boss' present

[Deleted]

Do you buy your boss a Christmas present?

One department does where I work. They say it's because he buys them one. Little do they know, the company is paying for their present. (Not every boss buys presents for their employees. It's a departmental thing.)

I know the company pays for it because I pay the bills.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sort of. Boss's birthday is close to Christmas, so we buy breakfast and bring it in, and make a combined party out of it. Makes him very happy that we remembered, we keep it consumable and inexpensive and everybody eats for at least a few days, counting the leftovers.

[movingforward]

No, I do something for "the office."  This year I had fresh baked cookies delivered along with vanilla ice cream.  Our CEO buys each person a small gift.  I don't get her anything in return and I don't think anyone else does either.  I don't think she wants anything in return and does it because we are the employees. 

[sarcasticgirl]

My group all pitched in $% or $10 each and and we bought him a gift certificate to a brewery that I know he likes. 
I also bought him a small gift (around $10) just as i did for a couple of coworkers. 

[kittensaver]

I give the same thing to everyone - "up" or "down" from me. I do some kind of small homemade gift every year: jams, jellies, pickled veggies, custom spice mixes, custom marinades, handmade candy, limoncello, salsa are just a few of the things I've done over the years. Everyone seems to like it - even the boss .

[imawino]

I do not buy my boss a present. I would chip in if there was some organized gift from all his direct reports, but there doesn't seem to be. In general I think it's acceptable, but not required, to gift down at work - but not so much up unless you are close.  My boss has changed pretty much every year for the last 10 years. My current boss did not get me anything this year (and that's fine, it makes no difference to me). I gave my direct reports gifts. They usually give me something, although I would prefer that they not. 

[Sam_2.0]

I made candies this year to hand out to the boss & co-workers. On birthdays we chip in for card & snacks (we take turns buying the different items) or we go out to lunch and all chip in a couple dollars to cover the birthday person's meal. Nothing big or elaborate.

[Deleted]

I have a direct supervisor and department manager. I bought each a bottle of Makers Mark. I got the rest of the department (~20 people) chocolate/candy wrapped in bags with bows.

[chen35]

Most of my staff got me a gift. It makes me a little uncomfortable. It's a nice thought, but I get them a gift because I appreciate all of their hard work. It's not necessary for them to get me anything.

I'm horrible at receiving gifts though, so maybe that's the issue.

[chen35]

I'm fine with the people who bring in candy or baked goods. It's my staff that get me gift cards or other items that make me slightly uncomfortable. I just don't want anyone to feel obligated because I got them something.

[gooddecisions]

A co-worker rallied everyone to contribute $15 for a group gift to our boss. We presented her with a $150 gift certificate on Friday and I've yet to get a card in the mail and the mail already came today. I prefer not to gift up, but if you must- the least your boss could do is put a happy holidays card in the mail.

[Anne_in_VA]

No, but only because we work in different states and have little face-to-face contact. Most of our contact is by phone and email. Last year she sent me a gift card, but nothing so far this year. Doesn't really matter to me one way or the other either.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Dec 24, 2014 15:37:17 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

A co-worker rallied everyone to contribute $15 for a group gift to our boss. We presented her with a $150 gift certificate on Friday and I've yet to get a card in the mail and the mail already came today. I prefer not to gift up, but if you must- the least your boss could do is put a happy holidays card in the mail.

In the sense of trying to make you feel better, assume your boss is not one who had holiday cards to begin with and that etiquette gives the receiver one month to send a thank you note.

[Deleted]

When I was in elementary school 40+ years ago, the students always contributed toward a gift for the principal.  My aunt was the teacher in charge of getting it.  I still remember her literally paying with the actual change the kids had given.  Lol.  The teachers contributed, too.  It was always something for his office . . . a frame for his diploma, a desk chair, a coat rack.  I don't think they do this any more.  We have strict ethics laws applying to teachers, remember.

At school, we don't buy a gift for our boss, and he doesn't buy us one.  Well, that's not strictly true. We have a holiday luncheon, and the administrators (there are six or seven of them) provide the meat. The lunchroom workers cook it. There are 200+ employees so that's probably not cheap. 

[qofcc]

I brought in a tray of cookies for my coworkers. Contributed $20 to a group gift for my boss. He gave me a $35 gift card and "the company" gave me another $35 gift card.