diabetic chocolate and other edible goodies, that she couldn't eat and she got told where she could stuff her presents. We were all very relieved that it stopped. £200 is a ridiculous amount of money to be asked to 'donate '.

[KurriKurri]

It's not a £200 present, it's a £20 present - £200 is the amount people have to contribute to cover birthday gifts for the whole team at £20 each.

I think signed card and a cake is fine actually - it's all a bit OTT and shouldn't be compulsory or expected.

[Carolynnnna]

It's not a £200 present, it's a £20 present

£5 contributon x 40 people = £200.

[Carolynnnna]

contribution

[BewareOfDragons]

I would opt out.

I much prefer our system: everyone brings in treats for the staffroom on their own birthdays, or close to it when it falls on a weekend or holiday.

[callmemaybe8]

Weddings/leavers etc get presents to so I assume I'd have to cough up for that as well.

The presents are usually spa days, experience days, vouchers etc

[SeriousSass]

KurriKurri

It is a £200 present!

Everyone contributes £5 for each persons birthday. That’s 40 x 5 = 200

[SeriousSass]

The presents are usually spa days, experience days, vouchers etc

Ughh, it gets worse and worse.

I’ve always liked it when the birthday person brings in cake.

[WhatCanIDoNowPlease]

40 people is 3.33 per month so 4 people having birthdays soon is just normal.

Plead poverty and don't get involved.

[BexConnor]

This works out to the OP having to budget £16 a month for work birthdays. This is ridiculous money to spend on random colleagues and would be affordable for a lot of people.

I'm more than happy to chip in here and there for my work mates but in this instance I would decline to take part. With 40 people in the team they could all chip in a quid each and still buy the recipient a more than acceptable gift!

[BexConnor]

*UNaffordable!!

[Glaciferous]

I think it would be totally fine if the suggested contribution was a pound or two. This would still buy a really nice present! £5 time 40 seems an awful lot, though.

[mrsnoname]

It's utterly ridiculous! I imagine some people work part-time only and still have to fork out £200 for presents for colleagues they may hardly know... but even if you work full-time and are getting it back in your own £200 worth of present.... still NO!!

Also, why would I (or my family) want a birthday present from my company overshadow the birthday present of my loved ones.... very often people do not spend that amount on their own families.

[VanGoghsDog]

That's rubbish. So, you pay £200pa to get the same back in the form of some shit you don't want or vouchers when you could have just spent the money on yourself!

Say "oh, right, well, once I've passed my probation and been confirmed permanent I'll be happy to contribute". Then never mention it again.

[LokiBear]

I retract my earlier comment. Mis read the op. £5 × 40 people is madness!

[SeriousSass]

Opting out before you you start will be the best time to opt out. It would be tricky to do once you had started contributing..... it’s now or never......

[MemorialBeach]

£200 for a birthday present from work colleagues is ridiculous. It's a fair bit more than any of my friends and family have ever spent on my birthdays, and I would feel really uncomfortable/embarrassed to receive something so much more expensive from work.

[callmemaybe8]

I know it's mean spirited but I would really resent it if i pay out all this cash and I'm then not around for my birthday in February

[diddl]

If the whole team contributes, wouldn't £1 per time be enough?

That said it just seems daft to me, handing over money for people you work with, not people you choose to buy for.