This happened in the office today, the person whose birthday it was left a cake etc in the kitchen but then someone else complained about her setting the bar high (it's obviously her birthday next).
When it was mine I didn't bring anything in as I didn't know that it was the done thing, in fact they got me a cake.
This happened in the office today, the person whose birthday it was left a cake etc in the kitchen but then someone else complained about her setting the bar high (it's obviously her birthday next).
When it was mine I didn't bring anything in as I didn't know that it was the done thing, in fact they got me a cake.
Why should YOU have to buy everyone else treats on your birthday? It should be the other way round with them buying you (and the est of the office) treats.
Took in a couple of those 'Celebration' chocs in the end - something for everyone!!!
+ Out for lunch with the boss today (no funny remarks - he's my brother!!!! :D) & meal and drinks tonight, day off tomorrow and out for a 'romantic childless' weekend with the Mrs on Saturday ;-) - all in all, a perfect birthday weekender!!!!
I have worked in quite a few offices in the past and have never known people take in cakes on their birthday. I wonder if it is a fairly new tradition as I know they do it where my son works. I wonder when this tradition started. Not good for people who are weight watching!
My husband had never worked in an office until about 4yrs ago. He didn't know about the tradition of bringing in cakes, so he just kept his gob shut. He doesn't eat anyone else's cakes as he is a very fussy eater and he has never taken anything in.
I have worked in quite a few offices in the past and have never known people take in cakes on their birthday. I wonder if it is a fairly new tradition as I know they do it where my son works. I wonder when this tradition started. Not good for people who are weight watching!
Tradition was always Doughnuts in both offices I worked.
Doughnuts now seen as too fattening though -times change.
Cakes and Ethnic biscuits now - Soon it'll be fruit.:)
Why should YOU have to buy everyone else treats on your birthday? It should be the other way round with them buying you (and the est of the office) treats.
Also a tradition of the person leaving for a new job buys the rounds.
Tradition was always Doughnuts in both offices I worked.
Doughnuts now seen as too fattening though -times change.
Cakes and Ethnic biscuits now - Soon it'll be fruit.:)
Some people take in fruit along with the cake. Most people then take a piece of cake and a few grapes, so no healthier, cos the cake still gets eaten
The best one was on a hot summer day the birthday person popped downstairs to the supermarket under our building and bought lots of tubs of ice cream and cones.
We're fairly resistant to this sort of pressure in our office, except for one older woman who takes it upon herself to try and chivvy this sort of behaviour along.
I usually make a cake for anyone leaving the company for the lunch do we put on, and a very quiet guy I barely knew left after a short while. I quietly said to my boss that I didn't want to put several hours into making and decorating a cake for a virtual stranger, and privately he agreed. Then the older woman asked me publicly if I was doing it and I had to awkwardly refuse!
She also chases up on non contributors to present funds ignoring the fact that the only thing we all have in common is avoiding her social engineering!
I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with this kind of thing as long as it's not "expected" you should join in.
In our office of just under 20 people the person who's birthday it was last gets a card for the next birthday person and collects £2 off everyone. The birthday person then brings in cakes or treats and then in return gets a card and collection.
She also chases up on non contributors to present funds ignoring the fact that the only thing we all have in common is avoiding her social engineering!
I was once 'forced' by my boss into going round collecting money for someone's birthday.
I went into the room of a notorious skinflint and asked him to contribute. He said that he wouldn't contribute as "I hear X is offended by money, so I won't offend him".
Depends on whether you take any of the 'treats' your co-workers provide yourself. If you do, it's only fair that you provide similar items for your own birthday. If you never take any yourself, then just ignore it.
I dont agree. I dont take treats in on my birthday and I dont expect people to bring them in on theirs. but if they do? well they are under no compunction to do so and I am under no compunction to say "no I wont as I didnt bring any in".
What a bizarre practice, OP. As far as I'm concerned it's nobody's effin' business when my birthday is. There's nothing to "celebrate" after 21 as far as I'm concerned and people should just get over themselves.
Depends if you scoff everyone else's cakes and chocs on their birthdays. There is nothing worse than a tight fisted colleages who joins in on everyone else's stuff but ducks their own turn.
In my office some departments do the bring cakes in thing and others dont. I think it is fine if you want to celebrate your birthday but what I dont like is those who consider it to just another day made to celebrate their birthdays whether they like it or not.
We recently had a change around in the department I am in and there are a couple of people that feel that they have to know when everyones birthday is - they get the whole of the department to sign a card and it is expected that the birthday person brings cakes in. Several times I have arrived in the office and they have covered the birthday person desk in banners and balloons. Now I have no problem with that if it for the kind of person that likes that sort of thing but they dont seem to consider that not everyone wants that kind of attention.
I am begining dread my birthday in case they find out when it is! Luckily for me a few people know I dont celebrate my birthday so I am hoping that they will keep the birthday brigade at bay.
I tend to like people, I find it's easier to get through life that way. So I take any opportunity to make them happy I can, it's makes me happy. So on my birthday I will bring in some treats so we can all celebrate together - apart from the years when I forget! Absent minded
There's no obligation, no witch hunt if you don't bring anything in. People are different, some are on diets, a few strange souls don't even like cake or sweets We just get one with our lives and try to add a bit of happiness whenever we can.
Comments
When it was mine I didn't bring anything in as I didn't know that it was the done thing, in fact they got me a cake.
This is exactly what should happen.
It wasn't the entire office though bought it though, just the HR team.
As another poster has said it's important to get in there quick and get the best one!
Now where's my cake? :-D
Why should YOU have to buy everyone else treats on your birthday? It should be the other way round with them buying you (and the est of the office) treats.
...thanks!!!
Took in a couple of those 'Celebration' chocs in the end - something for everyone!!!
+ Out for lunch with the boss today (no funny remarks - he's my brother!!!!
It's different in different workplaces, where I work now is a large office and some departments do it, some don't.
Tradition was always Doughnuts in both offices I worked.
Doughnuts now seen as too fattening though -times change.
Cakes and Ethnic biscuits now - Soon it'll be fruit.:)
Also a tradition of the person leaving for a new job buys the rounds.
or did I get conned
Some people take in fruit along with the cake. Most people then take a piece of cake and a few grapes, so no healthier, cos the cake still gets eaten
The best one was on a hot summer day the birthday person popped downstairs to the supermarket under our building and bought lots of tubs of ice cream and cones.
I usually make a cake for anyone leaving the company for the lunch do we put on, and a very quiet guy I barely knew left after a short while. I quietly said to my boss that I didn't want to put several hours into making and decorating a cake for a virtual stranger, and privately he agreed. Then the older woman asked me publicly if I was doing it and I had to awkwardly refuse!
She also chases up on non contributors to present funds ignoring the fact that the only thing we all have in common is avoiding her social engineering!
In our office of just under 20 people the person who's birthday it was last gets a card for the next birthday person and collects £2 off everyone. The birthday person then brings in cakes or treats and then in return gets a card and collection.
I was once 'forced' by my boss into going round collecting money for someone's birthday.
I went into the room of a notorious skinflint and asked him to contribute. He said that he wouldn't contribute as "I hear X is offended by money, so I won't offend him".
That's one to remember.
He retires in six months and a couple of weeks ago he even brought in a box of Krispy Kreme donuts to celebrate this.
However I did ask him when his retirement do was so I booked my summer holiday the week later than intended
I dont agree. I dont take treats in on my birthday and I dont expect people to bring them in on theirs. but if they do? well they are under no compunction to do so and I am under no compunction to say "no I wont as I didnt bring any in".
We recently had a change around in the department I am in and there are a couple of people that feel that they have to know when everyones birthday is - they get the whole of the department to sign a card and it is expected that the birthday person brings cakes in. Several times I have arrived in the office and they have covered the birthday person desk in banners and balloons. Now I have no problem with that if it for the kind of person that likes that sort of thing but they dont seem to consider that not everyone wants that kind of attention.
I am begining dread my birthday in case they find out when it is! Luckily for me a few people know I dont celebrate my birthday so I am hoping that they will keep the birthday brigade at bay.
Surely as it is MY birthday people should be treating me?!
I tend to like people, I find it's easier to get through life that way. So I take any opportunity to make them happy I can, it's makes me happy. So on my birthday I will bring in some treats so we can all celebrate together - apart from the years when I forget! Absent minded
There's no obligation, no witch hunt if you don't bring anything in. People are different, some are on diets, a few strange souls don't even like cake or sweets