Mandatory secret santa?

In an office setting - is it okay to say that it's mandatory?

This has been a big debate at work and I'm curious to see what you all think.

Re: Mandatory secret santa?

In our office, we can't even get everyone to participate in informal holiday parties where everyone brings a dish or snack the day before something. I can't imagine how they'd ever make something like a mandatory Secret Santa work.

I also work in a very culturally diverse office, so I could also see it not going over for that reason as well.

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I dont think it's ok to make it mandatory. It may conflict with people's beliefs and budgets.

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I dont think it should be mandatory, some people dont have the money to spend like that specially during this economy.

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i'm all because

a) the love for the jersey shore runs deep and

b) i know that i asked for opinions but i like that y'all are agreeing with me

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Absolutely NOT. I would be pretty p*ssed off if I were in an office setting and was told I HAVE to participate in a Secret Santa.

If people want to do it--fine--otherwise, nope not at all. In this economy people are having a hard time buying for their OWN family and then someone is gonna say I MUST buy for a co-worker that I might not even know very well let alone, LIKE.

No sir, no way jose.

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no way! not cool at all to pressure people into doing it. I don't participate in secret santa, I have no interest in it. I'd be angry if someone told me it's mandatory.

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That is ridiculous to force people, especially with this economy. Also, I agree with PPs that said that some people have religious beliefs that may be contrary.

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We have a $$ limit for secret santa. Generally, I participate. This year due to 1) office politics and 2) cash flow issues, I am not participating.

IMHO, you cannot force people to participate. Even in my office where we are all union and we all know one another's salary, we don't know everyone's personal circumstances enough to "force" people to spend money. Especially when there are a bunch of us that can't stand one another.

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you can not make someone do this. religious reasons may take part or they just can not afford to take part in it.

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If I was told it was mandatory I would probably refuse, just to be a b!tch. I'm mature like that.

We used to have one that everyone in our small group participated it we weren't told it was mandatory, but someone would just say, "the hat is coming around, take a name" & all but one lady would participate & we would mock her.

To be fair, this was the same lady that taped a dirty spoon to the wall in the kitchen because someone left it in the sink, so she was sort of asking for it.

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Option 2.

If I was told it was mandatory I would not participate just to spite the cause. Yeah I can be a sh!t stirer!

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no way should it be mandatory.

i declined this year - nothing annoys me more than getting someone i can't stand and having to shuffle around a store trying to find something decent for $15 for a 65 yr old woman that does nothing but crap her pants and chug coffee all day.

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In my office, I can't even get people to agree on a NON-mandatory secret santa. Usually its just a few of us that do it, but this year I thought it might be fun to expand it to the whole department (non-mandatory, of course). But apparently even that was not acceptable...the thinking is that there were some who would have felt obigated to participate, even though it was not "mandatory". So we're just doing our little group, as usual.

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No way, no how. You can't force people. I can't believe someone would even think you could.

Re: Mandatory secret santa?

Posted by Shorty

a 65 yr old woman that does nothing but crap her pants and chug coffee all day.

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I chose you can't force everyone but I really wanted to put the Jersey Shore one

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There is no way a mandatory secret santa should be instated in an office.

This is a place of work and a place with people of different beliefs and budget.

I cannot see how an office could enforce this.

Re: Mandatory secret santa?

Message edited 12/9/2009 9:17:53 AM.

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I chose "I love Jersey Shore". It's like crack.

But, I totally don't think it should be mandatory. Just not right.

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I voted that you can't force people - but at my company I was sort of forced! We got an email asking who wanted to participate, but then one of the bosses did a reply all that said "Everyone better participate - no scrooges in our office!"

So, even though I was completely going to pass this year (no need for more shopping, more money spent, and I don't want a gift from a random coworker), I wound up participating....

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I LOVE Christmas but I HATE secret santa.

I have opted not to participate in the past and in one workplace told I was a scrooge. I didn't care. I told the person running it that instead of doing SS I was bringing in an extra toy for toys for tots, that shut her trap pretty quick.

I just find the whole thing wasteful. A bunch of people spending money on crap for someone they don't really know that well (or else you are praying that you choose the one or 2 coworkers you are actually friends with). I feel like a food drive or a toy drive, or going out to lunch together to celebrate for whoever wants to do it is a much better way to celebrate the hoildays and build morale.

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NOT okay.