Xmas gifts for Bosses?

[NoSheep]

I am the office manager of a small business. It's just me and my boss. He is quite a wealthy business man and I am barely scraping by on what I'm paid here. I've been here 2 yrs. Last year, he gave me and my boyfriend a $40 gift certificate to a reasonably nice restaurant. I didn't give him anything as I've never exchanged gifts at work before. (Except the time my struggling ex-boss gave me a Xmas bonus and I gave it back to him because he wasn't doing as well as I was!)This year, my current boss has wrapped a box up and put it under the tree with my boyfriend's and my name on it. The box is kinda heavy. Should I get him a gift? What would Miss Manners have to say about this? I don't even like the guy. He is the epitome of a greedy repuke! Comments appreciated.

[radwriter0555]

1. I suggest a couple dozen cookies, some home-made fudge, etc, since, in

spite of his apparent evilness you (a) continue to work for him and (b) he clearly appreciates you in some manner.

[NoSheep]

5. He likles sweets, so that is a good idea. I think I should do something

just can't afford much.

[demnan]

2. You don't have to you can give him a nice card

or you can buy a box of candy and wrap it up (like a Whitman's sampler or something) just to be polite.

Actually the Christ-like thing to do would be to forgive your enemies :) , at least give 'em a break this time of year.

[Patiod]

3. 100% in support of the home-made gifts in this case

I paint Christmastree balls and make jewelry, so that's what I normally give depending on the recipient (I can't cook worth a damn).

A plate of chocolate chip cookies is nice, or whatever is your specialty (lemon squares, whatever)

[phaseolus]

4. it's kind of a ... cultural thing

At most of my jobs, at companies in & around the Milwaukee area, we've never given (nor been expected to give) presents to our bosses. Usually we'd get a bonus of some kind, sometimes just a token thing like a $25 gift certificate to a grocery store.

But there was this one job -- this was a satellite office of a company based in the Marshfield, WI area, pretty much in the exact center of the state. It was expected that we kick back $5 of our $50 christmas bonus to pay for a present for the company president. Contributions were NOT voluntary -- we put our contributions in a common big manila envelope, writing our names & the amounts on the outside. None of us had ever heard of such a thing, though I found out from one of the guys up north that it's pretty common to do that in that part of the state. Wierd.

So go with the flow, I guess...