Office Secret Santa, advice/ideas?

Hi everyone

Every year, I run the office secret santa where I work. Usually I get about 10 people joining each year (out of 14, which is good)

this year, email blast been out for a week, only 3 people signed up, and one replied no. not a response from the other 10 people that went out

I am feeling disheartened. I gave an RSVP date for dec 1st, and I'd expect a response of some sort by now at least. I doubt I'd hear anything now. I am feeling the need to cancel the Secret Santa this year due to lack of interest, but I don't want those who did sign up feel disappointed either. I almost don't want to send out a reminder email, because I feel like I should not have to. It really doesn't take a couple of seconds to decide, IMO. Of course, I am going to wait till the deadline to decide to cancel or not.

Any ideas what I can do to make up for that? I don't want to spend money if I can help it. Baking something is kind of tough since everyone bakes and shares their goodies, then we go to the company christmas party.

oh, and last year, two people who never responded, replied AFTER the deadline and names were picked, I had to say no. I really don't want that disappointment to happen again.

Ugh, 'no reply' from colleagues is a pain for this kind of thing.  I'd go for a 'I've not had many replies yet.  Do people want to do SS this year?'  and maybe suggest alternative.

The last place I worked decided to put the amount we previously spent on SS to charity; it felt more appropriate in current financial climate and charities having less money donated.  Just a few £ $ € ¥ can make a big difference when added together. 

charity is a good idea, I can offer that in the follow up email

Do you have an office tree?  I ask as, in these 'politically correct times" many businesses have eliminated this.  If you do, perhaps you could have a ''bring in an ornament' instead of the SS?  Folks get to take their ornament home again afterwards, so it doesn't cost them anything.  If you don't have an office tree, and if it is permitted, you could do a small 2 foot table top for this, perhaps? 

Or what about collecting food cans to donate to the local food pantry?

Or pet foods to donate to the local shelter?  (This depends on how many pet owners you have in the office, we know YOU have pets, lol)

Check online if the local pet shelter has a wish list, maybe go that route?  For my Dad's 80th birthday, we did this.  Folks brought in blankets, sheets, pillows, food and treats, collars, leashes, stuffed animals,  they had lots of stuff just hanging about the house.  We only had 17 folks at the party, but they used this chance to clear out, and my car was STUFFED.  Dad sat in the front seat with things piled in his lap!  We drove to the local MSPCA (Massachusetts), I went in and explained we had a car full of donations and needed some help bringing it in, told them of Dad's party.  They were amazed when they came out to see the car, lol, took pics with him still in the  the seat, all the doors open, and everything. Some of the photos and short write up appeared in their next newsletter, lol.   Great fun!

What about a half hour activity to make ornaments and donate them to the local senior center, for their tree?

That's all I've got for ideas.  Let us know how this develops, please, I'd love to hear.

I think it's ok to send a reminder e-mail.  It is disappointing when people don't respond.  

If you still have low participation on the 1st; then maybe talk to the people who signed up and see what they want to do.  You could always pool together and do a special lunch or something a little different.  

I think if there's no response, I will just scrap the whole thing. The more I think about it, the less i want to do it. These people are killing my christmas spirit!

I just sent a friendly reminder email. they have 3 days left to decide. I really don't think they need a week, lol.

We do have an office christmas tree, and it's always decorated nicely.

last year I shot out emails for donations for the animal shelter. Only one person donated a case of cat food. No one else helped (out of about 100 people in the entire building). asking for donations for anything is kinda iffy around here. 

I had asked about donations to a no-kill shelter here at work, but nobody was interested. They had a coupon request thing going on and nobody even donated the coupons from their newspapers or anything. No angel names for children's gifts, nothing. We don't do much of anything here.

Our boss usually gives us a very nice gift certificate for the stores in town. I mentioned in the QoTD last Friday....our town stores got together and created gift certificates that you can buy at any store in any quantity. Then your recipients can spend their certificates in any participating store in town. It's really nice because it keeps everything local....no big box stores or anything like that. Our town has an eclectic variety of stores and shops, probably because of the university with students and their parents. I really enjoy those certificates and can always find something to do with them. And, in return, everybody in our department always pools money to give our boss something, too. Last year, we gave him a bottle of Jameson and a certificate to a local hunting supply shop as he is an avid hunter.  

We don't do anything else. Our department used to have a buffet type of luncheon where we all brought something in to eat. But we even stopped doing that. The county does do a luncheon for its employees and that's a nice affair. And our Planning Commission always goes out to dinner after the December meeting and the county picks up the tab. It's a way to say Thank You to the members for giving their time and effort throughout the year; they're a good bunch of people..

But that's pretty much it.

What a grumpy bunch, someone wants to sit them all down to watch Scrooge!   Are the other 2 lunch things still happening?    That kind of thing rarely happens here these days, none of the local councils / counties have any money for things other than essential services.

Last night my mother told me my Step-father's work was supposed to be having a pot-luck lunch today.  No one had signed up for anything!!  My mother, being who she is, started baking and throwing things together.