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Original poster

Farewell gift from work - best and worst

126 replies

Flashbackcringe · 07/08/2025 08:59

Name changed as outing but what's the best/worst/cringe farewell gift you've received or contributed to for a work farewell?

Light hearted - hugs to those who haven't received, etc. Posting here for traffic.

Mine? Colleague worked at the place for 3 months and they asked for (and we duly delivered) gift voucher for the fancy bra shop next door 😆

OP posts:
MiloMinderbinder925 · 08/08/2025 13:19

The worst was a card which someone signed, "I hope you get everything you deserve."

imhavinghoops · 08/08/2025 13:28

Worst was after 8.5 years, I got a set of Bic biros and a notepad.
Best was a basket of assorted crisps and a meal out, that job was about 3ish years.

ginasevern · 08/08/2025 13:37

Many years ago my then office had a whip round for a dozen (live) chickens. To be fair, the recipient was leaving work to start a small holding. So a very good present actually, but definitely right up there with unusual.

Katieweasel · 08/08/2025 13:42

I randomly mentioned in passing several years before that I’d love to give pottery a go. My colleague remembered and organised a voucher for a starter course at a little pottery down the road. Think it was 4 lessons and I got to make and keep a number of bowls and things. The class was tiny and full of lovely people. And there was wine! Honestly the nicest gift and I was very touched

Katieweasel · 08/08/2025 13:44

I should have added that my colleague bless her kept a spreadsheet on her desktop with ideas for gifts and made a note when someone mentioned a hobby or favourite bottle of wine etc.

MrsCat1 · 08/08/2025 13:50

Years ago I remember a lady who was very, very disliked by staff was leaving. Her line manager was away at the time and somebody else had organised a collection for her. Most people had refused to contribute. As the only reasonably senior person in the office at the appointed time I was asked to present her with….a small bunch of about 6 flowers bought from the local petrol station. I couldn’t do that. I went out and upgraded to a decent plant and took the six flowers home.

WorthyOpalZebra · 08/08/2025 13:54

Worst was two bottles of wine - I don't drink and they knew this as I'd worked there a long time and been to many Christmas/birthday/leaving celebrations.
Best was a very unexpected set of gifts for my new house - nice fluffy towels and a set of matching photo frames. I'd only been there a couple of months as a temp while waiting to relocate with my husband's job.

Y2ker · 08/08/2025 14:09

I've worked in various press officers and newspapers and my favourite thing to do is put together a spoof front page of a newspaper for anyone leaving, featuring photos and funny things from their time there. You need to make sure they will see the funny side though!

dendroglyph · 08/08/2025 14:18

Worst - a plastic wind up novelty car toy, presented by the big boss, dressed up as a lame joke 'ere is the Lambo you always dreamed of har har hardy har'. 'Give Dendroglyph a clap, hope your new job is terrible and you come crawling back, belly laugh, I MIGHT let you have your job back, clap hand on shoulder - back to work everyone!'

I was completely stunned by the gift as I never have ever wanted a lambo, spoke about a lambo or any other super or sports car. EVER. It was a cheap destined for landfill, careless, thoughtless gift. What rubbed salt in the wound was that collections were normally very generous as we all paid into a monthly fund to cover flowers/gifts. I was pretty well liked in my job, had no issues, was leaving on good terms, so was genuinely stumped to why I was treated so shoddily.

Best - Some tasteful jewellery (that I have to this day), lovely scented candles, a gift card to a place I had always wanted to go and an invite out to a team meal to wish me on my way (they paid for) we all got very tipsy and had a great night.

Weirdly the worst was a 'family run business' where staff were 'part of the family'

The best, was a stepping stone position, only there a year

3678194b · 08/08/2025 14:24

Worst was nothing. That's what you get working in the NHS for 20 years!

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 15:17

Shayisgreat · 08/08/2025 12:11

I left a role to go on maternity leave - no goodbye, no lunch or drinks, no gift, no card, no one except manager in the office on my last day. She walked me to my car and apologised for not getting me anything. I hadn't even realised until that point how cold the goodbye had been.

How did you get on with your colleagues?

AyaMaua · 08/08/2025 15:31

Best was a handmade leaving card with the nicest comments from my team and clients

Worst was a massive bunch of utterly beautiful flowers wrapped in plastic with a very heavy water reservoir at the bottom. I loved them. But Had to lug this thing round central London for my leaving do (bar and club crawl; I was 22) and eventually just drunkenly decided to leave it on a Tube train and let someone else enjoy it. Lucky I didn’t cause a bomb alert.

Shayisgreat · 08/08/2025 15:39

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 15:17

How did you get on with your colleagues?

Show quote history

I was there for 3 months and I thought I got on fine with them. I wouldn't expect anything but an acknowledgement that I was going (and experiencing a major life change). I was there as a locum worker so the expectation was always that I would leave after 3 months.

The organisation was a shit show and I had 3 different line managers and 2 head of service changes within the time I was there so I think there was just a culture of turnover and not investing emotionally in colleagues.

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 15:44

Shayisgreat · 08/08/2025 15:39

I was there for 3 months and I thought I got on fine with them. I wouldn't expect anything but an acknowledgement that I was going (and experiencing a major life change). I was there as a locum worker so the expectation was always that I would leave after 3 months.

The organisation was a shit show and I had 3 different line managers and 2 head of service changes within the time I was there so I think there was just a culture of turnover and not investing emotionally in colleagues.

Show quote history

3 months
locum worker and very evidently not going to be staying beyond 3 months and unlikely to return for at the very least until end of maternity period if at all.
and no one was even in on the day you left

i have to say… not sure I’d have chipped in for this collection

what was the industry?

theDudesmummy · 08/08/2025 15:52

My best (and only) was precisely nothing, which I was delighted about. I retired from the NHS in 2020, having worked in same unit for 25 years, as trainee and then consultant. A big shindig was being planned (I was the longest serving member of staff ever there). There was even a bloody planning committee. I can't tell you how I was dreading it.

Along came Covid and so it never happened, I just left one day and that was that. A couple of years later one of my colleagues contacted me to ask if I would like to have the retirement party now. My answer was absolutely not!

Shayisgreat · 08/08/2025 15:53

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 15:44

3 months
locum worker and very evidently not going to be staying beyond 3 months and unlikely to return for at the very least until end of maternity period if at all.
and no one was even in on the day you left

i have to say… not sure I’d have chipped in for this collection

what was the industry?

Edited
Show quote history

I mean, I wasn't expecting anyone to chip in but a goodbye would have been nice.

I've just shared my worst leaving situation as it was the subject of the thread. The only response I was expecting by sharing this was an acknowledgement that it was a bit cold. Not basically telling me that it was all I deserved and brought it upon myself which is what you seem to be getting at!

Mama2many73 · 08/08/2025 15:57

I was given a swarovski tigger figurine. I absolutely love it . I would never spend money on something like that for myself so do appreciate it.

CoralOP · 08/08/2025 16:01

Worst for me was everyone gathered around to give me some expensive gold earrings. I was gushing and saying thank you but in my head was thinking you can all clearly see that I'm sitting here without my ears pierced!

For a colleague we all put in money and someone went and bought her a £200 bouquet of flowers, she was flying off on a 2 week holiday straight after work which they person knew, complete waste!

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 16:14

Shayisgreat · 08/08/2025 15:53

I mean, I wasn't expecting anyone to chip in but a goodbye would have been nice.

I've just shared my worst leaving situation as it was the subject of the thread. The only response I was expecting by sharing this was an acknowledgement that it was a bit cold. Not basically telling me that it was all I deserved and brought it upon myself which is what you seem to be getting at!

Show quote history

Goodness… you jump straight to the negative!

I was simply sharing that it probably wasn’t personal given you had a set period of 3 months from the outset and unlikely to return

no one was in the office to see you pack up and wish you well

but if you want to take offence. Again. Go for it 🤷‍♀️

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 16:15

Not basically telling me that it was all I deserved and brought it upon myself which is what you seem to be getting at!

rather telling that this is what you came away with

Allseeingallknowing · 08/08/2025 16:22

3678194b · 08/08/2025 14:24

Worst was nothing. That's what you get working in the NHS for 20 years!

Agree- they don’t value their staff. No appreciation. So hurtful and thoughtless when you’ve given your all to your profession . My daughter has worked over 30 years in her NHS department, loyal, dedicated and hard working. If she receives nothing on retirement, a carefully worded letter from me will wing its way to her department!

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 16:24

Allseeingallknowing · 08/08/2025 16:22

Agree- they don’t value their staff. No appreciation. So hurtful and thoughtless when you’ve given your all to your profession . My daughter has worked over 30 years in her NHS department, loyal, dedicated and hard working. If she receives nothing on retirement, a carefully worded letter from me will wing its way to her department!

Show quote history

But it isn’t private companies that pay out for the gifts
it is the human beings working there

so it’s not the NHS’s fault. It’s the fact that the human beings working there don’t wish to make an effort or contribute

Hoolihan · 08/08/2025 16:27

Last job got me a beer tasting experience for two in a random Brewer's Fayre pub, not even local to me (plus I was getting divorced at the time) AND a Great British Bake Off apron. Baffling and such a waste of money. Gave both to the PTA raffle.

MonkeyMonkeyUnderpants1 · 08/08/2025 16:29

Worst was definitely a single mug. I don't drink tea or coffee which everyone knew. Had been there 7 years, promoted twice. It was a charity so I don't care about the value, just the complete lack of any thought.

Roothewheel · 08/08/2025 16:31

Hoolihan · 08/08/2025 16:27

Last job got me a beer tasting experience for two in a random Brewer's Fayre pub, not even local to me (plus I was getting divorced at the time) AND a Great British Bake Off apron. Baffling and such a waste of money. Gave both to the PTA raffle.

That’s beer tasting one would have been hands down my worst!! 🥇