The Grinch is Alive and Well

Today we had a little Christmas get together at work. The people who only work one day a week came in and naturally we full timers were already there. And we received the gift cards from our boss that we had told him we wanted three weeks ago (and some of us even picked up our own and dutifully turned them in to the office to be handed out at the appropriate time). We didn't give him gifts because he doesn't like Christmas and apparently has never used the gifts they've gotten him in the past. (Even practical stuff like t-shirts--and he does wear t-shirts.)

And we exchanged gifts. Instead of going into a full blown rant about these obligations, maybe I'll just copy the description of my project that I wrote in Ravelry. I think you'll get the idea:

Gifts for co-workers, needed in a rush.

So you start a new job, and the first Christmas rolls around. A Christmas party gets scheduled, and then cancelled, and then you find out that doesn't apply to the "smaller" party in the office. (What office has two Christmas parties?) And then you find out everyone else has already gotten gifts even though all these months all they've been talking about is that they don't get gifts for the boss because he's not into Christmas. And you realize your plan of just skipping out on the whole gift thing isn't going to work. And then you search for patterns grumbling a little about how disproportionately much trouble "little" gifts cause. And then you find out that the "smaller" party has been moved a week closer because of someone's schedule and now you need 4 "little" gifts in 5 days. (And guess what...the rest of your life isn't going to stop because you need 4 "little" gifts in the next 5 days.) Grumble grumble grumble. (I should have just knit a grinch for myself and called it good.)

Now that I got that off my chest, I'll tell you that each gift took 1.5 - 2 hours. Think of what you make per hour at your job, or at a previous job if you're not working right now. And ask yourself: would you spend 1.5 - 2 hours of your wages on gifts for co-workers who are friendly enough at work, but not your friends? Grumble grumble grumble.

Why didn't I just buy cheap ornaments made in China? Good question.

Grumble grumble grumble.

And what did I make? These adorable mini stocking ornaments: (pattern link)

Bad news? I didn't get to keep any of them.

Grumble grumble grumble.