Do you get a Christmas present from work?

[Lltb]

Just wondering really. I started a new job 6 months ago and have always received Christmas gifts from work (normally just a card, cheap bottle of wine and/or Xmas flowers). This year in this job I don’t think that’s happening. I work in a small team and we’re only all in the office one day a week (not necessarily the same day). Yesterday coincidentally we were all in the office together and the other team in our office were also there and received gifts from their manager (we are all one big team as our work helps each other but we have different roles and so different managers) and we did not. I was just wondering what the norm is really as I kind of expected it but don’t want to be unreasonable.
Before anyone says there’s still time that’s true! I just doubt we will all be in the office together next week as it rarely happens

I generally get a bottle of wine from my manager. Plus she gets the whole staff a choc orange.

I get my team a gift each out of my own pocket.

And we do secret Santa.

I work for a well know supermarket - we get nothing… bearing in mind they give away tins of sweets and biscuits away to customers thru December. We put up with the angry and impatient customers when it’s not our fault tills are not open that’s up to head office and managers. They sit upstairs thinking of their nice bonuses they will receive off the back of Xmas but can’t gift us a tin of sweets or even a chocolate Orange.

Yeah exactly, a thank you costs nothing, I’ve saved the company literally thousands of pounds, do unpaid overtime and have been there for colleagues who’ve needed help either professionally or personally. Not one word of thanks from any of them, even though I made them (handmade) gifts (didn’t expect anything back but no acknowledgement whatsoever) feeling really unappreciated and unwanted right now.

Nothing but this is the first year in 3 years that they’ve paid for a Christmas lunch for us so got something this year at least.

Have a look at the tax implications on this - I'm not sure you are correct that gifting from your own pocket to your employees is tax free.

No, nothing not even a Christmas drink or lunch

I am public sector, so nothing from the organisation. I get all my direct reports a gift, always have done. I generally get a gift from my boss. Got a bottle of wine this year.

6 of us work together, including manager - we do a Secret Santa between us all with a £10 limit.

The company owner visits our branch at some point during December and gives us each a card and a half decent bottle of Champagne which is always appreciated 😊 He also gives £25 per head towards whatever we organise for our branch Christmas night out.

This is my first year in a non-public sector/local government/NHS role and I got a lovely and totally unexpected bonus from the finance team (about 10% of my monthly wage). I have mentally struggled a lot this year because of how badly I was bullied in my previous job and it was a nice surprise to feel valued and appreciated. They did it in a way where I wouldn't be taxed on it as well which was a bonus in itself.

Used to get a couple of bottles of wine. Now our managers get chocolates for us as we no longer get anything from the company!

Yes - box of chocolate and we got taken out for a meal. That nobody wanted to go on.

I buy small gifts for those in my immediate team, just wine, choc, etc.

Management were asked to put £10 in a kitty this year to buy chocs for the office- that nobody eats!

Nope never have.

Why would you not get taxed on a bonus? Do you understand tax?

I'm a manager and I buy my immediate team gifts from my own pocket. It's really expensive.

From my manager and I buy for the people I manage but all self funded as we’re public sector.

No, but my employer closes the office between Christmas and New Year, so my present is usually 3 days of extra leave - which is preferable to a bottle of wine and a Tesco voucher tbh.

I got some flowers and a £40 voucher

We had a staff party ...DJ food and wine ..was lovely

I think the business giving a gift is different from a manager giving a gift. I have had both over the years. We got a £30 gift voucher each from the business. I don't think managers should have to buy gifts.

Very first company gave perfume. My first one was Gloria by Cacharel, which I love but it got discontinued 😔

Subsequent companies would share out all the bottles and chocolate the site was gifted by subbies and companies we worked with.

Current company gave 2 bottles of nice wine last year, and we are getting a pay rise above inflation and a small bonus this year, but haven't received the individual emails telling us how much yet 🙄

@soundsys i love that- £1 under tax threshold but also a decent sum, everyone gets involved and hopefully also gets what they want. I may suggest that next year…

New job this year, very tight line manager. Didn't expect a present - don't need one - but got some badly wrapped re-gifted shite which was so obviously battered and grubby finger-marked, it was really awful.
Why do people do this? I'd have respected her better if she'd just said, no presents, I don't agree with it in the workplace and don't want to set a precedent, than passing on crap and lying about its provenance.
Might be looking for another new job in 2024.....

We got a JL hamper and a £200 bonus. I'm happy with that.

Unless there's an office secret santa no never, but I do have a client (I freelance for them) who send me a £30 John Lewis voucher every year which is ace.

I'm in education... you're having a laugh!! 😆 Mind you, it would not sit comfortably if I did as budgets are so horrific that every spare penny should go on supporting the pupils, in whatever way that may be.
My SIL is a nurse with the NHS and I can't get my head around how much they are given at Christmas from bosses! A completely different world!