Kris Kringle Dramas at the Office or How to Change the World for Ten Bucks
I'm really not a fan of the x-mas office present buying. Having to buy a cheap gift, in this case, under $10, for someone you may not know that well. Usually they'll end up with something fairly crappy that they'll probably never use or at best, pass on in another Kris Kringle (Secret Santa) next year. This process can be repeated many times with different social groups and all I can see it doing is adding to the unnecessary overconsumption of this time of year.
I made a request to the organiser: I would like the person who drew my name out of the hat to donate to a community group or charity of my choice (I chose ACON - The AIDS Council of NSW). She begrudgingly agreed this would be OK (but wouldn't I prefer a gift?!). I mentioned it to a couple of others and it seemed the idea caught on and one of my colleagues made the suggestion to the organiser that perhaps we should all donate. But no, apparently this was not a good idea as most people would like to receive something. And I thought x-mas was about giving?!
This is where the revolution begins. Emails started circulating and all the staff bar 2 (the organiser and the manager) have nominated charities they would like $10 donated to in lieu of receiving a crappy $10 gift.
In a further amusing twist, guess who's the lucky one that must buy a gift for the organiser?! That's right me!
I found the perfect thing, something that won't add (too much) to all this needless consumption and something that will (hopefully) get the message across that there are better ways to 'get in the spirit' of x-mas
Happy holidays!
Comments
I wish more people thought like you. I try, every year, to convince a friend to turn his lame-ass holiday party into a charity drive (almost everyone else I know has already done so) but can't talk him into it. This from the guy who makes about $120k/yr, drives a Cadillac Escalade, and lives in a poor neighborhood (best house on the worst block). He's an idiot.
Thanks so much for sharing that website. It's definitely a site I will now be frequenting.
You seem to have such a warm heart! :-)
It didn't fly. I'll be donating in whomever's name I get anyway.
ANYWAY, what a great idea you had, and you have to share with the rest of us how the exchange went!
I think it was fate that you drew the organiser's name. Not only were you the first one to make the suggestion about donations, but she is still the only holdout for wanting a gift.
Life works in mysterious (and gratifying) ways.
Fanstastic story!
For two or three Christmases I have been "buying" animals for third-world poor people as Christmas presents for my wife. We have also "bought" small animals as gifts for some older relatives. In addition, at Christmas we contribute to a childrens' rescue organization in India named VOICE (My son worked with them for a summer while in college.). There is nothing we really need, and supporting these causes feels good.
The idea of a group/party contributing to charities is excellent. I'm not sure how many groups will go for this idea, but "one here and one there" could add up to real money.
Bravo!
I would love to implement this idea if I ever enter a more corporate setting.
Cool, we do the secret santa but also put money in for an Oxfam gift ~ So far a collegue is collecting money and will let us know how much and what we can go for.
Last year we had ~£230 and quite a bit of stuff! I hope we get more this year :)
Personally I send out an e-mail to everyone with a picture and tell everyone I am giving the money I would have spent on Cards & postage to charity ~ also saves waste paper too.
Still... maybe I'll be able to educate them a little, I'm sure their future partners would be appreciative!
So an update. In the end, the organiser did come round but only the day before we were to exchange gifts... so, she ended up with a gift and a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I'm excited to see what happens this Christmas. What was also amusing, the manager had a hamper to give away... so instead of giving it to one person, she opened it and we all got something. I got a tub of mustard. I don't think I can begin to describe how funny and ridiculous this was... but then, at least we all got something!