To be dreading work tomorrow

[Fibilou]

It's the last day that everyone in the office is in before I go on maternity leave on Christmas Eve. Every time someone leaves permanently or on maternity the whole office has to come in and a speech/presentation made. I am DREADING it. I hate being the centre of attention and I would prefer to get no present so I could just slink away quietly and not do the round of goodbyes (I specifically picked Xmas Eve cos I thought I would get away with it)

My manager has already said she will do it tomorrow. I am going to be really and AIBU to call in sick ?

Call in sick! Why people insist on making an exhibition out of people who are uncomfortable with it I do not know.

just go and be inwardly smug that you are off on maternity leave

YABU! If the office has contributed to a gift for you, it would be a bit mean to sneak away....... I was the same by the way and luckily was able to go on maternity leave quietly as most people had finished work and were away for the summer.

However, maybe you should have a word with your manager and say that you don't want a big deal made of you going - tell a white lie and say you're still a bit nervous about the baby so don't want to jinx things? I didn't get anything from work colleagues until I had actually had the baby - that's normally how things are done in my office in case something (god forbid) went wrong.

go in but fake a sickie at lunch.so you say goodbye but bit lower key.if they are making effort a total no show is bitty avoidant

Meh. I'll have your present if you don't want it.

Come on, how bad can it be? You stare at your feet blushing furiously while someone says lovely things about you and then everyone gives you a round of applause and a present.

You say thank you very much, kiss the person who delivered the speech then you all scarper off home for Christmas.

5 minutes, max. Don't be such an old grump.

I hate this as well, I'd rather just slink off too. Mind you my last place of employment was VERY generous in their gift for maternity leave, got something like a couple hundred quid in house of fraser vouchers, plus chocs and something else. So I took the good naturedly.

A bit perhaps, they sound nice, some companies wouldn't do anything.

...on my last day my desk had been decorated with banners and presents everyone would have been gutted if I had called in sick, and really offended because everyone had chipped money in for a moses basket and loads of baby bits, it was realy kind.

Anyway, you are pregnant, if you hide behind a tissue and cry everyone will just put it down to the hormones.

your colleagues have made an effort,be gracious and cringe quietly.but a no show is v rude

scottishmummy is right. One woman in our office did the same and we were a bit miffed to be honest!

i wouldn't really call in sick ! I just would like to !

Glad to hear Fibilou - hope you're looking forward to maternity leave!

I am so excited, Igglybuff, I could pop !

I was too! And I got a whole 5 weeks before DS showed up (although by week 3 I was climbing the walls). Congratulations!

Fibilou, I am similar about office presentation, but when my line manager did my maternity leave presentation, he appreciated how I feel, kept it really low key and said some lovely things. It was August, so lots of people on hols, but I liked the chance to say goodbye to my friends who were in. And I got £100 of Monsoon vouchers and to go home 2 hours early!

Do go in tommorow, it will be fine. You might even regret not going later.