# Another grab bag, another piece o' .... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 18, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650 "2013-12-18T15:06:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/61 "2013-12-21T04:48:46Z")
With lottery tickets, you’re screwed (vis-á-vis the rules of the exchange) either way. Your giftee will probably end up with something worth ZERO dollars … (too low of a value for the exchange) OR… it’s the present worth MILLIONS\*!\* (too high of a value for the exchange) **It’s Shrödinger’s Gift Box!** ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/62 "2013-12-21T14:47:55Z")
Stealing that. At least I get SOMETHING decent out of the grab bag this year. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/63 "2013-12-21T17:10:27Z")
> [@digs](#): > > With lottery tickets, you’re screwed (vis-á-vis the rules of the exchange) either way. > > Your giftee will probably end up with something worth ZERO dollars … (too low of a value for the exchange) > > OR… it’s the present worth MILLIONS\*!\* (too high of a value for the exchange) > > **It’s Shrödinger’s Gift Box!** Cute, but not true: at the moment of giving, it is worth $10 or whatever. The fact that the recipient will ‘devalue’ it shortly is irrelevant. One might as well complain that the gift of chocolate or booze is worthless since it will be once the recipient consumes it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/64 "2013-12-21T21:46:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@Rachellelogram](#): > > > > I don’t even drink, and some asshole got me a bottle of liquor for Christmas! My mom died of alcoholism! What is wrong with that guy?? :mad: > > Did this person know that you didn’t drink and what your mother died of? You suck so fucking much. ---
**Author:** ![tarmale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@tarmale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarmale)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/65 "2013-12-24T18:57:02Z")
I, too, will no longer do the office grabbag. I work part time and the woman who had me as a giftee make way more money than me. I found out what the person that I picked liked and got him just that: a gift card, chocolates and coffee. What did I get??? An old ripped up bag with the old gift tag still on it with two pieces of chocolate, a dish towel and a broken ornament. Yes, I said a BROKEN ornament. The gift amount was supposed to be $30 so I’m guessing in total mine was about half that. I’m so sick of being considerate and getting people what they like and I get junk in return. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/66 "2013-12-24T20:42:55Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > You suck so fucking much. Why? Because I took her at her word and thought that maybe there was a co-worker that gave an inappropriate gift without realizing it? Was her story so out of the ordinary that it could _only_ be taken as some sort of joke? I didn’t think so because I’ve seen things like that happen in real life, and the :mad: at the end of her post indicated to me that she was upset. I’m sorry if my misreading of the situation upset you. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/67 "2013-12-25T00:54:09Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > You suck so fucking much. 😕 Wait, what? Because he got whooshed? Because to tell the truth, **rachellogram** ’s post whooshed me too. Wait, is this _ANOTHER_ whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/68 "2013-12-25T00:58:41Z")
It’s whooshes all the way down! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/69 "2013-12-25T01:54:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why? Because I took her at her word and thought that maybe there was a co-worker that gave an inappropriate gift without realizing it? Was her story so out of the ordinary that it could _only_ be taken as some sort of joke? I didn’t think so because I’ve seen things like that happen in real life, and the :mad: at the end of her post indicated to me that she was upset. I’m sorry if my misreading of the situation upset you. Not upset. You just suck is all. ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/70 "2013-12-25T05:11:28Z")
The Hubby just did this at work, and turned over gift selection to me. Limit was $15, and I chose this… [Lovely glass creamer.](http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-Half-Pint-Creamer/dp/B001XSFVHA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387946955&sr=8-1&keywords=glass+milk+carton) ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/71 "2013-12-25T08:33:04Z")
I have you all beat. In my first office, there was a gift exchange, i can’t remember what the limit was, but I’m guessing $10. Everyone that id participating draws a name out of a hat and that’s who you buy for. The bozo that got me was one strange guy. I hardly knew him. However, imagine my surprise when I opened up my “gift” in front of the entire office, and i found a large glass mayo jar. Clean and empty (thank god), but he used one of those cheap label makers (that were popular 25 years ago that print one letter at a time by turning a dial to the correct letter and squeezing the trigger) to put a label on it. The label said “Booger Jar” He laughed and laughed, and everyone else just stood there with “WTF” written on their faces. So i spent $10 on some gift I would have kept for myself, and in return, some bozo gives me a home-made “booger jar”. Just about everyone in the office came up and apologized after the party was over, and I was told this guy was a bit dysfunctional. Ya think? I put it in the trash as i walked back to my desk. I think he got the hint, although I am positive he didn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/72 "2013-12-26T00:14:54Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I have you all beat. I’ve got even you beat, but in a better way. I have _never_ worked for _any_ company that has _ever_ done _any sort of_ ‘gift exchange’. I’ve _never_ had to deal with _any_ of the shit in this thread. Get a gift for the coworkers you are friends with, or not if you don’t like them. I’ve occasionally given gifts that were appreciated, I’ve occasionally gotten gifts that were also appreciated, but there was none of the ‘mandatory for someone you don’t know’ bullshit. No awkwardness, no problems… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650/73 "2013-12-26T21:19:13Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I have you all beat. > > In my first office, there was a gift exchange, i can’t remember what the limit was, but I’m guessing $10. > > Everyone that id participating draws a name out of a hat and that’s who you buy for. The bozo that got me was one strange guy. I hardly knew him. > > However, imagine my surprise when I opened up my “gift” in front of the entire office, and i found a large glass mayo jar. Clean and empty (thank god), but he used one of those cheap label makers (that were popular 25 years ago that print one letter at a time by turning a dial to the correct letter and squeezing the trigger) to put a label on it. > > The label said “Booger Jar” > > He laughed and laughed, and everyone else just stood there with “WTF” written on their faces. > > So i spent $10 on some gift I would have kept for myself, and in return, some bozo gives me a home-made “booger jar”.\ That’s just…well…I don’t know what the word is. “Nuts” doesn’t quite do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-grab-bag-another-piece-o/676650.md?page=3)