Who does not love holidays and special occasions? Spending time with people that we actually like (hopefully), enjoying some good food and snacks, the decorations and just overall having a good time. What really makes these times unforgettable for people though is definitely gifts.
College is a great tool that prepares people for future careers, but there still are things that people have to learn from experience and working with others. For example, giving out gifts at a new workplace. Would it be weird to not give the boss a gift for Christmas? How much is too much for a co-worker’s baby shower gift? It’s normal to not know what to do in these situations.
Someone that does have experience giving out gifts in the workplace is record manager of Cabrini College enrollment operations Margaret Harrison.
“I’m a gift giver, I love buying gifts,” Harrison said. “My standard is a Christmas and birthday gift. I don’t do Boss Day gifts though.”
When deciding on how much to spend on a gift, Harrison is less worried about prices, but more focused on the quality of gift.
“I usually don’t put a money limit on a gift,” Harrison said. “I’m not going to go spend 50 bucks on a co-worker, but if I see something I really like, then yeah I’ll get it. I don’t go overboard, but I also don’t go into the process saying I’m only going to spend a certain amount.”
Tracey Kemery works with Harrison in the enrollment operations office. The assistant director of the office says that buying gifts for a boss comes down to the relationship.
“Some people do not have that kind of camaraderie with their boss, I technically don’t get gifts for my boss on their birthday or Christmas, but I do give gifts to some co-workers,” Kemery said. “In operations we decide on a certain amount of money to spend for a Christmas gift and if we feel like it’s a really close worker then we’ll do a birthday gift too.”
Kemery believes that circumstances is the deciding factor on how much to spend on a gift.
“I think it depends on the time of year, whether I have something going on in my life,” Kemery said. “I have a little girl, so Christmas is already going to be a lot. I think it depends on what’s going on in your personal life.”
Assistant director of programming for student diversity Sarah Carter typically buys gifts for the overhead. “It’s a general respect thing in my opinion and I also really enjoy giving gifts,” Carter said. “I’ll usually get a gift for my boss on the holidays. I used to do birthdays in the past and for Bosses Day I’ll usually get a card or a little something.”
Carter also likes to look out for co-workers. “I think it depends on the level of familiarity with a co-worker. There are some I’ll buy gifts for, but we also hang out socially. I’ll usually give out at least a card to most co-workers,” Carter said.
Assistant director of the career and professional development Kareem Calliste believes that gifts for a boss or co-worker is fine for certain occasions too. “I don’t think there is an issue with it. It just can’t be something that’s happening all the time, that’s when it gets inappropriate,” Calliste said. Giving the gift to someone is an easy process for Calliste. “I would simply hand it to them.”
Dr. Andrew Owen, sociology professor at Cabrini College, has never given a gift to a boss, but he does not knock the idea.
“I think gifts during a major holiday is fine. It might depend on the relationship, is the gift-giving a genuine showing of affection or is it some type of hidden agenda there,” Owen said. As far as for co-workers, since having his job as a professor, Owen has only given out one gift.
“That was Dr. Vivian Smith of the criminology department. I gave a gift for a baby shower,” Owen said. “It was nice, it’s appropriate, it was a celebration for everyone in the department.”
Like Kemery, Owen believes that one’s financial situation should dictate how much is spent on a gift. “I think it’s a calculation based on how much money do I have, how much do I want to spend on myself, paying bills, and whatever I have left is probably what they’ll get,” Owen said.
