Secret santa...

squinz

:mad:

The note is already up at work to put your name down.

I don't want to do it and feel obliged to do it! It's £10 and I think it ends up being a gift that no-one wants or needs anyway.

Any good excuses to get out of it.

PasturesNew

Just say "No".... and live with the wrath of the bullies for a few weeks.

It's not their money. £10 is too much for many.

As you say ... gift that no-one wants .... and you'll have the grim displeasure of having to find something to buy knowing you might as well have just set fire to it.

Joannemarie1977

In my work you get a form with your top 3 choices. If you want surprise you put so. If you don't want to take part you don't. It's a lot of money but if you're guaranteed to get something you want then it's a nice extra present for you x

Angel_in_tit_tape

I wish I'd said no to it this year but I forgot. It's not that I'm a Scrooge-like person. I LOVE Christmas. But there's a difference between buying a gift for someone you love, that you actually feel excited to give them because you know their little hints... And buying something that is passable at best for someone you a) barely know; b) can't stand. I have never had an actual friend as a secret santa pick.

This year I've got a young lad in the office who is nice enough. I've asked around for hints and they said "oh buy him something trashy & disgusting, he'll love it". So now I'm wasting time and money looking for something at just the right level of cheesiness and all I can think is that money could buy something nice for an actual friend, or pay for coffees and a catch up with a loved one, or put in my house fund to put towards a new home. Nope, man-kini it is then.

More fool me. This is my last year. Bah humbug!

creative_gal

Just don't put your name down - I've declined to enter Secret Santa at work this year for the first time in about 8 years at the same workplace, as trying to find the 'right' gift within the budget for my selected colleague was always quite stressful, and I just decided not to bother this time around. I felt a slight pang of guilt, but doubt they'd miss my participation.

Hard_Up_Hester

Just say no!
I join in the department one at work but it is only £5 & we all know each other so well that we usually get something appropriate.
I decline the whole staff one as it is £10 & I never know what to get.
I decline lots of things at work & no-one has ever been unpleasant to me about it, they may moan about me behind my back but I don't worry about it.

Islandmaid

Our work secret Santa is linked to work do, which I have declined - there,s only so many chocolate willy,s a girl needs .....;)

Syman

I just say no thanks, have done ever since i started work there, also don't do the christmas party.

I have enough trouble buying presents for people i know well, buying something for someone i only know to say hello to is nigh on impossible.

Likewise for anyone who would get me as their intended recipient.

i get the odd "scrooge" comment, but embrace it, and continue to be grumpy around those people!!

Gers

Oh! I HATE secret Santa and would never do it when I worked. It's horrible, a waste of money, time and effort. Trashy presents FROM people I don't even like, or trashy present FOR people I don't even like.

Resist. You'll feel good about it.

kerri_gt

I've done it in the past and had some nice gifts (though I suspect one at least was re gifted to me as it was no way withing the allocated budget) I've also done ones which I put a lot of thought into, and ones I frankly chucked in the shopping trolley while doing the grocery shop. In recent years I haven't bothered, never had any comments to my face and couldn't care less about any behind my back. Now we all work remotely so it's a non-issue (praying no one suggests it for our Xmas dinner meet).

Just don't put your name down. £10 is ok if you want of join in, it's a lot if you don't or can't financially.

Bella73

I've just said no thanks to ours ...honestly I can't be bothered to trawl the shops for a bit of tat that will end up in the bin, I would rather put my money to myself or hubby...as for guilt, there is none here, couldn't care less what anyone says at work, they are not my friends they are colleagues.