LAL is being an office scrooge this year! I feel her. And I feel the cost, I really do. But let me tell you why I love office Christmas.
Back when I had a corporate charge card, and my secretary mattered, I gave a generous gift to my secretary. This gift is a bribe to someone who decides how easy your life is going to be.
Now, in my new job, I have a few such gatekeepers. So, I think I'm going to downgrade the gifts but still make sure to give a nice candle or something to all of them.
You don't want to be the stingy bitch who forgot them at Christmas! Christmas is your built-in excuse to buy loyalty and favor and time and other things that are worth more than a $10 candle. It's hard to that when it's not Christmas. So do it while you can!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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7 comments:
i'm not sure i follow your logic or motive.
I do the same thing! I buy goodwill for the upcoming year. Although I do have a suggestion. Secretaries love gift cards for lunch or coffee. A candle is very nice but they love treating themselves when they go out. Also, I have put together a "movie" gift basket. You take a microwave TUB of popcorn and put in cans of soda, theatre style candy and a gift card to Blockbuster. Tie it up with cellophane. The teachers I have given that to LOVE it. And it's not much more than $10.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The 3 wiseman brought gifts to the child Jesus. NOT to each other!
I'd like to know where, why and when people have lost their way and use Christmas as a means to grease or bribe a person's palm for goods or services throughout the year?
Shame on you.
You are despicable!
I am giving them a card with a lovely note thanking them for their help and good wishes. I also made cookies for the office. And I am a scrooge though.
I think the word "despicable" is too strong. Yes, this is a religious holiday and if we all truly celebrated the way it was meant to - we would not be giving out gifts.
Unfortunately, this is not reality. This is not the way business works. This is not the way human nature works.
I do not think it is despicable. She is trying to show someone appreciation for past work and to put in some "good" vibes for future work. Are you saying that you would treat Person A (who treats you nice) and Person B (who treats you like you're nothing) the same way. That if both came with you with a request (same priority, same urgency) that you wouldn't do Person A's work first over Person B? Even though both came to you at the same time?
Be truthful now!
I normally pass on Xmas gifts for the office. But this year I'm making an exception and putting together some homemade food gifts for our receptionist.
She has a thankless job that few of us care or are aware enough to realize. She's the back-up person for when the wonky alarm corporate fixes over and over again but somehow it goes off and the police call at ungodly hours.
I used to stay at the office until late at night on the weekends studying for the exam. I forgot one Sunday to call corporate security and let them know I'd be staying late. The alarm company called her at 11pm on a Sunday because I forgot to notify them. This has happened on a few occasions.
Also while I was on vacation a mass email went out to clean our desks and tidy up. corporate was coming by for a visit. My desk area was stacked with a big box of study materials and books. She moved all of that into the closet so my work space would look clean.
So this year I'm putting together a little basket with assorted items including tea, dried nuts and possibly cookies to thank her for cleaning my desk while I was away, answering those pesky late night alarm calls and letting me leave my books in the bookshelf for studying.
Anon - the truth is someone who treats me well and appreciates my work gets better treatment. Not the person who bought me the most extravagent gift.
I stand by what I said long ago when Dog gave a large monetary amount to a secretary - no only will I feel weird but I will think you are up to something - I certainly won't trust you.
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