Work trying to enforce Kris Kringle....your thoughts?

[Cobez]

Gday all, well it's that time of year again where i end up in a blue with the two marketing assistants who work in the offices at my place of employment. Every year is the same, they come downstairs into the warehouse area with everyone's names in a hat and tell you that you HAVE to take part in Kris Kringle, and EVERY year i turn around and say no.

Now i am not the biggest fan of xmas, it's a headache, all the members of my family are 19 years or older, so none of us celebrate it like kids anymore (until i have my own kids, then i will get right into it for their sake), we buy one small present for each other each, like a dvd or a book or something like that, and we just do lunch and dinner with the relo's etc. Our family rule is we don't buy presents for each other (as in our cousins and aunt's, uncles etc don't buy for us, and vice versa), just as long as as there is the same amount of food as you would have at a Greek wedding for lunch and dinner cooked and supplied by everyone as a whole, and the beer is icy cold, that's all we want!

Anyway, each year when the dreaded ladies from marketing come down with their names hat of doom, i get into an arguement with them over the fact that i honestly DO live on a weekly budget so i can enjoy the things I'D like to do in life (paid off my LCD TV, mess around with my car, car insurance, petrol, internet bill, rent, go out for dinner etc with my partner, food shopping, camping trips etc) and that the enforced $20 for Kris Kringle is a bit hard for some to fork out. Now, i may sound like a tightarse here, that's fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and the truth is if probably could spend $20 on a crappy present for someone i really don't care about, but i don't feel ANYONE can force me to spend my earnings on something.

I think it's wrong that someone thinks can tell you that you have to spend $20 on a present for someone because they think it's a good idea. And there are blokes that i work with who have less cash week to week than i do. Blokes that have little kids they have to buy pressies for at xmas time, blokes that are paying mortgages off, blokes who have more bills to pay etc.

Do i sound crazy, or does this sound logical and rational to anyone else? I think it's a little unfair and "nazi" like to try and tell people they HAVE to spend money.

Does anyone have this same issue year in and year out at work?

[Julie]

I think you are right, I mean even for those who can afford it who wants to do this shit anyway, spend $20 bucks on someone you probably don't like and get some shitty gift from another half stranger. Stick to your guns and ask to be removed from the hat, it should be a voluntary thing not a compulsory thing.

[Cobez]

Exactly! I mean, i would feel pretty bad if someone got me a present and i didn't hand one in, hence why i'll be getting my name taken off the list, but i wouldn't want someone spending $20 out of their pay on some material piece of junk that will just gather dust in my house anyway.

I'd rather everyone in the warehouse chucked in $5 each if they wanted to, and we buy some snags and a slab and some soft drink for those who don't wish to drink beer, and on xmas eve when we knock off early, we all cook up some food and have a quiet beer and a chat before we head off.

[levymetal]

I wouldn't do it. I don't want to waste $20, and more so time out of my day spent looking for a gift, for someone I don't even know. In return to get some piece of junk I'll just throw out. **** that. Luckily the HR lady at my work is so lazy she couldn't even organise a Christmas party, let alone Kris Kringle. I hate Christmas and birthdays (including my own), because I find it very hard to pick gifts for people and I don't like receiving gifts either. Because whatever it is I want, I'm very picky so I like to choose it myself.

[Darren_L]

yeah it's fairly shit
Used to have the same thing at a few places that I worked, but it was always voluntary.

I'm fed up with all the stressing & crap that goes on when it comes to Christmas shopping for the family let alone anyone eles. Kids fine, but the adults.... surely we are beyond it... All that happens is people end up spending heaps of money on presents the recipients don't even want.

[Cobez]

That's what everyone else has said too. Good thing i am good mates with our warehouse manager, the senior supervisor said he will back me up and i'm sure our manager will do. But it shouldn't have to come to this. I may even go up and have a quiet relaxed gentlemanly chat with the general manager tomorrow and just explain the situation and maybe suggest that next year it become voluntary for everyone.

[NVE_069]

Yeh I would'nt be doing it either. Just buying for my little girl is bad enough. This year the whole family tho did a similer thing pick a name outta the hat an u buy them something no more then $100 but for couples that sucks coz thats $200. So I put my foot down and said NO. I hate shoppn period and when the misses goes she goes by her self. Coz if I go its a quik walk through and let go hun im done hahahaha.

[NVE_069]

That's what everyone else has said too. Good thing i am good mates with our warehouse manager, the senior supervisor said he will back me up and i'm sure our manager will do. But it shouldn't have to come to this. I may even go up and have a quiet relaxed gentlemanly chat with the general manager tomorrow and just explain the situation and maybe suggest that next year it become voluntary for everyone.

OR have the day off that day.

[Cobez]

Nah i just had friday off out on annual leave, they are due tomorrow lol. Not gonna pull a sickie, i keep all my sick leave for when i do actually get genuinely sick. But yeah, it needs to be resolved, not avoided i think.

[ClairBear]

Cobez: It doesn't matter if you believe in Christmas or not, I doubt your work colleagues can force you to partake in KK.

Unless you have a signed work agreement stating you will dip your hand into your pocket for KK, birthdays, weddings, new babies, leaving presents etc. then don't partake unless you feel you want to.

If they push it, as in trying to guilt you into it, start mentioning work place bullying and watch them back off quick smart.

[Cobez]

Very true, i doubt it will come to that, but if it has to, it has to. Hopefully it can be resolved if i chat to the general manager tomorrow. He is a very reasonable person so hopefully he see's my point.

But yeah, they wouldn't want to try to force it any further, i don't think they would be stupid enough.

[tonza]

This is the same as secret santa right? Sorry for my ignorance haha. Yeah dude, I'd tell them to stick it, well and truly. If someone told me I had to buy a $20 gift for someone I'd tell em to jam it.

As you said, why not get everyone to chuck in a few bucks and have a xmas eve barbie or something? Probably a better option for sure

[Cobez]

Yeah i'd say it's the same mate, sounds the same! Well i'm gonna chat to MY boss tomorrow and put forward the BBQ idea as well.

[ClairBear]

Wouldn't a more reasonable way be to send an email or memo around to all staff inviting those who wish to participate to leave their name with the person organising it? That way no one feels pressured to join in. Some people put themselves under financial duress by partaking because they feel compelled to for fear of being called a tight so and so by their peers.

I have seen this happen in offices when people start to pass around the hat, everyone is watching and if you don't reach for your wallet or purse the teasing starts.

[Cobez]

I am not really "authorised" to send out emails like that, it's organised by a different department, the marketing sector organises it all.

[ClairBear]

I wasn't meaning specifically you should send out emails, what I meant was the person in every office/company etc. who organises these things.

[_R_J_K_]

Just tell them to take your name out of the hat so that nobody has to buy for you, and that you won't buy for anybody else. Money for the Christmas party is a much better idea, it's a much better way to get to know your workmates.

Have you managed to get out of it before?

[Cobez]

I wasn't meaning specifically you should send out emails, what I meant was the person in every office/company etc. who organises these things.

Oh ok i get ya now!! Not a bad idea actually.

Just tell them to take your name out of the hat so that nobody has to buy for you, and that you won't buy for anybody else. Money for the Christmas party is a much better idea, it's a much better way to get to know your workmates.

Have you managed to get out of it before?

Can't remember last year honestly!! Was a mad period, pretty sure i remained stubborn and just didn't hand a present in.

[Acclaimed VS]

At the end of the day annoying as it may seem it is only 10 or 20 bucks and if it were me I'd just bung out some bargain bin dvd or a giftcard and be done with it no matter how annoying it is. If the limit went anything above 20 though I'd tell them to get f**ked.

[Cobez]

It's the principle of it, not the money factor. It's wrong that they can continue to think they can force people to spend money on the very same place they earned it. If they turn around and say as a compromise "Ok it can be voluntary as of next year, just put in for this year and that will be it", i'll just buy a Cherry Ripe and put it in one of the giftbags we have in our pantry at home and be done with it.

[ClairBear]

At the end of the day annoying as it may seem it is only 10 or 20 bucks

I used to work in a office where a lady had 7 kids and a husband that didn't work. Every cent counted for her. She would come to work in shoes that were broken for instance. They never went anywhere as a family and just lived from pay to pay.

To her $10 was a lot of money, and to have someone standing in front of her shaking a hat or envelope asking her to chuck in money for whatever caused her distress. I was unaware of it for some time, as like you I just threw money in when asked, heard the jibes towards others for being a scrooge or the like if they said no. Her pride was such she would put in a couple of dollars to save face. She opened up one day and told me how she felt. From then on I sent an email asking anyone who wanted to donate/partake to leave a name or the money in an envelope on my desk. This gave everyone the option without it being public.

[wikky]

This is the same as secret santa right? Sorry for my ignorance haha. Yeah dude, I'd tell them to stick it, well and truly. If someone told me I had to buy a $20 gift for someone I'd tell em to jam it.

The last thing you want to do is get on the wrong side of people/colleagues by telling them to jam their KK. These are people you have to work with every day and would make for a very unpleasant workplace.
The best way would be to do like you said and just say your funds are a bit stretched at the moment, lots of bills due right before Christmas etc. But really you shouldn't have to justify to people why you don't want to participate. I'm the same as you, not a big fan of all the hoo-har that comes with Christmas, I just like to catch up with friends and family.

[Cobez]

I used to work in a office where a lady had 7 kids and a husband that didn't work. Every cent counted for her. She would come to work in shoes that were broken for instance. They never went anywhere as a family and just lived from pay to pay.

To her $10 was a lot of money, and to have someone standing in front of her shaking a hat or envelope asking her to chuck in money for whatever caused her distress. I was unaware of it for some time, as like you I just threw money in when asked, heard the jibes towards others for being a scrooge or the like if they said no. Her pride was such she would put in a couple of dollars to save face. She opened up one day and told me how she felt. From then on I sent an email asking anyone who wanted to donate/partake to leave a name or the money in an envelope on my desk. This gave everyone the option without it being public.

That's awful, and that's one of the reasons i believe they shouldn't try and enforce this xmass bullshit on people. It's funny at my work, that the people who try and enforce it are the ones who make probably the most money out of anyone there. They think because they can afford it, everyone can.

[Acclaimed VS]

I used to work in a office where a lady had 7 kids and a husband that didn't work. Every cent counted for her. She would come to work in shoes that were broken for instance. They never went anywhere as a family and just lived from pay to pay.

To her $10 was a lot of money, and to have someone standing in front of her shaking a hat or envelope asking her to chuck in money for whatever caused her distress. I was unaware of it for some time, as like you I just threw money in when asked, heard the jibes towards others for being a scrooge or the like if they said no. Her pride was such she would put in a couple of dollars to save face. She opened up one day and told me how she felt. From then on I sent an email asking anyone who wanted to donate/partake to leave a name or the money in an envelope on my desk. This gave everyone the option without it being public.

That is quite sad for that lady however I don't thunk the OP is in the same situation and he has stated it is the principle of the matter not the financial side of it that is his problem. I agree with him but I just don't think it would be worth taking to far. If I were the OP I'd just throw out the BBQ as a suggestion and leave it at that. For me if I was able to afford the present without too much hassle I would just buy it no matter how pointless because in the grand scheme of things it's a rather small matter.

[Cobez]

It's just the way they go about it, they come down and shove a bag with names in it under your nose and say "pick a name for KK", then if you kindly say "no thank you" they grow Hitler moustaches and suddenly become Nazi's.

Maybe if it was voluntary, i'd be happy to do it on the times i could afford it, but they need to realise that not everyone can afford it each year. I can afford it, i just refuse to on principle because i think it's wrong.