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.

Back when I worked in a school we changed Secret Santa to supporting a local council initiative to provide presents for disadvantaged children.

Staff were invited (no pressure!) to bring in a gift bag with gifts for a set age range (you could pick the sex/age range from a list yourself). Gifts were not to be wrapped as they had to be checked for suitability by people centrally organising it all at the council. Including a roll of wrapping paper was appreciated to allow volunteers to wrap gifts after checking. No minimum spend. You could literally donate just a selection box or anything else deemed appropriate for children in the age range you selected.

No one was pressured to participate. Names were not marked off so people knew who did/did not get involved with it as we were aware that everyone has different financial circumstances which are none of our business.

Where I worked did a pound shop secret santa - you had to buy the funniest/best thing for £1 and it was a lot more entertaining.

In Germany they do a different version which is everyone brings in an item from their home they don't like and gives it to someone else.

Or everyone brings in something to eat and you have a table of food to share.

£30 on someone is madness, they are just going to buy a more expensive version of what they were going to buy, like wine or socks, and it's pointless.

I would have nothing to do with this, organising or contributing. It's tone deaf. Secret Santa is a naff thing anyway. Nobody enjoys it being hoist on them.

Utterly ridiculous I work in finance everyone earns way more. Our secret Santa has a £10 limit. I’d suggest you ask your boss if he/she thinks £10 an appropriate limit and then put that and you can tell Dawn they told you to. She’s not going to go and debate with them is she?

I think that’s a ridiculous amount of money. I would refuse to have anything to do with the secret Santa. Let the person who asked you, to arrange it herself.

JFC £30! She is bonkers. There was uproar last year at our max going to £10. A few spent more (their choice) but most spent less

Yep knowing my luck I’d get a Dove body wash and puff gift set. No thanks! I’ll keep my £30 for myself.

That's more than I spend on my mum and dad (£20 is each) and our siblings secret santa...no way would I spend that on a colleague

This ^^^

But it’s the OP who has corrected themself………

Will people want to participate with that budget?
We set a £5 budget, it had to be second hand / charity shop, and it was pot luck so you didn’t know who would get your gift.

Everyone wanted to join in but then we do actually like each other in my workplace.

But HAS she specifically told you not to say that? If she hasn't just stick it in and don't mention it to her, if she has specifically say "don't say its come from me" just send it out as is and see how many people reply. Even if she can tell you not to write she can't tell you what to say so if anyone moans to you about it being too expensive just say "that is exactly what I told Dawn but she insisted! Mad isn't it!"

Otherwise who cares, everyone knows your job role is to send emails on behalf of others, I doubt anyone thinks its your idea to do the ss, and if they do just tell them it wasn't! If they don't want to do it they can tell Dawn themselves.

£30 is insanity - we regift something we don't want, and a colleague dresses as Santa and hands them out randomly. We then spend our Christmas lunch swapping them until everyone has something they want or can use. It's a lot of fun because there's 70 of us.

But she hasn't told you not to say 'Dawn suggested a max budget of £30'. So I would defo word the email in that way

Has she told you not to say that?

Gosh, even the one we do amongst close friends is £20 and they are my besties

There's a reason she wants YOU to do it, @FranksBank .

The messenger is about to be shot.

Mad, £30 is a lot of money to spend for a Secret Santa especially on a teacher’s wage with children to buy for,
You cannot enforce that it has been spent unless they show the bill with price and date.for the article. Some will just look for articles reduced from £30 or regift as many do.

£30 is crazy. We had a £5 budget last year but it was surprisingly difficult to get a gift specific for your giftee for £5. I would say “maximum of £10” leaves it open for people to spend less if they want.

I’m in 2 and they’re both £5
Also, has to be regifted, charity or handmade.

Honestly OP I wouldn’t die on this hill. Make the email as generic as you can and then tell the office gossip conversationally that you aren’t participating and didn’t organize it.

If anyone complains to directly just shrug and tell them you were asked to send the email but wasn’t a part of any of the details.

Sod that. Tell them you are not doing it. I can't afford £30 around Xmas.

I think a tenner is generous for a Secret Santa. £30 is way too much.

You could say "I've been asked to send out a Secret Santa email, here are the details for anyone interested, and they're set the budget at £30"

Wouldn't want my name on it either.

That is a cracking idea!