Secret Santa - don’t want to do it!

Joannas

Hi,

Very first world problem, but I work in a section of an office that is less than friendly. I got asked in front of them if I would do secret Santa and reluctantly said yes :mad: It’s not my thing, and I barely have a relationship with them despite my efforts (they’re known for this).

Anyway, the hat goes round and one manager wanted to swap describing them as “even worse” than their last pick, other management were openly moaning about their selections to the point of borderline throwing a tantrum. Another person described another person’s pick as a “crap one”. I’ve never encountered such rudeness and would rather just not bother now.

I don’t like Secret Santa but don’t want to be wasting double figures on a bunch of people who don’t like me and are so openly mean! The numbers won’t be affected and I doubt they’d even miss me. In other places I’ve worked an email will go out and you’ll sign up to go in the hat - no pressure - but I’ve never heard people slag off their choices like this? Would you take your name out and risk being one of the choices they’ve openly moaned about or just play along?

74jax

I would have just said no thanks, whether asked in person or not. I got asked today to go in a Christmas song raffle and was the only one in the office who said no.

However you have said yes, so I'd just go ahead with it now.

Joannas

I know but I chickened out at the time. I accepted my own stupidness until I heard the nastiness afterwards, I thought people who insisted on Secret Santa enjoyed it?

LKRDN_Morgan

Surely the beauty of secret Santa is the anonymity? Get them something from £ shop like a dog chew then sit back and watch them try to figure who it was :cool:

mangog

Yikes. That's not much fun. I'm not surprised you want out! To avoid having to backtrack after agreeing in front of them perhaps you could suggest a different way of doing it, so that no one chooses for a particular person but the whole thing is random, like a raffle? Just number the gifts and people choose a number on the day you do the 'gift giving'. That way no one gets a 'crap' option and chances are you'll get something edible rather than a half-hearted attempt at guessing your interests! Might be tricky if people have already started shopping though.

elsien

I wouldn't be wanting to spend double figures on some random person in the office I probably don't even like.
If it was a few quid joke present then maybe but if you're expected to spend much more than that then I'd be out.

Kim_kim

Someone in my team sent out the “who wants to be in the secret Santa draw”, I replied back (to all), no thank you :-)

mangog

Another thought - buy a charity gift. That way at least your money is going to a good cause! Oxfam have a lovely pile of poo for £12. Gets the message across...

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped/grow-vegetables/pile-of-poo-ou1007ml

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Joannas wrote: »

Hi,

Very first world problem, but I work in a section of an office that is less than friendly. I got asked in front of them if I would do secret Santa and reluctantly said yes :mad: It’s not my thing, and I barely have a relationship with them despite my efforts (they’re known for this).

Anyway, the hat goes round and one manager wanted to swap describing them as “even worse” than their last pick, other management were openly moaning about their selections to the point of borderline throwing a tantrum. Another person described another person’s pick as a “crap one”. I’ve never encountered such rudeness and would rather just not bother now.

I don’t like Secret Santa but don’t want to be wasting double figures on a bunch of people who don’t like me and are so openly mean! The numbers won’t be affected and I doubt they’d even miss me. In other places I’ve worked an email will go out and you’ll sign up to go in the hat - no pressure - but I’ve never heard people slag off their choices like this? Would you take your name out and risk being one of the choices they’ve openly moaned about or just play along?

Except it would be blatantly obvious when one person who has bought somebody else their SS present is left without anything. Which will be traced back to you.

Joannas

No one’s bought anything.

Joannas

Won’t let me edit posts. No one would be left out, I would be telling them I’m out so I don’t know where you got that from? And no one’s bought anything yet so no issue there.