Staff are collecting money for manager Christmas present 3rd year in a row

[Dallidalli]

This has been bugging me for a while. One member of staff the past three years has initiated a collection for the manager around Christmas time. It's also the boss' birthday in December.
I have never contributed to this collection as I find it a) morally wrong and b) I don't get on that well with my manager so I don't see the point chipping in for a gift to say 'thank you'.
I don't get it. I believe I am the odd one out who has not paid. We are not a small team but small enough to notice who has paid and who didn't.
I don't get how this was allowed to continue. The collection stands now at around £150 with people not agreeing on what to buy for the manager. I just think staff should not at all buy regular gifts for superiors. Weddings, leaving and baby sure but during cost of living crisis I really don't understand my team members who forked out. If it was agreed to get nice flowers and nice hotel Chocolat chocolates yeah maybe I could see it as reasonable but £150 quid! It was a similar amount above £100 the past years also.
I'm keeping stumm about it so far but honestly it is making me uncomfortable. Any one else have similar experience or advice?

YABU - Manager deserves a gift from staff and they are being nice
YANBU - That's brown-nosing and not appropriate

A collection for the manager???? Is he the embodiment of the NHS or something, were you banging pots on your doorstep for him during the pandemic????

Weird workplace, op, yanbu

Presumably though, there's a collection for everyone on their birthday?

Birthdays in the team (8 people at different levels) that you purchase the birthday present and card for the person who's birthday falls after yours to a maximum of £10.

Christmas we do £10 secret Santa.

No, I wouldn't contribute to a collection for one individual and I'm amazed they accept it.

I haven't voted because it's up to individuals who they give money to. My DD's are managers/supervisors and are really touched and grateful when their team get them something.

I can imagine how that'd go down with me tbh..

"do you want to donate to get the manager a gift?"

"Are you taking the fucking piss mate? Got a bit shit on your nose there..."

I think they'd get the message.

Nope not everyone's birthday gets acknowledged with a present. Or a card even. It's between people who get on well but not a team/company wide thing.

I just find it dead fuckin weird no one turned round and said ehm wtf why!? Well I do but I also don't want to make myself a target by bringing this up publicly. Honestly if everyone would have just put in 1-2 quid yeah why no but this is getting ridiculous. The collection is on voluntary basis.

Oh that's awful, it really should be all or nothing

I understand your situation, I wouldn't give tbh or just say, 'sorry I've no cash' when the matter arises but I agree with not complaining as it sounds cliquey

@Dallidalli our collections are done via cash and envelopes, is it not possible to do this.

I agree it's unsavoury

We do a collection for our manager, we all put in £10 and it ends up around £80. He sends us all a gift personally from him