Gifts for ‘everyone’..

[Cockenspiel]

Likely I am being a miserable old git..

But am becoming increasingly fed up of the multitude of gift and money collections for ‘important’ people. I’ve just been added to a Facebook group for ‘gifts for coaches’ - as my DS is part of an Under 6’s football team that trains (runs about the local park) on a Saturday. We pay subs for the football and it’s run by some local parents (mainly dad’s) and is affiliated to the local football club (small town, not fancy league).

The expectation is to now give money to buy the coaches of said team, an end of season gift.

I realise I don’t have to give, but the group based expectation is there. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford it, but it just feels excessive and quite ridiculous that this is yet another gift expectation to add to the various school teachers, class PA’s, colleagues birthdays, leaving gifts etc etc..

Yep, I’m miserable! But am just fed up of the constant social media group / virtue signalling, bored parents, setting these groups up asking for money. Just fuck off now!😁

With colleagues - and only weddings, babies and leaving:
£1 or 2 if I know them, but they’re not in my team
£5-10 if I work closely with them or am friendly eith them out of work.

I totally don’t sponsor people to do what they’d do anyway - walk, run, climb, swim etc

Teachers get a homemade and/or handwritten card and small gift - often a card game for wet play.

Cub/Scout leaders get volunteer time when they ask, and a big thank you, card and present when my child leaves their section.

When I left as a Cub leader I got a plant and a card from the assistant leaders, but that handwritten and handdrawn cards from the Cubs themselves were fabulous. I’ve kept those, along with a letter of apology one of them wrote me after he was really naughty one week.

YANBU to object to being asked. If you want to give a gift thats up to you and shouldn't be an expectation.

Personally I would prioritise a present for a volunteer running football club, over a colleagues birthday present, but that's by the by.

Oh and I find the easiest option is to just say "oh we have already organised something of our own, good luck with the collection" and leave if its a WhatsApp group. If its Facebook just leave the group as nobody would even know.