Tales of Secret Santas, Gift Exchanges and More Office Holiday Fun

I remember my first office Yankee Swap, or you may know the holiday tradition as a white elephant gift exchange. I was working at Boston University’s Student Employment Office as my work-study job. The coveted item was a set of “Cheers” shot glasses. I went home with a wind-up, glow-in-the-dark dinosaur skeleton that I finally got rid of when my husband and I moved into our house almost three years ago. Honestly, now that I have a son, I wish I had kept it.

When I first came to Monster, we did Secret Santa (and Secret Hanukkah Harry for me). People would come in early and stay late to drop gifts off for each other without getting caught. We would even have other coworkers deliver the gifts to help us carry on the ruse. I remember being so certain my boss was my Secret Santa and complaining to my coworker about the stupid feng shui book I received, only to find out it was that coworker I was complaining to who had given it to me.

Talking to some of my coworkers, they too had fond memories of office gift swaps. One reminded me someone brought in a stapler for last year’s swap. And another told of a previous office where a velvet picture of Elvis was brought back every year by whomever received it.

I hope you’ll be building some holiday memories with your coworkers, too. If so, these rules for a Yankee Swap and these office Secret Santa dos and don’ts should come in handy.

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