Page 2 | Secret santa dilemma

Nobloodynamesiwant · 2022-11-29T20:13:51+00:00

So have huge family used to buy for them all. Now because of the cost and ridiculousness of it all we just buy immediate family only and no friends. So why should I join in work secret santa for distant colleagues I barely know and wouldn't have bought a gift for anyway? I would be buying a load of toot that would probably end up in landfill I know its a nice fun thing to do but if I can't afford £5 for my own relatives who I love why the fuck should I afford it for work colleagues? So do you judge colleagues who don't contribute or not? Should I just join in so as not to appear a grinch? I love Christmas I just do not see the logic in this.

AnyOldThings · 29/11/2022 21:30

Ilikewinter · 29/11/2022 20:19

I hate secret santa with a passion and have always refused to take part. However im now in a new job and a team of 12 and one of my colleagues delightfully announced on Monday that we are doing SS, I said no, but if I drop out it makes the number odd so I feel like ive been pressured into joining in. We are spending £10......£10 on someone I hardly know to get a shit gift back that I dont want or need back.
Dont do it OP!

Don’t feel bad. SS doesn’t need even numbers to work. If you don’t do it it will just be 11 people buying 11 gifts.

BadLad · 30/11/2022 00:13

fruktsoda · 29/11/2022 20:46

...Okay, actually they need at least three for it to be "secret"... 😅😂 But I'm certain they can scrounge up three people to participate.

Surely they need at least four for it to be secret. If there are three, and A gets B, then the only logical outcome is that C has got A. If A gets B and B gets A, then C would be buying for themselves.

user829472746 · 30/11/2022 00:15

Ilikewinter · 29/11/2022 20:19

I hate secret santa with a passion and have always refused to take part. However im now in a new job and a team of 12 and one of my colleagues delightfully announced on Monday that we are doing SS, I said no, but if I drop out it makes the number odd so I feel like ive been pressured into joining in. We are spending £10......£10 on someone I hardly know to get a shit gift back that I dont want or need back.
Dont do it OP!

Don't be daft...you can do SS with an odd amount of people!!

Merrymumoftwo · 30/11/2022 00:20

We stopped secret Santa a few years back and now just get gifts from police Christmas tree appeal.

Kitkatcatflap · 30/11/2022 00:32

You sound like a bundle of Christmas joy OP. I bet you are like that all year

poefaced · 30/11/2022 00:38

Just opt out. Don’t inflict your secret santa gift on some poor unsuspecting sod who will have no idea how much venom you bought the gift with.

poefaced · 30/11/2022 00:39

I do agree on the China child labour point though. We are responsible too though, with our incessant lust for tat.

Conkersareback · 30/11/2022 00:40

Ilikewinter · 29/11/2022 20:19

I hate secret santa with a passion and have always refused to take part. However im now in a new job and a team of 12 and one of my colleagues delightfully announced on Monday that we are doing SS, I said no, but if I drop out it makes the number odd so I feel like ive been pressured into joining in. We are spending £10......£10 on someone I hardly know to get a shit gift back that I dont want or need back.
Dont do it OP!

Why does it matter if it's an odd number?

thenewduchessoflapland · 30/11/2022 00:40

Terry's chocolate Orange;£1 in most places.Job done.

funrunning · 30/11/2022 11:22

I get why people might not want to take part but not the anger about it! Just opt out. We didn’t have one for years at our work because a number of people kicked up a fuss rather than just opting out. Most of those people have left so we are doing it again. You write your name on a list if you want to take part. Nobody cares if someone doesn’t put their name down.

poefaced · 30/11/2022 11:24

thenewduchessoflapland · 30/11/2022 00:40

Terry's chocolate Orange;£1 in most places.Job done.

Not fair if others are spending £5.

fancyacuppatea · 30/11/2022 11:25

The last secret santa I did at work was £5...

I got a box of malteasers and 4 x £1 coins and a 1p sellotaped to the cellophane.

Stompythedinosaur · 30/11/2022 11:27

So just don't join in then?

Not sure why you would get wound up about this tbh.

Bellaboo01 · 30/11/2022 11:33

Nobloodynamesiwant · 29/11/2022 20:38

You can't imagine? I just explained why because I have 40 million relatives that I would love to buy for and can't so if I am spending money I haven't got why spend it on a stranger when I could spend it on my family?! I did it one year and bought the slightly racist person a charity gift for someone in Africa I felt good doing it and even better that she didn't appreciate it (maybe i am a grinch after all) I would love charity instead but no she wanted some pink fluffy purse made by child workers in China. It might be fun but if you don't have large family you should try putting yourself in someone else's shoes that does.

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40 million relatives?

As you said - you sound like a grinch!

Just opt out - easy :)

MRSDoos · 30/11/2022 11:44

Just opt out! My DH opts out every year.
You don’t even need reasonings, if you don’t want too - that’s enough!