Secret Santa disappointment, anyone else?

[youcanonlydraftthefuture]

We had a 'minimum' spend in our office of £10. Highest was £20 max.

I spend about £18 and bought my secret Santa a Emma Bridgewater mug, her favourite chocolate and a fancy bubble bath she's well known to adore.

I got... A flimsy mug with cheap chocolates inside.

The previous year (a different office), I was given a pair of socks from Poundland and a small pack of M&M's, the spend limit there was £15.

AIBU to wonder how people can be so mean?

DH is usually well known for this kind of cheeky fuckery, usually re-gifting a naff toiletry set from someone. However, last year he was bought a Peroni glass and beer which he loves so makes the effort now.

I think it's a weird system. What if you get someone who's been practically bullying you? I wouldn't want to spend money on them.

Anyone else I'd just get everyone an Amazon £10 giftcard. Easy and gratefully accepted

That's what I'm getting DS1 & DS2's teachers. They can spend it on classroom supplies, or stuff for themselves I really don't mind.

We do a £3 one - most of us look for items during the year in sales etc - but you must spend £3. Then we secretly put our presents in a large box filled with shredded paper. We all sit together and take turns to have a ‘lucky dip’. It’s gone a bit stale as new people buy boring stuff like candles etc instead of fun things like knitted Christmas pudding hats or novelty slippers! It’s just a bit of fun and no one feels hard done by If they get something crappy as it’s only £3 after all!

As far as I'm concerned, Secret Santa is something to be suffered. I don't really give a tuppenny shite about what I get, it's not important at all.

Bugger the whole thing. So glad I work at a place now that doesn't do this fuckwitted heap of bollocks.

Isn't it time this apparently joyless, landfill-filling activity just came to a halt?

Who needs it?
Seriously?

Chilledout11 l'd much rather do that. My friend works at a vet practice, and they're all donating to animal charities for their Secret Santa this year.

A week later I was in Poundland and saw the same mugs for £1.

Yeah, I made that point earlier, a lot of stuff in Poundland is also sold elsewhere, at higher prices.

Bottom line is - OP thinks she went to tremendous effort for her SS person, and the person who gifted to her, didn't.

Life sucks. Move on.

Secret Santa is a challenge for me to find a thoughtful present at £5.

I love seeing the look of happiness of the recipient's face.

I can't imagine winging it with a bar of chocolates or a cheap smelly.

@rslsys

new people buy boring stuff like candles etc instead of fun things like knitted Christmas pudding hats or novelty slippers!

Fucks sake, you might as well just tip the whole tub straight into landfill!

I think a much better idea would be to collect the money and give it to a local charitable cause. No-one really needs the gifts, do they? Particularly if at least 50% aren't well-received, reach the agreed spend or just thoughtlessly bought.

Im also very fortunate to live near a London market where you can can buy new genuine branded stuff at a fraction of the price 😂

God! With a husband, three sisters, three brothers in law, four nephews, two nieces, three sons and their partners and five grandkids, plus my nail technician and my hairdresser to buy for, I’m buggered if I’m going to add MORE stress by worrying about a ‘secret Santa’ for a work colleague!

Why would you want to put £3 in a bin, though? Because that's where crap goes, it's not 'a bit of fun', it's a waste and landfill fodder.

@Havaina which market is that? Sounds like somewhere I need to visit as my Christmas buying list is extensive this year.

I enjoyed the Secret Santa stuff and joined in regularly as long as there was no minimum set. Max is fine.
£10 might be no big deal for some but for others, it can be.
No, they probably shouldn't have signed up. But as well all know a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and if an emergency happens they are fucked.
Could have been worse. You could have got nothing. And how odd to do it in November. For that alone, I wouldn't have joined in,

I thought that whole point of office secret santas was to get something 'silly' or very appropriate for that person, not an actual gift. I have only ever been involved in those that are limited at about £6. My friend's work did quite a good one, they could only spend £1 (ie Poundshop) and they got really creative with it.

Ditch the office secret santa for that amount, just a headache no one needs at this time of year. But I hope that if ever I am in another one, you are the person buying for me!! Happy Christmas!!

Isn't it time this apparently joyless, landfill-filling activity just came to a halt?

Who needs it?
Seriously?

Totally agree!

@Chesham i have PMed you 😀

Last time I did it, I got a packet of biscuits. I’m coeliac. I don’t take part anymore!

I’ve got someone on a different team to me this year who I don’t know well at all. It’s £10 guide. I’ve got her a pair of socks with her initial from the Christmas market in our big nearby city that were probably overpriced but are very pretty and nicely packaged, £7. I’ll get some nice chocolate etc to go with it too to bring it up to £10. It’s voluntary and I wouldn’t dream of underspending. I would also be upset in your situation.

In my old office we used to block out the last hour of the day and do our secret Santa with drinks and nibbles. We’d all have to buy something generic (But nice!) at a set limit, they all went in a sack. Then you all pick a present and then a number and you go round the room and the person with number one pedals or sticks first and there’s some sort of swapping and trumping and it’s awesome especially if you’ve had a couple of wines. Something like bandit secret Santa. In that situation you don’t know who’s brought what, but you definitely wouldn’t get away with a really crap present.

Do people buy secret santa presents for family instead of usual presents,i know a family who do this
I had never heard of this until last year

From M&Ms to a handful of unbranded buttons in a clear package.

If this thread carries on much longer these buttons will be made out of mud and twigs, served in a paper cup.

OP if the gifts you get are so important to you, next year when the email comes round just let everyone know if they draw you, you expect only the finest gifts £20 can buy. Or, just bow out and don’t bother with it. The only person pissed off about it is you. Why do that to yourself?

I would be upset in your shoes too, thou how you managed a Bridgewater mug, chocolates and lovely bubble bath for under £20 God knows !
If there's a lower spend limit its incredibly mean to spend less, in our office we say around £10 no lower limit but I still would spend a tenner not a fiver.
it's not compulsory to do secret santa and if you can't be arsed or don't want to join in surely it's better to say so and opt out?!? Otherwise I think it's just grabby accepting a lovely gift and buying something cheap and nasty in return

Don't join Secret Santa?

It's hard to say.
The person may not have that much cash to spend for whatever reason.
You also can't compare what you get with what you give because it's not reciprocal.
I do feel that some people go ott with thoughtful gifts to colleagues doing Secret Santa. Others definitely take the mick and just do it as an afterthought.
Just don't have high expectations. If you do like the person, be as thoughtful as you want. But don't expect everyone to think of you in the same way.

From M&Ms to a handful of unbranded buttons in a clear package

She said the M and Ms were last year.