Do you buy souvenirs for co-workers?

[heatherandfred]

I work in a small office, about 10 people..not sure if I should get them something. We're all very close..

 

I bought for coworkers one time years ago, and seems to me that they didn't appreciate it..forget them...lol

 

Do you buy things for your office mates?

[cusyl]

I used to, but don't any more...I have brought tee shirts, key chains, little statues. Last time I brought one of those rum cakes that the whole office could enjoy.

[ger_77]

When our staff was only 10 - 12, I used to bring little trinkets back from our holidays, but as it grew bigger, it was more difficult to shop around and find things for everyone. Finally I stopped bringing souvenirs back - I realized do these people really want a keychain/shell necklace/lighter/baseball cap from someplace they've never been to? I know I sure wouldn't! Now I go on vacation, and on my first day back I bring my photo album complete with captions and people can see where we've been, what we've done and that's it. I find it works a lot better, particularly since we now have a staff approaching 50 people!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[suezyq50]

I don't either. I also am the thinking, why bring them something from a place they haven't been to.

[klct39lg]

No gifts. I just share photos and stories.:)

[eandj]

Wouldn't want to spend my vacation shopping for other people. The only one I buy for is my daughter. And I generally have something in mind.

 

I like the idea of just picking up a few rum cakes to pass at the office as a coffee break item. But definitely that's about all I'd spend time on. Stress free is what MY vacation has to be!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

For a couple of personal friends in the office I bring something small back--but, they share in my excitement about the vacation because they're friends. If it's a business trip, like when I went to China in April, I bring back some sort of snack for everyone to share--candy from Beijing was a hit! But, if it's a personal vacation then I don't. I'm one of those who doesn't understand why someone else would want a souvenir from my vacation! :)

 

Cheers!

Jayne

[Kolleen]

My husband's company likes to put our formal night photo in their newsletter. They always ask him. He works in IT, and we usually bring home some kind of food share item. However, it is a very close department. The shortest anyone has worked there is 10 years. Chocolate seems popular. :p

[madjohn]

I have three secretaries and 2 co-workers. One co-worker and I started working togeather at a prior job. She and I have always bring something back. It is usually something very small and inexpesive. We display them in our offices. I now have two whole shelves of a bookcase with things my co-workers and employees have brought me. As some move on it is nice to have little reminders of them (one guy was from Wisconsin and brought me a "cheese" beer holder, I will always remember him fondly)

 

Likewise I always bring something back for the secretaries. Always inexpensive and small. Its not that they will use it but is a reminder that while I am away, these people, while working for me, are also important to me.

 

John

[Andee]

I bring something small (trivet, food item, printed dishtowel, frig magnet, etc) for the people who work for me to thank them for holding down the fort during my absence. I also try to bring a treat that can be shared with the rest of the office.

[gg3]

Since DH works with a large group of folks, he tries to bring back something they will enjoy, but not something they don't need or want. They all (40+ of them) enjoy chocolate bars, such as the great ones from Alaska wrapped in decorative paper representive of that area. Not anything big.....just something to say, thanks for helping cover for me while I was out. gg

[Happy ks]

Sometimes, not always. We tend to not shop on vacation, not even for ourselves. If I happen to see something small and inexpensive, I might pick it up, but I don't feel any obligation to gift co-workers.

 

My SIL and her husband used to buy us the tackiest thing they could find, unfortunately he passed a while back. We still have some of this "junk" around the house and it is funny. So, we have reciprocated a few times when we could find things that are truly disgusting or tacky.

[miami]

I don't expect anything from any of my co-workers so I don't plan to get anything for them. Maybe if I could find something really small (don't want to take up too much space in my suitcase) & inexpensive (would have to buy for too many). Unfortunately, I saw really cute moose and bear magnets in Ketchikan for only $1 each but didn't buy them thinking I would probably see them at every port.... nope.

[JanineM]

I usually buy something for my co-worker because she has to cover for me whenever I'm away. If I can find something unique, that's what I'll get. Last time I brought her a container of herbal hangover cure from Barbados.

 

I don't buy my boss anything, but I have bought gifts for previous bosses. This one is pretty distant ...

 

My husband's co-worker drives us to the port, so we always get her a golf shirt.

 

Shopping for others is just an excuse for me to spend more time in the stores!

[CruiseNurseBabe82]

Absolutely not. We spent our first cruise looking for things for everyone, we wasted a whole port day, wasn't even worth it. Never again.

[MississippiMom]

I don't remember the last time that we bought gifts for coworkers, although I can remember, years ago, picking up food items, like others have mentioned. I'm pretty sure that we have also picked up bottles of liquor for certain folks that we were close to, including some family members.

 

The few times that we have traveled without our children, we have a difficult time picking out things for them, because we rarely spend much time shopping on vacation.

[2Cruise4Ever]

I usually bring back something for my boss and the person who covers for me while I'm gone. My boss goes to Paris quite frequently. And, she always brings something back for me. And, I try to bring something that is only found in that particular country.

[jlfros1]

I just came from the Bahamas and just put $1 key chains figured that's better than nothing...............

[Travel Angel]

Wouldn't want to spend my vacation shopping for other people. The only one I buy for is my daughter. And I generally have something in mind.QUOTE]

 

Family is where I spend extra funds regarding gifts, but I also tell others I work with that a gift from them from a vacation they have been on is not something I need. I want them to have fun and spend their money on themselves and family... forget about me. Just tell me what a good time you had so I can dream about going there !

[trarecar]

The rum cake is an excellent idea. But I do have to get a refrigerator magnet from at least one of the places - it's a tradition in our section to bring a fridge magnet back from vacation to put on the fridge at work.

[Scootercruise]

I usually don't buy for my co-workers, but my wife usually does, our last cruise, she just picked up small bottles of flavored rum in St Thomas, like $1 or so and let them pick the flavor that they prefer. :o

[vowsatsea]

I only have 1 co-worker (work in a small doctor's office). When she forgot my graduation and didn't give me so much as a card, I decided she wasn't getting squat from me.

[trish1c]

I always bring back some food item everybody can share. I've never given or received individualized gifts. That's not expected.

 

If I know somebody is picking up my work load while I am gone, I will get that person something. Last trip I bought a pashmina for the person who dealt with emergency phone calls in my absence.