I’ve been tormenting the poor soul whose name I pulled from the ceramic snowflake for our office’s Secret Pollyanna gift exchange. I keep leaving post-it notes all over the office with clues as to who I am. Except the clues aren’t that good. “I work Monday through Friday” really isn’t much help when everyone is expected to be in the office Monday through Friday. “I get paid on pay day” and “I don’t hitchhike to work” weren’t exactly helpful either. And I keep leaving the notes in her coffee mug, message pad, files she needs for clients or coat pockets.
I find the paranoia that has ensued entertaining.
I justify my tormenting because I always include gifts when I torment the poor soul. Yes, I am trying to buy the person’s love with presents. I figure it’s worked well for countless guys trying to get the girl so maybe it could work for me too.
I’ve also justified it by reminding myself that this poor soul is my friend outside of work as well. And if it wasn’t for the fact that the torment is taking place inside of cubeland, she probably would think it was funny.
For now, she just thinks it is annoying. But I have to get my kicks somehow and this seems to be the best, socially acceptable way to do it during the month of December.
The office gift exchange is always a tricky situation. Not only do you have to hope and pray that you pull the name of someone you like from the pool (because there is nothing worse than having to buy a gift for your arch-nemesis) but you also have to hope and pray that someone you like pulls your name from the pool (because the only thing worse than buying a gift for your arch-nemesis is having your arch-nemesis buy a gift for you).
Another hard part about the gift exchange is that there is always a “target” gift amount. For example, my office uses a target of $20, plus or minus $5. I guess that is the nice way of saying don’t spend less than $15 and don’t spend more than $25. I know this target has been put in place to help us but really it just makes things more complicated. There is always one person who spends way more money than they are supposed spend and then makes everyone else look cheap.
This year, I was the overspender. Now I have to hope and pray that the usual overspender does what he did for the last two years (spend an obscene amount of money on a gift that really isn’t office appropriate). Or that someone else buys a gift that is not office appropriate.
The other thing about the office Pollyanna that is weird is that everyone watches you open your gift. And then you have to guess who gave you the gift. It wasn’t so bad when the office was smaller but we’ve almost doubled in size since I started working here. Now there are a lot more people to pick from when you are making your guess. And a lot more faces watching as you try to remember who received gifts from who (because you have to keep guessing until you figure it out and no one gets to eat lunch until all of the gift givers are guessed – this can add a lot of pressure as the faces look hungrier and hungrier).
All of my post-it note fun ends tomorrow at the annual holiday luncheon. I guess I’ll just have to find a new way to keep myself entertained in January.
Allen Steele said...
1Well done! You have really shown good spirit. You inspire me in my own efforts to enjoy the holiday.
12/18/08 7:10 PM | Comment Link
Dorie said...
2@Allen Steele – Thanks! The holiday is always more fun when you can be silly with it.
12/19/08 11:44 AM | Comment Link