If you work in an office and not for yourself, you may find yourself a part of that quaint custom of exchanging gifts with each one of your coworkers. Or perhaps you’re lucky enough to have someone coordinate a Secret Santa exchange, so that you’re only obliged to buy one gift instead of 10. You could even be part of an office that has said, “No exchanges!”
In our office among the staff, we have nothing formal. There are two people that do not give gifts, and the rest of us gift among ourselves, including to the non-participants. We all tend to get the same thing for everyone (generally speaking), so when one person opens their gift, we may have all as well opened our gifts.
One of the people in the office doesn’t participate for religious reasons, and yet we all give gifts to this person anyway. The reason the associates do so is to show their appreciation for the past year of service we’ve given them. It’s like a tip. The reason I give this person a gift is because I like to give gifts as a way to show people I appreciate them, and because it’s fun to think up new surprises.
Why do you give gifts at the holidays? Do you buy for 50 people and then get stressed about the money you spent, or whether they like what you chose to get them? Or do you take the time to find a few special things for a few special people? Is there a nice way to balance the two?
I think it’s a shame when people feel obligated to give gifts to those around them. It’s also equally unfortunate to get so blase about gift giving that there is no thought put into a gift at all, making what should be a thoughtful thing into just another object inside another red bag with seasonal tissue paper.
Happy Holidays, everyone. And to my Witness friends…smile!
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