AIBU about Christmas presents from work?

[Merryoldgoat]

I work for a company that treats employees well imo - good pay, holiday, sickness, decent pensions. Paid for Christmas party, free lunches and we work 40 hour weeks but lunch is paid so it’s a standard 8-4 or 9-5

We don’t have a big budget for Christmas gifts - just a little token of £15 ish each.

We get a bottle of fizz and some Belgian chocolates.

The real gift is the party - three courses and booze for the whole lunch which is a nice evening, not compulsory, not ridiculously boozy and no daft enforced fun.

A lot of preamble for the main subject.

EVERY year someone complains how ‘boring’ wine and chocolates are, but has no better idea for 50 odd very mixed staff.

It’s Christmas - it’s easy to give them away if you don’t want them. It’s a token - not a symbol of value - that’s what we’re well paid for!

Full disclosure: I’m lumbered with buying. No one else wants to. I’m not buying personalised gifts for 50 people!

So

YABU - crap gift better to have nothing

YANBU - it’s not very exciting but as a small token it’s fine.

NB: non drinkers have an alcohol free option of course.

I would love any sort of gift. Miserable gits.

They can always say no thanks

I work for the NHS - I'd be grateful of anything

My old boss always did a bottle of wine for everyone except me because I don't like wine. I just got shit tons of chocolate 🤣. We were always very grateful, people will moan about anything, lots don't get any gifts from work.

My partner gets £15 amazon vouchers though which I will say helps in the run up to christmas!

Me too! It’s really nice!

If they were a stingy arsed company then I’d have more sympathy but ffs.

Someone suggested JL Vouchers but a £15 JL voucher would get you naff all and you’d probably end up using it on food in Waitrose.

Interesting - I thought a £15 voucher might seem tight… maybe I’m wrong.

Maybe I’ll do a poll next year.

I could offer a choice

JL/M&S/Choc and wine

🤔

Sounds great - do you have any vacancies??

What about a £15 love to shop voucher

I’ll put this in the mix.

I get bugger all from my company - every year. Some people don’t realise how good they have it!

@widowtwankywashroom I'd also be grateful for anything. I work in a school and we've had to pay for our own Christmas buffet

I wouldn't get JL vouchers as there's not much you can get for £15 in there, but absolutely somewhere like amazon, love to shop etc!

Regardless, any gift is a bonus and people should be more appreciative!

You’re about three months too late - just had a massive turnaround of admin team and we’re all staffed up. Fantastic team though.

DM me if you’re in SW London and I’ll keep you in the loop! 🤣

Ex NHS worker, one trust I worked for gave love to shop vouchers. The last one gave us a single daffodil bulb 😁
I'd be very grateful for a bottle of something (which I'd regift as I don't drink) and chocolates.

It’s really hard in the public sector especially schools. Will you get anything from parents? Or are you support and forgotten.

Voucher would be better. Loads of people don't drink or are alcoholics

Ooooh! I’d quite like a bulb!

We got red wine one year. I don’t/can’t drink it so I just popped it in the mix over Christmas. Just saved me buying a bottle!

There are other options for non-drinkers.

There are any number of corporate gift companies itching to help you out and spend your budget.

No guarantees that people will be happy though, there's always a few whingers.

Oh if the budget was bigger then it would be a different proposition completely. But £15? Not seeing they could do much for us…

Yes but giving alcohol as an option isn't great for alcoholics

Options they can access without having to highlight they're "different" in some way?

Employers shouldn't give alcohol as a gift.

Also, it's a bit shit to be telling people "if you don't like it, give it away". That's not exactly the spirit of a gift, is it?

Just give them vouchers.

I can state with confidence that whatever you do, some people will complain. Do not waste time trying to make everyone happy.

Personally I would prefer a voucher.
£15 worth of M+S ready meals is quite a treat for me. They do a really nice sausage pasta thingy that I only ever get if I have a voucher.

Can you send out a quick MS form with the options they can then choose their own.

ove 2Shop Voucher
Wine and chocolates
Non alcoholic drink and chocolates.

It keeps it confidential with no othering for those who don't want alcohol for whatever reason.

I disagree with you.