by Ali C.
Member since:
September 17, 2008

Do you buy gifts for your co-workers?

December 10, 2008 09:58 PM EST
views: 112 | rating: 10/10 (21 votes) | comments: 45

I like the people I work with (well, most of them anyway) and I want to give some of them gifts but I can't afford to buy things for everyone, I work with about 50 people! Is it rude to give some people Christmas (Holiday) gifts and not give them to others? Just wondering what your opinions are. Thanks!

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Comments: 45

B.B. B. Dec 10, 2008, 9:59pm EST
well i dont work right now, so i dont have to buy for co-workers
B.B. B. Dec 10, 2008, 9:59pm EST
happy holidays
Bob Cronley Dec 10, 2008, 10:02pm EST
What co-workers? :)
Amy H. Dec 10, 2008, 10:17pm EST
sometimes, I do Smileycons!
Heather ~of the Whippets~ M. Dec 10, 2008, 10:19pm EST
It depends on how you do it. If you can do it discreetly, there shouldn't be a problem.

One way you avoid hurt feelings is to give everyone homemade cookies or fudge. Something like that is inexpensive to do.
Gina M. Dec 10, 2008, 10:20pm EST
I never bought gifts for co-workers - although there were 2 exceptions - 1. as a department we did a pollyanna or secret santa thing and 2. I had good friends at work and we exchanged presents outside of work.

You have no obligation to give everyone a present. You can discretely give a gift to a couple people if you would like. If that makes you feel uncomfortable, then maybe you can bring in a tray of cookies and candy for everyone to share. Or something like that.
sarah g. Dec 10, 2008, 10:24pm EST
My best friend works in the cubicle next to me and we always buy for each other and I have another great friend that I work with, so I buy for her as well. That is it. The rest of them get nothing from me and I don't feel bad about that. I can't afford to buy for everyone, nor do I like everyone I work with. LOL!!
APE 131313 Dec 10, 2008, 10:27pm EST
I usually knew what people drank back in the day when we would sometimes stop for a drink after work so for Christmas I would buy the small airline type bottles (nips) at the liquor store and attach a 'Have a drink on me' card to the neck of the bottle. Used to get them 2 for a dollar but I have no idea what they cost now. Never had one turned down!
Sandra L. Dec 10, 2008, 10:27pm EST
A couple of us exchange gifts.
Lina :-p Dec 10, 2008, 10:29pm EST
I made stuff for coworkers that were especially close to me (friendship wise), when I worked.
jeni e. Dec 10, 2008, 10:32pm EST
I do not have any co-workers now but in the past I have. I do not buy gifts for them, it is too expensive and if you buy for one you should not leave anyone out. I baked. Home made goodies are always something they would never want to return and certainly not give to someone else (re-gifting) so bake up people.
Ali C. Dec 10, 2008, 10:48pm EST
Thanks everyone!
Kat W. Dec 10, 2008, 11:27pm EST
If there are one or two people you want to give gifts to, go out to lunch to do the exchange.
DesertDarlene L. Dec 11, 2008, 12:30am EST
Lately, I've only been giving gifts to the boss unless we do some kind of secret santa or gift exchange where we draw names. I explained to one of my co-workers that I just can't afford to give everyone a gift. I do try to bring food for everyone, though.
Trish A. Dec 11, 2008, 1:13am EST
My husband exchanges gifts with the group he works with. We always make the gift and no one has complained. This year the gift was either a beaded necklace created by me or a wine stopper he turned. It's not expected but the group tends to enjoy sharing with one another.
Stephannie H. Dec 11, 2008, 8:23am EST
I used to. I work at home now.
Terri S. Dec 11, 2008, 8:26am EST
I work with a group of about 50 people as well. I am part of the business staff and we have exchanged gifts in the past. But not with the whole department.
J F. Dec 11, 2008, 9:46am EST
I am self-employed.
Ali C. Dec 11, 2008, 10:37pm EST
I gave one of my bosses a little something today, but I kept it pretty quiet. I think it went well :-)
denise e Dec 12, 2008, 10:03am EST
there are only 6 of us. We hang stocking in the back and everyday something goes in it. Our boss puts most of it in, but we all try to put something in at some point. The stockings were hung Monday, so far we got a pair of socks from our boss, one employee works at a shoe store and gave us discount cards to be used in January and I put in candy canes. We also go out for dinner usually, this year we will go to our bosses house, her husband will cook and we will each bring a dish as well, and we are probably going to do a present exchange where you open any gift and then the next person can choose to open a gift or take someone Else's they already opened
Amy K. Dec 13, 2008, 6:26pm EST
I'm not now, unless it is a special friend.
Becca J. Dec 13, 2008, 7:29pm EST
I use to work in the NICU at our Hospital, we had 60+ nurses on staff. Most of us had certain people we normally worked with the we gave cards too. And once in awhile we did some type of gift to people you were really close to.
Often if it was a gift, you would put a card on it as the gift tag, and set it next to their locker in the locker room. We use to tape cards to each others lockers.
Deborah R. Dec 15, 2008, 3:33pm EST
Sorry can't help here. I am a stay at home mom. Merry Christmas.
Parker S. Dec 17, 2008, 10:46am EST
If I had coworkers, I probably might. Paying it Forward.
Randall C. Dec 19, 2008, 7:12pm EST
most of the time I do, I guess that shows that I play favorites, huh
Christine G. Dec 21, 2008, 9:57pm EST
I have one co-worker that I buy for. We are friends outside of work & do things together so we do exchange gifts. I do take in cookies or other treats I make and share them with my co-workers.
Shaunee C. Dec 26, 2008, 8:31pm EST
I use to when I worked with a few friends I don't see it as a problem
Melanie B. Dec 28, 2008, 7:37pm EST
~Thanks for sharing..
Leaving you a ten ~
To help you reach your Gather goal.
Melanie B. Dec 28, 2008, 7:38pm EST
secret santas are the best bet. and then a private exchange away from work. So noones feelings get hurt. Which usually happen anyways. Word always gets back to those that were left out...
Cecilia Lyne Dec 29, 2008, 9:08am EST
I do not work so I don't. But my hubby is a retail manager and the three top managers (Him and two other managers) put $$$ in to buy all of the assinatant managers $20 gift cards from their store. ********************
Renita P. Jan 1, 2009, 10:23pm EST
I don't work now, but when I did, I would RARELY buy gifts for co-workers. If it were someone I had gotten to be good friends with OUTSIDE of work also, I might have done something little, but I would not give it to them in the office.
Paying it forward for 1/2009
Baylee C. Jan 2, 2009, 7:08pm EST
PIF i work for myself, so, no, don't buy gifts for co-workers, including myself, as all my money goes towards the kids and hubby! lol
Beth - Doing God's work Daily J. Jan 2, 2009, 10:03pm EST
We do a gift exchange.
APE 131313 Jan 6, 2009, 2:33pm EST
Thank you for the opportunity to visit your pages and P I F for 2009!
Courtney C. Jan 7, 2009, 9:16pm EST
I couldn't afford to give everyone gifts that I'd want to, so we did a Secret Santa. PIF
Stacey *Mamasaid* D. Jan 8, 2009, 9:46am EST
Boy am I glad to be self-employed now. I used to be an office manager so I had to give something to everyone, both staff and management. Usually a fancy card with a candy cane attached and I'd bake several batches of homemade cookies for the break room. For the big boss, I'd take up a collection and get a gift card. You can give gifts to co-worker friends privately right before or after work.
Cindy A. Jan 8, 2009, 3:59pm EST
we do a gift exchange in our department....we haven't even done it yet, we are having a meeting this Sunday and I am going in early to decorate the back room all christmasy ;)
we'll have our meeting and then do our gift exchange and have lots of good things to eat :)
Carlie L. Jan 8, 2009, 4:34pm EST
I wish I'd seen this sooner but maybe it'll help for this year. I used to work in a huge dept. at a major univ. and I knew *everyone* so I wanted to get them all something. I'd bake three or four different kinds of cookies and put a few of each kind in little gift bags. I got the bags at the local hobby shop for like 10 for $1 so it wasn't very expensive, but it let folks know I was thinking of them. You can make cookies with Splenda for the dieting and diabetic folks, so no one has to be left out. (Their kids will also love you for this gift. LOL)

***
Paying it Forward
Megan R. Jan 9, 2009, 11:07am EST
We do a secret santa at my work. It definitely helps take off the pressure when you know you only have to buy one gift.
PIF
t w. Jan 9, 2009, 9:57pm EST
paying it forward!
Debbie R. Jan 10, 2009, 12:46pm EST
pif
Carol V. Jan 10, 2009, 8:19pm EST
PIF -- I didn't buy gifts for coworkers this year. They knew that Hubby lost his job in October and we didn't have the money. This year I gave my boss cookies and he was trilled.
Kirstie Pederson Jan 17, 2009, 7:14pm EST
A small group of us usually exchange $15 gifts but we didn't this year because so many got laid off. We went from 350 to about 250. I think those are the right numbers.
Angela W. Feb 23, 2009, 2:37pm EST
stopping by from PIF

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