I’m a newly-ex elementary school teacher who’s gotten some sad Kringle grabs. Examples:
* A battered tin of expired butterscotch with 3 free grocery store recipe cards.
* A huge bottle of ripple wine. I don’t drink.
* A pair of bubble-gum pink, fuzzy handcuffs I was forced to display to the entire faculty, including the principal.
* A chipped, used wooden block calendar that splintered my fingers.
My Secret Santa guidelines are:
1: I go a few bucks over the cost limit. 2: I select something easily re-giftable.
Last year, I spied a Disney Villains Stained Glass mindfulness coloring book. It had intricate, delicate designs of smirking baddies like Hades, Ursula & Maleficent. I hoped someone would love it. The school morphed Secret Santa into Yankee Swap.
Yankee Swap gifts are anonymous. People pick numbers. Later players can steal previously opened gifts. Higher number = more power.
A teacher unwrapped my coloring book. They rolled their eyes in disdain & dripped with palpable scorn.
I was crestfallen. I opened a bottle of cheap body wash. Then it was my turn to swap.
“I’ll take…that, please!” I smiled, pointing at my coloring book.
The colleague’s face fell as they got the nasty body wash.
O, now thou dost repine? Nay, fair maiden. T’is too late to adopt a querulous mien.
I would have been glad for someone else to claim the book. No one did. Mine.
TL/DR: A teacher colleague sneered at my anonymous Kris Kringle gift: a Disney Villains mindfulness coloring book over the price limit. I “Yankee” swapped it for myself. She got sad body wash.
Whenever I do a swap or exchange, my rule is that the gift I bring must be something I would be happy to go home with at the end of the night.
Every year at our gift swap I bring a small lego set. Most all adults love lego and the ones who don't usually have kids in their lives that they can register it to. But if noone wants the lego then that means I get to bring home a lego set!!
Same rule for me. But I hate these swaps with steals. It's so unfriendly.
We used to do one when I was in grad school and it was SO MUCH fun - but we had fallen into a habit of everyone bringing hilarious joke items. No one got anything “good,” or “bad,” only funny. My old advisor still has a taxidermy cayman head on the mantel in his office.
That I could get into.
My friend used to have an annual holiday party and we had a swap with steals. It was always fun. There were some gag gifts, a toilet seat showed up every year, but someone always seemed to need or want it.
I hate those forced gift events in general. If you wanna gift someone something just do it and don't play forced games in a group where people might not now each other pretty well
The entire description of the yankee swap fills me with anxious dread.
I hate swaps but in my family we found a way to make it fun, the rule is you bring something in your home you don’t want anymore 😂 Honestly, it’s the funniest thing, heck once my aunt brought an old creuset pot, I can tell you we were fighting for it 😂 With my immediate family instead of giving everyone a gift we do exchanges but each person needs to provide a gift list of items, so you’re sure to get something you want!
My gift was once swapped and left on a table, I think because some people had a number but left early. I scooped it up on my way out.
Where I’m from we have two different kinds of secret Santa: scrap Santa, where everyone gifts and receives rubbish and secret Santa where you give and get something nice.
It’s very much announced what kind it is, and everyone would call the shitty gift out if there is one in secret Santa.
That was my mindset the first and only time I was part of one.
I got stuck with a box of sugar.
Never again.
If the SIL had used your rule, she wouldn't have gifted a "dried-out tube of mascara" or a "single used earring," because no one would want to go home with those.
I bring something I want to take home. Then usually I try to steal my gift if it isn’t getting stolen a bunch or with somebody who really likes it.
Problem with swaps is the limit is too low to get something decent and so you have some people going over, some who forget or aren’t cheap and bring something way under and you almost always end up with something you don’t want or need.
I got a coloring book a few years ago at my work gift exchange, and I was very disappointed.
Sorry, this is weird af. They didn't like a colouring book and you did, that's all this post is about. I'd genuinely find that gift really bizzare. Glad you got what you wanted though.
Love how OP lists all the bad gifts they’ve gotten that sound like pretty normal things to put in a gift exchange but then takes it personally that someone doesn’t like their Disney Coloring Book. I am inclined to think more adults would be excited about a bottle of wine (a gift OP complains about receiving).
Also what was the price limit? $5. How did a coloring book go over the limit?
Yeah personally I would probably roll my eyes at a colouring in book too!
I actually wouldn’t even mind an adult coloring book but I have ZERO interest in Disney. This feels like a pretty niche gift!
This sounds like that episode in The Office…
As filtered through ChatGPT
Seriously, this AI slop is awful. Didn’t even bother to edit the formatting.
I'm struggling to believe someone who works in education actually wrote this. Separating each sentence like you would a paragraph? This was a hard read just based off the formatting.
That’s because this wasn’t written by any human, it was written by an AI. A person would be able to recognize that writing “it had intricate, delicate designs of smirking baddies” to describe a Disney-branded colouring book sounds unforgivably like you’re huffing your own farts 🤷🏼
It could be AI but at the same time someone who thinks a child's coloring book is something most adults would love and would get offended when the don't is very much the type of person to type and talk like that let's be honest here.
To be a bazillion percent fair to the robot, it did say that it was a “mindfulness” colouring book-those are usually intended for adults. Which is, to be unfair to the robot, yet another reason to not need to say “it had intricate, delicate details”.
They also then go on in that same sentence to list three examples of Disney villains, as if any person old enough to be on Reddit hasn’t had constant Disney marketing shoved down their throat since before they developed conscious thought- a person wouldn’t list examples of Disney villains, that’s completely asinine behaviour.
Product placement in gpt responses now. Fun.
Yeah, I've instinctively started checking people's profiles now. Bots will generally be a few months old with a few comments that all sound generic, which this account has
Maybe they do like huffing their own farts
i’d be sad to get either of those, that’s why i don’t participate in gift swaps anymore
You called your previous Kringle grabs sad, yet you’re offended that another teacher found your gift sad? “Smirking baddies”? You and your gift are annoying
This is a lot of feelings about a coloring book.
ChatGPT got feelings to spare
I would like it if I had a kid that liked to color that I could regift it to, but I don’t know any adults that want a coloring book for themselves.
That’s a pretty niche set of adults that still color in coloring books.
You have to like coloring and like Disney villains. Very niche.
I bet the Venn diagram of adults that like to color in a coloring book, and adults that love Disney, is almost a single circle.
There was a couple years when adult coloring books were all the rage and you had to pretend to like them
I would be disappointed too if I opened that
It’s about coworkers who disrespect each other to the point of borderline maliciousness.
Imagine what that school is like for the kids.
They literally describe the gift they opened as “cheap body wash.” Pretty hypocritical.
You know cheap body wash when you see it.
The same could be said of a cheap coloring book. It’s literally doing the same exact thing.
Well, except the coloring books have become really expensive
Not at dollar tree. And they always have coloring books. You can assume body wash is cheap just like you can assume a coloring book is cheap.
Nothing Disney is cheap.
Just running your mouth with no knowledge:
https://www.fivebelow.com/products/jumbo-coloring-and-activity-book?variant=9159404&sr=1
https://www.fivebelow.com/products/disney-advanced-coloring-book-9126832?variant=9126833&sr=1
A coloring book? I would definitely put that in the category of a sad gag gift. I’d rather have the body wash. There was a reason no one stole it from you. It is an odd gift for an adult.
I could understand a teacher not wanting a coloring book or wanting anything Disney. The teacher being a prat about it wasn’t okay though.
You are right that the gift is easily regiftable. There are any number of people in their life who might have wanted that.
It sounds like the limit was too low to actually get good gifts, so her expectations should have been more muted.
Wow, you sure showed him I guess
Don't get upset, this is personal preference. I would not want a Disney coloring book and would be happier with body wash, even if the coloring book was more money.
I think a Disney coloring book is kind of a bad gift for an adult secret Santa, especially on its own. If it was in a bag with some other small goodies to make it worthwhile, then maybe. I know you said it was over the price limit, but to others it's going to seem like a cheap gift (and that just means it was over priced). Our secret Santa was $25 and the gifts were things like throw blankets, massage gun, wine, serving bowls, kitchen gadgets, candles/ aromatherapy, perfume, etc, but it was stuff that was all stolen/ wanted. If I had gotten a coloring book, especially by itself, I would have been disappointed. I know mindfulness coloring books were a trend like 8 years ago but I don't really think too many adults are interested in them anymore.
I wouldn't want a coloring book either. 🤷🏼♀️ But she shouldn't have mocked the gift.
I got one once and also didn’t want it
I don't understand these types of gifting traditions, they seem so wasteful
I'm at the point in my life where I'm not interested in these sorts of gift giving events. I don't need any more stuff. 🤷🏻♀️
If only people would understand almost nobody immediately around you is going to like the same things as you at all.
Oh god I would hate a Disney villains colouring book. Somehow the stained glass element makes it even worse. Give me expired butterscotch over that!
Just buy something no one wants, steal it during the game, then return it the next day for your money back ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One year I brought Costco smoked salmon in a gift box as my gift. The person who got it rolled his eyes and mocked it. I felt really bad and embarrassed as I thought it was a great gift! There was no stealing back or I would have. He had to settle with it. It was just awkward all the way around.
I would’ve been thrilled!
last year the women at my job did a Secret Santa that ended with a Yankee Swap and one person brought in a whole rotisserie chicken lmfao
I would've agreed it was a good gift... until I developed food allergies as an adult, salmon being one of them. Now I realize food might not be a good gift unless you know the recipient. Though this person just kinda sounds like an ass.
I absolutely hated this when I worked. Why make people do stupid things based upon what the "ladies" in the "front office " think will be sooo much silly ass fun?
I once brought a Squatty Potty and it was swapped so many times. I couldn't believe everyone wanted it. Lol
I just like that you used "palpable" and "crestfallen" in your post.
I thought they were being a bit loquacious.
/s
Your fastidiousness is disheartening.
Why would an adult want a colouring book?
Stress relief.
Seems like an odd Secret Santa present to get someone unless you knew they were into that.
Every single time I have taken part in a White Elephant gift swap game, the gift I bring is the most coveted and everyone tries to get it. And every single time, without fail, I end up getting shafted with a shitty gag "gift". It's a curse and I am never doing it again!! 🤬🖕
I do a few Yankee swaps this time of year. Depending on the price, ill get something nice or a small assortment on useful car accessories. If its a $5 limit, I buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and let the mayhem start
Last year was one employees last christmas party after over 30 years (he finally retired). 7 of the gifts had his face on it. Cups, shirts, blankets. We all had a good laugh.
Lol. She was totally going to regift it🤣.
I’m tired of the stealing aspect of the game and the thought that I will get items that I don’t want cluttering my house. One year at my office, I tried a different swap game based on a roll of the dice. You may not like what you ended up with but the meanness of stealing and gloating was removed. Everyone was disappointed. ☹️
You're butthurt an ADULT didn't think a child's coloring book was the best gift ever? Seriously I'd gladly take soap over that
The point of white elephant is to try and bring something that would appeal to everyone. A coloring book definitely doesn’t. I should know, I’ve been the one that ended up with a coloring book and a children’s game while everyone else got nice blankets, wine, candles, etc. that they actually liked.
Went to a church Christmas Party last night, it's funny but we do a White Elephant gift exchange, most of the time it's booze, but kids also get involved so my wife, my kid and I always bring gifts that are not booze.
We were about the middle our numbers were pretty much close together so I told my kid to steal one of the gifts that we brought then I stole it from him so it was locked in.
My kid ended up opening a box of Tequila set, that he later traded after the game was over.
My ex husbands family always did a white elephant gift exchange and we’d play a game to determine who gets to pick a present first. Then play the game again for swapping and such.
My first married year in the family, I ended up with two rolls of tp and an outdated magazine. Everyone else had cool homemade treats and gifts.
I think that was also the last year it was a white elephant gift exchange it changed to a homemade gift exchange after that. Then the goal was to make the most wanted item.
AI Slop 1000%
This shit is so reddit
I would have swapped for that coloring book in a heartbeat!! I love Disney and coloring. Those people were insolent fools!
Do your colleagues even want to do a secret santa? It seems that they don't.
Also if there is a money limit OP observe it please.
If I'm involved in a Yankee swap, if I get a gift I truly love I'll sneer at it and try to make it seem undesirable to everyone else.
You don’t get to open a gift AND steal another in the same turn. When it’s your turn, you choose to either open a new gift, ending your turn, OR steal a previously opened gift, and then the person whose item was stolen then steals or opens a new gift.
AI needs to learn the rules of the game if it’s going to write about it.
Also, if I got a Disney coloring book, I’d be… disappointed. Not just that, but Disney villains? Absolutely awful gift.
Some people (like me) love coloring books. I would love that gift, and I’m definitely not a Disney fan in general.
All the comments saying they wouldn't like coloring books as an adult sounds boring af. Especially if you're an artist. I learned a lot of traditional shading techniques just by coloring in Mandala books during work breaks.
Smirking baddies? This has to be rage bait.
We do White Elephant swaps at work but it's intended to be all funny gifts (and $10 max). Highlights this year were shirtless man shaped cocoa bomb, a bag containing a roll of toilet paper, hemorrhoid cream and a Taco Bell gift card and an ugly Christmas sweater dress. I actually wouldn't have minded taking mine home - a Goodwill purchased framed painting of some sailboats that I added some little sheet ghosts to.
the yankee swap justice is perfect. you put thought into a $25 gift and got mocked for it, taking back your book was completely fair game in that format
Christmas is around the corner and what did everyone get their family this year?
I have also been at the receiving end of cheap trash. I heard someone bragging one year how they’d regifted a mug a student gave them. So I purposely took it and put it back in the exchange with a giftcard taped to the inside the next year with some tissue in it. Same teacher got it, rolled their eyes, and threw it in the trash on the way out.
I retrieved it and used my giftcard I bought myself. :)
When we did the swap you were SUPPOSED to bring the crappiest gift, no? We passed a dead office plant around for years
White Elephant/Yankee Swap/Dirty Santa/etc… seems to frequently always devolved into something mean-spirited imo.
If you can get away with it, just don’t participate. But if you have to, just buy a package of socks. No one seems to fight over new socks. I’ve done it before and went home with new socks. Personally, feels like a win.
Sorry OP. That really sucks, man. At least you got something you’ll enjoy. Haters gonna hate, but fuck ‘em.
I wrapped up an onion this year.
Free food! I would have been happy!
I think your gift idea was awesome, and I’m glad you get to enjoy it yourself!
I would be so happy with that coloring book. That snob didn't deserve it anyway.
I think your gift was a good one (and am about to search online for a Disney Villains mindfulness coloring book for ME :D)
Don't know why you're downvoted. Even if OP turns out to be AI, it's not like you wrote the post.