To share or not to share Secret Santa Scratchcard Winnings

[WoolieLiberal]

I was given a National Lottery Scratchcard as a Secret Santa gift. I thought this was a bit naff until I realised it was a winner.

I won a (low end) four figure sum. I got excited and told my colleagues.

Since then, the person who gave it to me sent me a message suggesting (in a lighthearted way) that I might want to give her half. I replied with a laugh emoji as I thought she was joking, but she has since messaged me to ask if I have decided whether I am going to do so or not!

I’ve also been asked by three other colleagues if I could “lend” them “small“ (three Figure) amounts “to help with Christmas”.

DH says I was daft to have told anyone, but it’s done now and is none of anyone else’s business. He says I should treat myself for a Change.

I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t won anything because if I respond to all requests I’ll have virtually nothing left, and if I don’t, then I’ll be thought badly of and stingy.

There’s a woman at work who works part time and is married to a very wealthy businessman (the job is more of a hobby/something to do) and they’re always jetting off on holidays to far flung destinations, having meals out, nice cars and jewellery etc. No one has ever (to my knowledge) asked her to share her wealth.

If I knew a colleague was genuinely struggling I would help but this feels like vultures are circling. DH, DD’s and I are not wealthy by any stretch but “managing”.

Thoughts welcome!!

I think I would give the person who gave it to me a token, but in their position I never would have asked.

Buy some nice coffee and biscuits for the staff room if you feel inclined but then keep it. It's not a lot of money and it is yours.

I, as with others on this thread would probably give the giver a scratch card back plus a bottle of something. No way would I be sharing with work colleagues.

Are you off over Christmas? I wouldn't mention it again and hope they forget about it over that time!!

Not sure why you'd even entertain sharing it with other people in the office. They're scroungers. I can understand giving a token amount to the giver but why the others?!

Telling ppl was a big mistake

@MissCalamity

I, as with others on this thread would probably give the giver a scratch card back plus a bottle of something. No way would I be sharing with work colleagues.

Are you off over Christmas? I wouldn't mention it again and hope they forget about it over that time!!

I would do this too. I definitely wouldn't be bowing under any pressure to give my winnings to anyone else

I'd keep it personally an treat yourself. I dont think you have any obligation to share your luck with anyone else from work, and it is cheeky for people to ask.

If your ticket had not been a winning one you would have ended up with nothing and I doubt anyone would have been sharing with you. Your gift was a chance at winning. It paid off this time. You get the money.

No way I'd give a grand to a bunch of cheeky work colleagues. If you are determined to share then share with someone you are close to or perhaps a charity.

Unfortunately, whatever you do, however much you give to them, it will never be enough . Can’t believe they all think they deserve a share . People never fail to surprise me .

It wasn't a workplace lottery syndicate. Keep the money

The gift was the scratch card, and any money that you might win.

Do not give a single penny to anyone else.

I can’t believe people are saying it’s a crappy no effort present

I’d much rather, say, 5x£1 scratch cards than £5 worth of tat that would end up in the back of a cupboard.

Anyway, if it was me, I’d buy a round of drinks (ok, maybe not in covid, maybe a bottle of wine each) and that’s that. Nothing more.

Dh says tell your boss as it's a form of victimisation, so she thought it was a cheap prezzie but it back fired. I think they are utterly taking the piss and it's a group effort from all of them to get your money.

Keep it all for yourself. Seriously.
Do you feel bullied or obligated to share with everyone?

I, as with others on this thread would probably give the giver a scratch card back plus a bottle of something

That would certainly be a kind thing to do, but with people like this there's every chance they'd sneer and say something like "is that all I get then?"

Which rather than helping could actually make things worse

Be nice to give the giver £200 so 10% but nothing to anyone else

If you find out it's a fake, tell everyone that you've agreed to their requests for money.

Once they're all happy and celebrating that their grabbiness has paid off tell them that you can't share after all as it was a fake card from your (named) colleague.

Then leave them all to have it out with each other.

I think you'd be mad to give half to your team, I would give a charity donation, ask them to nominate a charity.

I'd be pretty offended in your position OP.

The gift giver gave you a really crap gift, it was lame, thoughtless and cheap. What's clear now is that she didn't actually want you to win, because now you have, she's bitter and entitled enough to be incredibly cringey enough to ask for a share. If she bought it hoping you'd win she'd be excited for you and feel glad that her shitty gift turned out to actually be pretty great.

These people aren't happy for you, they probably don't care about you. They're jealous and entitled and you shouldn't feel bad that you somehow got lucky and ended up with something great rather than a useless bit of 'fun' cardboard that your thoughtless colleague picked up when she realised she hadn't given your SS gift a thought until the last second.

Give the buyer a scratch card

Did the OP ever come back?

Bag of chocolate coins for the SS giver, well its money isn’t it. Keep the rest.

@Guiltypleasures001

There was another thread on here a whole ago about the same thing, and the other staff went to the boss to say that it wasnt fair. The boss knew how they had been treating the OP but instead of dealing with their bullying, he told the OP to share the prize money. So going to the boss could make the whole thing worse!

Absolutely do not give ANY money to the team.
As for the person who purchased the card, the very fact she has contacted you twice to ask for money would totally make me want to NOT gift her anything. The utter cheek of it.

And let's be honest......NO amount is ever going to satisfy her. A token £50? You're a selfish cow. £100? When you've just won 2K? What a selfish cow. £500? That's not even half! £1000? SHE was the one who bought the card!.................do you see what I mean? Someone like her is never going to be happy unless you suddenly gifted her the whole amount 'because SHE bought the card'.

I think a token gift would anger her even more and cause more bad feeling than if you simply kept quiet from now on. If the begging emails persist, issue a short and simple email along the lines of "as you know I won a small amount on a scratch card recently, it has gone towards paying off some long standing debts. Thank you for all your good wishes". And leave it at that.

No matter how much you give them it isn't going to be enough and they are still going to complain.

Just say no.

You wouldn't split half of any other gift with anyone.