Does anyone else hate "Secret Santa"?

Question

I hate Secret Santa.

I don't like the idea that, at the time of year that people are already stretching their budgets, time and creativity to get gifts for loved ones, they are asked to spend MORE time, money and creativity to get gifts for acquaintences or even strangers. 

When my kids were young, they were expected to get gifts for classmates. Our family had NO money, and were sometimes the recipients of community programs that buy gifts and dinners for poor families, and there was NO way we could afford to participate. That was really embarrassing for my kids, and for me when I was expected to participate in some of these. 

Often several groups, such as work, clubs, teams etc would be running these things and at ten or twenty bucks a pop, for several family members, the tab could easily run into a hundred bucks or more expectation from one family.

On top of that there are people who don't even celebrate Christmas because of religious affiliation or lack there of.

I'm not trying to be Scrooge, just trying to be practical. Secret Santa never added to the fun of the holidays for me, it was something I dreaded that felt like an extra burden when I least needed one.

How do you feel about Secret Santa? Does it make your holiday more fun?

amizuno_forever · Accepted Answer

There were a couple of years in school we did secret santa that I had forgotten about until I read them in your question.  At the time my mom had been laid off so not only were they already financially strapped for cash but then they had to help me get something for a child they didn't even know.  Worst part is there was no way to opt out of it, which I do not agree with.

I'm also not a fan of secret santa in the workplace.  The department I work in has less than 10 people in it including the manager, and one of my co-workers is muslim which all of us know.  Each year the manager pushes the secret santa on us reminding me to sign up after I have told her directly that I do not wish to participate.  Its the feeling of being pressured to do it that I hate the most.  Last year I had suggested that instead of getting things for each other we could run a toy or food drive that would be more in the spirit of giving.  That idea got laughed off.  

The one kind of secret santa I do like is when large families decide to do a name draw and buy for just that person.  I bet it would make the holidays a lot less stressful and then since there isn't wrapping paper flying everywhere the giver could see how much their gift is appreciated.

? · Answer

Just say you don't wish to participate, smile and don't try and explain or justify yourself any further. I can afford the gift if I wanted to but I don't , I think it is silly and embarrassing to get some useless piece of junk from a comparative stranger.

Molly · Answer

Luckily for me, our  boss does not do this and he is a serious Christian. But I know people where their boss insists everyone joins in, even the student workers, and since the boss participates, that means someone has to buy presents for the boss!

Outrageous!

Anonymous · Answer

stop hating santa because he is fat.

Does anyone else hate "Secret Santa"?

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