An annual ritual in my department at work is for the staff to chip in money for a Christmas gift for our Vice President. Every year at about this time emails begin to bounce around regarding who will coordinate the purchasing gift, what type of gift we should buy and how much each person should contribute to the cause. This exact same procedure happened at my last employer as well.
Words cannot begin to describe how much this concept pisses me off.
I spend the last four to five weeks of every year trying to figure out how in the hell I will be able to afford to purchase gifts for my family and close friends (you know the people I love on many levels, and have been there for me through it all). As someone who only finished college two years ago, there's still not a lot of money on my pay stub every other week. What little is there I need to pay the credit card and student loans bills I racked up attending college. Not to forget the additional car note, insurance, rent, utilities, phone, gas, food and other basic survival needs to pay for. There's not a lot left after all of that. So trying to add in the cost of holiday gifts for the people I truly care about is no easy task. It takes of lot of creative thinking to land on something that shows you truly care about them, yet does not show how little cash you had to spend on the gift and still allows you to eat.
Now you want me to add on money for someone else? Someone whose salary I know has to be about four times as much as mine?
Don't get me wrong, I have mad respect for my VP. She has honestly been the best boss I've ever had. I've learned so much from her, and she's done countless things to help me, both professionally and personally. She's a great person. Truly, she is.
It's not that I think she is worthy of a gift. However, feeling forced into forking over money for a gift for her just makes me bitter. Bitter that it takes another $20-$30 (depending on how guilty my co-workers make me feel) away from possible gifts for my parents, Maverick or my brother and sister-in-law.
I always end feeling like this situation is Robin Hood in reverse, and it really grinds my gears!
She is Here.
11 years ago
2 comments:
Ironic that you posted this today because I was thinking about Xmas presents the other night. I'm at a new job and I'm not sure what the protocall is - on top of it my department is consists of me and three other woman, plus there is the Vice Provost...It was the white elephant that ticked me off -I don't want a useless present! I think you should contribute what you can afford!!!
Not just your gears, Petah. That is some serious horseshit. First, there should be no "gifting up." Your gift to your supervisor is your hardwork throughout the year. Every supervisor I know would prefer to have his/her staff show up on time everyday, be productive and contribute to the team all year rather than chip in for a tie/purse (whatever) come Holiday time. Your VP should put an end to this. Now. If she doesn't, and you're still being bullied into contributing, I suggest a nice bottle of wine. No more than 15-20 bucks. No more than $5 per person for s staff of four.
Enough of that bullshit.
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