We do it every year. It’s not that great. I’ve never received anything even remotely cool or so tacky it’s cool. I’m going to try to get everyone to spend their $10 on a toy next year for tots instead.
What I hate is the constant collecting for gifts for babies, weddings, retirements, etc…
“The only thing…younhad to remember NOT to bring anything someone from the work place had give you”
Oh, see, there were certain tacky things (statues, etc.) that “made the rounds” and got rewrapped every year. For people who are amused by that kind of thing, it was fun. Me, personally - I got a can of haggis one year, threw it in my work cabinet and re-wrapped it the next year - and whatever I got the next year, went straight into the cabinet for re-wrapping the year after that. I just won’t expend any energy on this kind of thing; it’s just not fun for me. I’m very INTJ in this regard; it falls under “small talk” for me.
any time i’ve had to particpate or my kids have had to . . . we always buy or regift something we want. That way we can try to get it back. but ultimately, these white elephant exchanges are not my favorites.
When we started this at firm party it was lots of fun with a pretty low dollar limit (about 20 bucks). Then the dollar amount kept creeping up and it was less fun so we stopped this year. I’d love to return to the cheap days.
We do it all - yankee swap with $25 limit and potluck, party at a restaurant where we purchase raffle tickets for prizes and proceeds donated to charity, warm coat drive for charity, and have adopted 5 families to buy Christmas presents for each member! It’s a bit much.
My office white elephant exchanges have also been regifting events. There have been a couple of items that returned for several years because they’re so tacky. Old office had this hideous buzzard statue.
There are usually a few items that are legitimately things someone might want. One year I got a nerdy TV series on DVD for my son. Coworker had upgraded to Bluray. Son loved it.
I went to one the other night and the limit was $10. Most people were happy with the thinks the got - scarf, Starbucks card , bath salts. It was just supposed to be fun, and it was. Last year they did the pick-and-swap, this year it was a sort of musical chairs, pass the gift and open the one you ended up with.
Working for the government, you cannot give anything to your superiors, and they can’t request you buy girl scout cookies and raffle tickets. I like it.
A friend who had the neighborhood yearly Christmas party, included one of those regift yankee swap events. I always worried that I didn’t have the requisite dumb gift to bring. Then my H was given an “electric tie rack” one year, which seemed like the perfect idiotic thing to bring. But my good friend who got it was thrilled because she saw it as an actual great thing to own. I thought, really? It spins the ties six inches closer to you so you can see them better? But, you never know. People like what they like.
After reading and chuckling through this thread, nodding my head up and down at some of the responses, etc. I am STILL floored to think your “uppers” could think it is “ok” to ask people to buy something “along the idea of an iPod”!!! Seriously?! That’s awful and really disrespectful to any employee to say, “your previous gifts don’t measure up”.
Just wow.
@Sue22 Exactly. Hate 'em, for all the reasons stated.
Apparently, the HR decided that it was not ok for the managers to bring $20 gifts - they had to pony up some serious dough. My suggestion? Write on a card, “XYZ will make a $100 donation on your behalf to the charity of your choice. You get to use the deduction on your taxes.” This way, if the boss has to spend $100, it will be a better way of spending the $100. 
Facing one of these events early next week. At the last staff meeting, there wasn’t a lot of interest, but as the boss pointed out, it will give us something to do at the dinner. The company gives our office money to pay for the dinner, so we all may as well go and help spend down the budget. And a semi-competitive $10 to $15 gift swap will keep us from talking about work. My plan is to have my gift be the one everyone fights over.
One year I tucked a home construction project “stud finder” in the gift mix. The ladies in the office laughed and fought for that one.
Honestly the holiday season is so busy already I prefer not having to attend anything where I am required to shop for something, bake something, etc.
Dislike both “yankee swap”, white elephant exchanges and the low value gift exchange. (High value would be worse!)
The one time I got a good re-gifted item which I was clearly delighted with, it was immediately grabbed from me - I was angry. Couldn’t even take it as in the spirit of the game, which it wasn’t. I didn’t like this group of co-workers and left soon thereafter!
I worked for an organization where there were many young people just out of college who were not being paid enough to pay rent without a roommate. The $20 limit was what many of them were spending on family. They didn’t want to spend this on a gift for a random co-worker, but were afraid to say so. The company did pay for dinner, but it was on the employee’s free weekends with the venue chosen by “the boss”. Attendance more or less mandatory without husband or significant other. I didn’t last too long at this place either.
At least ours is such where you can take something from your home you don’t want. I too am sensitive to the young people just starting out who don’t have a lot of $.
My last job at a company, 10 years ago, cancelled the holiday party to save money. Talk about Scrooges. Actually, I was relieved.
My law firm bought very expensive gifts and had lavish holiday parties, all funded by the company. The year we were just married, I won the grand prize, a 2 night stay at Maui resort with airfare!
When I was a judge, we were supposed to pay $100 or so, and other employees paid much less ($15?) For a Saturday lunch at nice restaurant with door prizes bought by $$ contributions from the judges. Most attended and appeared to be having fun. Only staff were so gible for door prizes, which were a lot of gift certificates to CVS and Macy’s.
We are going to a party tonight, hosted by someone that works for H. They are having a white elephant exchange, but are putting a limit of just $15 on it, which I think is reasonable. The most important thing? It’s voluntary/optional. We may or may not participate, depending on whether we manage to get out today and pick something up. Honestly? I completely forgot about the party until last night - it’s just been an insane week.
I loathe the yankee swap and/or white elephant “exchange”. These always had a selfish, mean-spirited feel, quite contrary to the meaning of the holiday season. While people thought I was Scrooge, I didn’t care. I’m not into giving away junk or snatching presents out of other people’s hands. What makes people think these are appropriate holiday activities?
This year, my office is doing a Secret Santa with a $20 limit. It is more thoughtful and in keeping with the holiday.