the christmas party
So once again, I'm helping organize our team Christmas party this year. Honestly, I don't feel like it this year cause I have a long list of to-do before I take off for Manila but I feel bad leaving V in the lurch to do all the prep work.
We've been doing this party/get-together for the past 2 years now, so I guess it's become a little team tradition. One of the highlights in the party is our secret santa/gift exchange. (That was because me and a fellow Pinoy were the original thinking caps in the first party and y'know no Christmas party is complete without this). And it's really nice to see everyone in the team making an effort, even asking people for gift ideas for the folks they are supposed to give the gifts to. More than anything, it's a nice little gesture that we share with out colleagues.
But this year, Kiasu J is attending for the first time. (The previous 2 years we've done this, she's always on business trips so she's never participated.) She's notorious for being pushy and a bully and just altogether a "kiasu", thus the moniker but we generally get along (I guess cause I hardly work with her.) and even have weekly lunches together. Anyway, she's super excited about this year's Christmas party and keep asking me for the deets.
On Friday, she pinged me to say that I should scrap the whole gift-exchange idea. She believes the folks won't like it, it's a hassle and we are better using the $20 for booze. WTF? She stressed, "just scrap it before everyone buys gifts". So I explained to her that no one will be buying any gifts as they don't even know who they are supposed to buy gifts for. "That's even lamer." she said. Isn't it easier and more personal to buy a gift when you know who are supposed to buy a gift for rather than buy some generic gift like a mug or voucher!?! Just ugh!
First, I hate that she's changing up the tradition that we've set in the past 2 years that we've been doing this. Second, I hate that she would assume that just because she doesn't like buying gifts, that everyone else does! Third, money for booze? That's good but how about for those who don't drink? The gift-exchange is the only thing everyone can participate in and in fact, seem to enjoy, why take that away? I hate that she's pushing all her ideas to suit her.
This is gonna be one lame party.
We've been doing this party/get-together for the past 2 years now, so I guess it's become a little team tradition. One of the highlights in the party is our secret santa/gift exchange. (That was because me and a fellow Pinoy were the original thinking caps in the first party and y'know no Christmas party is complete without this). And it's really nice to see everyone in the team making an effort, even asking people for gift ideas for the folks they are supposed to give the gifts to. More than anything, it's a nice little gesture that we share with out colleagues.
But this year, Kiasu J is attending for the first time. (The previous 2 years we've done this, she's always on business trips so she's never participated.) She's notorious for being pushy and a bully and just altogether a "kiasu", thus the moniker but we generally get along (I guess cause I hardly work with her.) and even have weekly lunches together. Anyway, she's super excited about this year's Christmas party and keep asking me for the deets.
On Friday, she pinged me to say that I should scrap the whole gift-exchange idea. She believes the folks won't like it, it's a hassle and we are better using the $20 for booze. WTF? She stressed, "just scrap it before everyone buys gifts". So I explained to her that no one will be buying any gifts as they don't even know who they are supposed to buy gifts for. "That's even lamer." she said. Isn't it easier and more personal to buy a gift when you know who are supposed to buy a gift for rather than buy some generic gift like a mug or voucher!?! Just ugh!
First, I hate that she's changing up the tradition that we've set in the past 2 years that we've been doing this. Second, I hate that she would assume that just because she doesn't like buying gifts, that everyone else does! Third, money for booze? That's good but how about for those who don't drink? The gift-exchange is the only thing everyone can participate in and in fact, seem to enjoy, why take that away? I hate that she's pushing all her ideas to suit her.
This is gonna be one lame party.