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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or Is it rude to put decorations on somebody's tree?

93 replies

AlpacaPicnic · 03/12/2018 11:48

Have come into work this morning and our cleaner has added a bunch of decorations to our trees which has slightly annoyed me. She's very kind and generous and I'm not going to say anything to upset her but I wondered if my reaction was 'normal'?

FWIW to avoid drip feeding... we started putting it up on saturday but inbetween customers so it wasn't finished. We were going for a very specific colour co-ordination and the decorations added don't tie in with it. The decorations are all edible - chocolate and candy canes and we are supposed to be promoting healthy eating so it clashes with a 'core value' of the organisation. But I do have a stinking cold and am feeling quite cranky so that may have affected my initial reaction...

OP posts:
bobstersmum · 03/12/2018 11:49

She was most likely trying to help.

SoyDora · 03/12/2018 11:49

Where did she get the chocolate decorations and candy canes from? Did she bring them in herself?

RedLife · 03/12/2018 11:49

It's Christmas lighten up!

ChasedByBees · 03/12/2018 11:50

I don’t think it’s rude. She perhaps feltnit was communal as it’s in her workspace too. I think you’ll make her feel like she doesn’t belong if you remove them.

How many people are going to see it? Just wondering how much it matters that it clashes with your core values.

PlateOfBiscuits · 03/12/2018 11:50

Oh bless her. She probably saw it half bare and thought she’d help you out.

Very awkward for you now though! Could you have a separate mini tree in the break room with all her decs on?

legalseagull · 03/12/2018 11:51

Eat all the chocolates - replace with your own decorations. Win win

RiverTam · 03/12/2018 11:52

oooh, that would annoy me enormously and because of that it's something I would never do to anyone else! However, I don't believe in colour coordinated trees either so fair play to your cleaner Grin!

PinkFizzz · 03/12/2018 11:54

I think she was trying to do a nice thing, it would be mean spirited to say anything. Maybe this is her way of saying "thanks" similar to how people might buy their boss a small gift at Christmas time?

theonlyKevin · 03/12/2018 11:54

it sounds like it's a work tree, so, no I can't see that's it's rude in a business environment.

A private tree in your own home, then yes, it's over stepping and it is rude.

Ooplesandbanoonoos · 03/12/2018 11:54

She was trying to be kind! Don't be a scrooge!

MrDonut · 03/12/2018 11:55

Ah, I think food decorations are different. It’s just a variation on giving a box of chocolates. It’s juat a Christmas tree, so I wouldn’t mind.

Sirzy · 03/12/2018 11:56

Its a works tree so yabu

Jamhandprints · 03/12/2018 11:56

She's bought you all treats, probably thought she was being a magic Christmas fairy. You are Scrooge.

Alfie190 · 03/12/2018 11:56

I thought you were going to say a relative started decorating your tree at home!

This is the workplace, really not worth getting wound up by it. She was clearly trying t be nice.

FittonTower · 03/12/2018 11:56

It's not rude for someone who works there to put decorations on the work-place tree. Tree in your living room it would be a little odd but in a work place it's not unusual for people that work there to decorate it surely?

LuckyAmy1986 · 03/12/2018 11:56

I think it’s really sweet of her! I don’t think it’s rude. But like you said it’s not what you were going for so I would thanks her for doing it and how touched you were she had gone to the trouble but that it’s not in fitting with your business core values so you are going to have to change it b

PinkFizzz · 03/12/2018 11:57

Just realised it's a work tree... i thought you meant it was your cleaner in your own home.

Why do you have monopoly over what goes on the tree?

Jamhandprints · 03/12/2018 11:58

Btw it sounds like you don't consider her part of your team and like it's YOUR tree, not hers. So you are a double Scrooge.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 03/12/2018 11:58

Aww, I think it sounds lovely.

KurriKurri · 03/12/2018 11:59

Healthy eating doesn't have to mean 'can never have a little chocolate treat even at Christmas' - there's healthy and then there's being totally uptight.

I don't actually think it is normal to be cross when someone does a rather sweet kind thing - that was clearly intended as a communal gift.
But people often say I am not normal - so what do I know ?

BertrandRussell · 03/12/2018 12:00

I think that’s a lovely thing to do.

Sirzy · 03/12/2018 12:00

I thought that jam very much a sense of being superior to the measly cleaner

cheesywotnots · 03/12/2018 12:01

Lighten up, it's Christmas and presumably she's part of your work team 🎄🎄

MrDonut · 03/12/2018 12:01

Actually, it does depend on the organization. If you are the Diabetics Foundation I’d find it really bizarre. Or are you weight watchers or something like that?

eddiemairswife · 03/12/2018 12:02

Perhaps when you were planning your 'co-ordinated' Christmas tree you should have included your cleaner as she works in the same place.

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