lets talk about workplace holiday stuff..... (WITH POLL)

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Posted by missliss

I hate the whole gift-giving thing at my office. I work in commercial real estate, I'm an assistant. It's customary for the brokers to give their assistant's cash for the holidays. Granted I don't mind this at all. But apparently I found out last year it's also customary for us assistants to give the brokers we work for 'gifts' as well. I work for 5 brokers, that's alot. So i asked the other assistants last year what they usually give and they all give different things, like ties, personalized things, cufflinks, etc. So there I was a week before xmas running around the city buying gifts for the brokers I work for (mind you I had only started working here in Sept so that's 4 months before xmas). I gave my 2 senior guys nice ties and their juniors each a set of cufflinks. Then I worked for one female broker as well, I got her a nice bracelet from Macy's. Spent way too much money if you ask me (considering what I make but whatever). Oh, and I forgot, all the assistants also exchange little gifts . There are 6 of us. So thats 5 more little gifts I had to buy...I got them various lotion things. And then there's the receptionist and the 2 guys who work in the copy/mail room who it's 'standard' for everyone to gift as well. I got the receptionist a lotion gift as well and the 2 copy room guys small bottles of booze (this is what the other assts told me they give). Basically it's like a gigantic 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours' environment. I get it, I do, and we do mostly all help each other out in different ways, but to me it's just too much. I ended up spending so much money.

This year, I decided I'm not playing the same way. I'm freakin 8 months pregnant and could not lug all these gifts into work, let alone shop for them and I just do not have the money to spend on all these people that I don't even associate with one bit outside the office. So I'm having bottles of wine delivered right to the office for my group of brokers (who mind you while I sit here all big and pregnant for the last 8 months have yet to ONCE ask me if I need anything, if they can get me anything when they run out, if i'm hungry, if i'm thirsty, if I'm feeling ok, nothing....I do EVERYTHING for them) and baking cookies for the other assistants and the receptionist. The copy/mail room guys can go scratch because over the past year they've done shiit for me.

Vent over.

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I think you are doing more then enough for this year.

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Posted by SB7308

I work in Commercial RE too!!! I dont give the brokers anything! We are a small office and I am the only assistant.

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ugh, I wish. We're a very large company and there's lots of 'big mouths' with nothing better to do than chat all day about who gave what. If I don't give anything to anyone it will get around and to be honest, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

I'm pissed too because as a company they cut our xmas party this year due to the economy (which I TOTALLY get), there are also no bonuses this year and no raises for 2009. This is fine. But, yet me, the lowly assistant, is still expected to give all my guys (who've still made tons on their commissions) relatively pricey gifts......for what exactly? What have they done for me??? Yes, they give me cash for xmas, but after all I do for them all year that goes WAY above and beyond my job description, it's the least they can give me.

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by SB7308

I work in Commercial RE too!!! I dont give the brokers anything! We are a small office and I am the only assistant.

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ugh, I wish. We're a very large company and there's lots of 'big mouths' with nothing better to do than chat all day about who gave what. If I don't give anything to anyone it will get around and to be honest, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

I'm pissed too because as a company they cut our xmas party this year due to the economy (which I TOTALLY get), there are also no bonuses this year and no raises for 2009. This is fine. But, yet me, the lowly assistant, is still expected to give all my guys (who've still made tons on their commissions) relatively pricey gifts......for what exactly? What have they done for me??? Yes, they give me cash for xmas, but after all I do for them all year that goes WAY above and beyond my job description, it's the least they can give me.

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Wow that is not right at all!!!! Would you ever say something?

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Posted by SB7308

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by SB7308

I work in Commercial RE too!!! I dont give the brokers anything! We are a small office and I am the only assistant.

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ugh, I wish. We're a very large company and there's lots of 'big mouths' with nothing better to do than chat all day about who gave what. If I don't give anything to anyone it will get around and to be honest, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

I'm pissed too because as a company they cut our xmas party this year due to the economy (which I TOTALLY get), there are also no bonuses this year and no raises for 2009. This is fine. But, yet me, the lowly assistant, is still expected to give all my guys (who've still made tons on their commissions) relatively pricey gifts......for what exactly? What have they done for me??? Yes, they give me cash for xmas, but after all I do for them all year that goes WAY above and beyond my job description, it's the least they can give me.

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Wow that is not right at all!!!! Would you ever say something?

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No....it's not worth it. It's just the corp. culture here. I think it's great if you want to participate...I just hate the feeling that I 'have' to...you know?

I work for a small company and we all are close so this is prob. N/A for most people's situations but here goes.

We do Secret Santa - everyone gets a name and we have a $15 limit.

For our bosses we all pitch in collectively and get them one gift - this year we got them a night at a BB.

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by SB7308

I work in Commercial RE too!!! I dont give the brokers anything! We are a small office and I am the only assistant.

---

ugh, I wish. We're a very large company and there's lots of 'big mouths' with nothing better to do than chat all day about who gave what. If I don't give anything to anyone it will get around and to be honest, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

I'm pissed too because as a company they cut our xmas party this year due to the economy (which I TOTALLY get), there are also no bonuses this year and no raises for 2009. This is fine. But, yet me, the lowly assistant, is still expected to give all my guys (who've still made tons on their commissions) relatively pricey gifts......for what exactly? What have they done for me??? Yes, they give me cash for xmas, but after all I do for them all year that goes WAY above and beyond my job description, it's the least they can give me.

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Ugh not fair to either of you. I buy my 4 guys something little ($10-15) and my boss something nice. Thats it! They should be giving us gifts!

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by SB7308

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Posted by missliss

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Posted by SB7308

I work in Commercial RE too!!! I dont give the brokers anything! We are a small office and I am the only assistant.

---

ugh, I wish. We're a very large company and there's lots of 'big mouths' with nothing better to do than chat all day about who gave what. If I don't give anything to anyone it will get around and to be honest, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

I'm pissed too because as a company they cut our xmas party this year due to the economy (which I TOTALLY get), there are also no bonuses this year and no raises for 2009. This is fine. But, yet me, the lowly assistant, is still expected to give all my guys (who've still made tons on their commissions) relatively pricey gifts......for what exactly? What have they done for me??? Yes, they give me cash for xmas, but after all I do for them all year that goes WAY above and beyond my job description, it's the least they can give me.

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Wow that is not right at all!!!! Would you ever say something?

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No....it's not worth it. It's just the corp. culture here. I think it's great if you want to participate...I just hate the feeling that I 'have' to...you know?

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yea i know what you mean but that is not right!!

I usually give everyone small gifts..but thats only because
1. I love the people I work with
2. Theres only about 4 I exchange with

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Posted by MikeandJess

I semi baked for everyone. I bought the chinese food containers from michaels and I made fudge, chocolate covered oreos, coconut/cranberry/walnut clusters and peppermint bark. I only did it because they threw me a work shower before my wedding. Normally they all get coal.

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That is a great idea!!! The coal part that is . . . .

I've been with my company for 13 years and I used to give a gift to my boss until I found out you're not supposed to 'gift up' lol.

We do Secret Santa every year which I have to organize. We exchange at our holiday party (which was last week).

In years past we got a bonus and raise each year at this time - usually it's announced at our holiday party. Nothing was even mentioned at the party last week, so I think our suspicions were correct in that we won't be getting anything this year.

I give Christmas gifts to the kids of my good friends at work. I used to exchange with two friends at work but stopped that last year since we decided to only shop for kids. This year is the same, so my friends' kids will get something from us. I will probably do christmas cards for a few close co-workers too.

not a damn thing, unless me walking around singing Christmas carols all day counts.

The past two years I worked in a small office (4 women including me) and we all gave small-ish gifts to each other, including the supervisor. I gave homemade cookies and different ornaments for each last year, the year before I gave each a picture frame and a candle.

This year, nothing I think....I started a new job TODAY so I might do a holiday card and a small thing of homemade cookies for my supervisor, but nobody else is getting anything ahaha...