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.

Agree with others, whatever you decide to do people will complain.

id be happy with anything, I don’t drink wine but would re-gift, use for guests at Christmas, or donate to the school bottle tombola.

if I could choose though, I would choose either an M&S voucher or an Amazon voucher

I’m thinking this next year - vouchers would be much easier frankly!!

I'm family support/safeguarding so get the odd card which is sweet. But mainly forgotten haha

Well I’m fat and have an eating disorder. Chocolate not a great gift for me.

There is no perfect gift and alcoholics are either drinking or not. If they are, a Majestic bottle of cremant isn’t going to send them spiralling and if they aren’t they can choose non alcoholic option.

You cannot please everyone.

By your rationale we shouldn’t provide any alcohol at our meal out either.

That sounds nice - I’m going to try that. Sausage + pasta sounds pretty nice!

I work for the nhs we get nothing at all! Not even a single drink.

I’m teetotal and hate the annual expensive champagne gift from clients who know I’m teetotal.

I don’t even bother taking it home, my colleagues argue over who should have it and one of them takes it.

@Merryoldgoat
I would look carefully at Love to Shop vouchers. My DTs were given some for a birthday. DD forgot she had them and when she did go to use them they were subject to an ‘inactivity fee’.
i would love M&S vouchers.

No! They are shit and practically impossible to spend.

I would go amazon voucher. That way they have a huge variety of options. They can buy ebooks, rent a movie on prime, buy some treats (even wine and chocolate if thats what they like!) or put towards a bigger purchase. They really do sell everything!!!

Another one who thinks your company is great.
The other options is to buy say 5 pairs of women’s gloves. 5 pairs of mens gloves. 5 toiletry sets for women, 5 toiletry sets for men, 5 cheese boards, 5 scarves. That sort of thing. Wrap them up and each employee picks one. Explain beforehand what the crack is. Everyone is then free to try and pick a gift they think they will like. They can swap gifts too.

I got a candle through the post from Amazon from my work. I mean it's better than a punch in the teeth but still pretty crap. Wine and chocolate would have been far better.

Oh here we go. Some one may have a problem with alcohol so no one can have any. Have a word with yourself. People need to take responsibility for themselves not rely on an employer to ensure they don't drink.
As for the ungrateful ones tell them that next year they're in charge of gift buying or they can refuse to accept it.

Sorry but this sounds dreadful. I wouldn’t want random
gloves or scarves, snd a set of toiletries for £15 is unlikely to impress.

Noted. I think in reality if I offered vouchers I’d choose Amazon over LTS 👍🏽

Donate the money to a food bank instead and just scrap the presents. You get a decent wage and it sounds like people won't really miss the actual gift, and a £750 donation would make a world of difference.

@Pottedpalm

That’s my point - £15 is nothing and at least choc and wine are consumable!

We already give a food bank donation more than that.

Even if you just put cash in a card there would be somebody not happy,i think if your going to do vouchers then a amazon or marks and spencers one would be the best bet unless you have a local waitrose as my nearest one is 70 miles away a voucher for there would be useless ,and would struggle to get something from John lewis without having to add money to buy something

Local government. Our Christmas gift was more redundancy notices.

I would prefer ms voucher if I had to choose. But I don’t drink wine and chocolate is no longer something I eat at all. So in the bin it goes which is a waste.

Why on earth would you throw unwanted food away and not donate to a food bank?

Because our local ones do not want alcohol or small boxes of unsealed chocolates (which is what we got). They want items like tinned foods, toiletries and cereals. So they will only bin it. It’s like donating rubbish to a charity shop - needless and thoughtless.

I think people bond through moaning. Some at my work love to moan about such irrelevant things but it’s their thing.

I think vouchers are a decent idea but then people will moan about the low value and not having an actual physical present. You’ll never please everyone. Personally I’d love a present like this. I work in public sector so don’t get anything.

So you don’t know anyone who would take them off you? What an absolute misery.