I know there unreasonable but £30 is insane!

[FranksBank]

To spend on someone you don't really like. For Sectet Santa

I am very PT and have been asked to arrange this, with them saying 'we knew you wouldn't want to join in because you don't celebrate it' I do actually celebrate it but I'll gladly let them think I don't now!

Anyway, the budget the person asking me to arrange it has set is £30. They want me to send out the email asking people to opt in, and mention it's a £30 budget.

AIBU to actually ask what madness has embedded within her to think this is a fair amount?

I said 'Is that not very high?' And she said 'Sent it out after Halloween! They'll have time to save, won't they?' And she seemed very smug to announce this obvious information

It's a school. Nobody is rich.

It s a maximum, though....so you could get a tx max item rrp £29 but pay £10 .
No one will know.

Ughh...

I'd tell her 'I'm sorry, I think it's a dreadful waste of people's time and money and I'd prefer not to be involved. Thanks'

Bloody hell! I don't even spend £30 on the people I actually love (apart from my children), let alone a colleague!! I have about 10 adults to buy presents for, I simply can't afford more than £15-20 each, and that includes my mum and dad.

If I got a request like that, I would be saying something about it straight away. ANd suggesting people "save up" for it?! The bloomin cheek! Is the person telling you to arrange it one of the better paid staff members, by any chance?

£30 is about the amount I spend on my mum 😂

£30 is insane. The average salary is our team is £120k but our limit has always been £10.

right?! our family max is £20 pp!!!

I'd go back to the colleague and say firmly that you feel very uncomfortable sending out a note asking everybody to spend £30 on secret santa.

Tell her you're handing it back as you don't want to be associated with it at all.

£30 is a lot. Ours is now £20 and I was a little gobsmacked at that!

We used to do a secret santa at work in which it was mandatory to either regift or give a secondhand item in good condition. It doesn’t sound like colleague is open to suggestions though so pushing back as a group is probably the only approach.

Of course people are going to feel obliged to spend £30.

If you do have to send out a notice about this, I'd be very clear that the budget is "up to £30" and make it clear that no one is expected to pay £30 but if you want to, you can spend up to that amount.

Lat time I did a Secret Santa the budget was £10. Google tells me that is worth £18.50 today - so a £20 limit would seem right to me.

I'd add the same, £30 is madness. Our SS is £5 - makes you think creatively!

We have a close team where I work, by that I mean a lot of us are friends outside of work, our secret santa is £10...

Oh I like this suggestion...a lot!!!

I really should have clarified that 'Dawn' is the Office Manager/Accounts person

I am the Head's PA but have 'other duties needed within the office' because he also has an EA

So she is above me and can tell me not to say she said to put £30.

Oh yes @ThisTentLikeThing that’s a good idea. Do that @FranksBank £3.00. Typo or decimal point in the wrong place. I worked in many schools and there was always conflict over this sort of thing. It mainly happened with some teachers wanting to go to expensive Christmas meals, splurge on Secret Santa etc. It excluded other school staff on lower wages, plus myself who was a single parent at the time and on the bones of my arse.

Are you not in a position to suggest an alternative eg £5 charity shop purchase?

Or send out an email with voting options. "Who wants to participate in a Secret Santa":

Option A - £30
Option B - £5 charity shop buy

But the point of a secret santa is fairness, that everybody spends the same amount, isn't it?
Otherwise you run the risk of complaints like ' I spent 25 quid and I got a fiver's worth of cheap chocolates...'

I don't even spend that much on my parents. £5 is fine, maybe £10. Any more than that is too expensive for this

£30 is ridiculous. Our one is £5 and I've never got a good gift but at least it is £5.

My sibling secret santa is £15 and I usually spend about £20 on nephews and nieces and £50 on each of my parents/DH/DS!

I’d be tempted to send it out but change the amount to £10.

Then when she gets outraged and sends out an email saying it’s 30, everyone will reply with, ‘oh we were happy with 10, lets keep it at that’

This is a great idea, because you can run two secret santas: the fivers, and Dawn spending £30 on herself 😄

Discuss with the Head immediately. Do not put your name to this. Ask Head to get Office manager to send it to you, and you forward it, if there is no other way. Hopefully the Head has a bit of sense.