I prefer nothing at all.

But I'm a non-celebrating grouch who doesn't want to be forced to socialize with coworkers.

I am sarameg. I wish for no work celebrations or gift giving. Too potentially fraught. And I've liked most of the people I've worked with very much. And if wishes were horses...

I don't mind the socializing, it's when the unevenness creeps in that it's annoying. My boss got cupcakes for her favorite's one-year anniversary. No one has ever had a workiversary party as long as I've been here. We actually get a card and two chocolates from the company, which I think is plenty nice (even though the candy was actually nasty).

My soup, procured at a grocery store, is pretty good. And the ridiculously priced soy drinks were on sale, so I stocked up on those.

And Reese's peanut butter eggs seem to have ambushed me. Whoops.

Huh. It occurs to me that my one year is tomorrow. Dunno if there's anything that happens.

Relatedly, I can't believe how irked I still am at the lack of even a token xmas bonus or gift. My immediate manager and the one above her both did token things, but still. Which is a stupid thing to be upset about, I fully acknowledge.

And, to tie it all around, the last time I vented about this stuff here was when the plan was hatched to take up a collection for a gift card for immediate manager to, I don't know, pay her back for the token? Which was compounded by the fact that it was also supposed to be for a housewarming on her new condo. Regular readers will note that certain other people in our department recently bought condos, and didn't get jack shit.

Really need to get over this. I hate feeling ill-used, especially when it's about something I really don't care all that much about. Feh.

I'm not really an included part of the staff here. I mean, I have a key and a mailbox, but I'm not considered when people discuss anything like anniversaries or birthdays etc. It doesn't bother me, though I'm pleasantly surprised when people leave notes or cards for me.

Has any buffista given a loan through Kiva?

What I would really like to do is to have monthly donuts/muffins/pastries people can grab as they want accompanied by an email noting the events we know about, rather than an "event", but I am not sure that will fly.

We do that here and the people whose bday it is that month pick the food they want. So, sometimes it's a morning thing with bagels, or lunch with pizza. One favorite is to do a salad bar where everyone brings two or so items off a list that circulates. Very tasty and a lot more healthy.

And then there's a dancing hamster thing, but that's a whole 'nother story.

>What I would really like to do is to have monthly donuts/muffins/pastries people can grab as they want accompanied by an email noting the events we know about, rather than an "event", but I am not sure that will fly.

I, for one, would love that. I hate celebrating my birthday at work.

And then there's a dancing hamster thing, but that's a whole 'nother story.

One of my favorite workplace shenanigans involved a Kung Fu Hamster, a ransom note, and demand for payment in pennies for the hamster's safe return.

Has any buffista given a loan through Kiva?

I gave Kiva gift certs to my family for Christmas. A couple of them have made loans already and said it was very easy.

Has any buffista given a loan through Kiva?

yes, I have and I got a GC for Christmas that I need to use also.