Many offices are virtual beehives1 of social life， complete with their own patterns of gift giving， party schedules， and customs and traditions.
Collections2 It is the custom in many American offices to take up collections to buy presents for births， weddings， birthdays， and other happy occasions. Many people willingly participate in this tradition， but many more undoubtedly resent3 the continual expense.
Office collections only work among co-workers who genuinely have some fondness for one another and when the demands aren't too high. They don't work when you're in an enormous office and you barely recognize the person to whom you're expected to give money. They also don't work when a set amount， which is often beyond some people's means， is expected.
Asking people to kick in a dollar or two is okay. Asking for ten or twenty dollars usually is not. Those who know the person and want to give more money may， but no one should ever feel obliged to give more than a dollar or two to an office collection.
If you're taking up the collection， you can ease the situation by asking only those who really know the recipient4 to participate. Rather than exclude anyone， though， offer the choice to someone who may not want to contribute：" I'm taking up a collection to buy Mary a wedding gift， but I know you don't know her， so I don't feel it's right to ask you." That leaves the decision entirely in the hands5 of the giver. From the giver's point of view， once someone has let you off the hook6 in this way， you should feel no pressure to contribute. Another solution used in some offices is to pass around an envelope. Each person may anonymously7 contribute what he or she likes.
Office Parties Another office tradition is giving parties to celebrate big events——baby showers，wedding showers， retirement parties，and the ubiquitous8 birthday parties. Strictly speaking，these ought not to be held on office time or premises9，but they often ever possible，give major parties for co-workers at another ies that take place at work， say， for a retirement or a birthday， should be kept fairly brief and subdued10. Some large offices merge11 events——that is，they have one birthday party in a month rather than a series of birthday celebrations.
Gifts Most offices indulge in12 some form of gift giving， usually at holiday time. Bosses typically give gifts to their staff members， while employees are not obliged to give gifts in return. The exception is the secretary or personal assistant who wishes to give the boss a present. This gift can be very modest13， even if the boss's gift was lavish14. It would， in fact， be inappropriate for an employee to give an employer an elaborate15 or expensive gift. Some offices have a grab bag16 gift exchange， where everyone puts his name in a bag also draws the name of another worker. When these are the custom， the gifts should be small， and it is a good idea to set a dollar limit， usually five to ten dollars.
The best office gifts are impersonal17 but clearly chosen with an individual's interests in mind. Books， compact discs， food， desk accessories18， datebooks， umbrellas， and impersonal items of clothing such as scarves and gloves are all acceptable. Joke gifts are fine and popular in many offices as long as they are not overly offensive.
Employers should also keep in mind that a bonus19 is not a present. It is part of the reimbursement20 package and as such should never be referred to or considered a present. Apart from any specific office rituals， gift exchanges among co-workers are the same as gift exchanges among friends.
許多辦公室實際上是社交生活的熱鬧場所，有自己完備的贈送禮物、安排聚會以及習俗和傳統的模式。
湊份子許多美國辦公室有為新生兒降臨、新人結婚、生日和其他喜慶的場合湊錢買禮品的習俗。許多人願意參加這一傳統活動，但也有不少人肯定對這種沒完沒了的支出有反感。
辦公室湊份子活動只在同事彼此真有好感、並且所交的那份錢不是太多的情況下才能進行。如果在一大型辦公室你幾乎不認識你要湊份子送禮品的物件，這種活動就無法進行。如果這份錢數定得過高，超過同事的承受能力，湊份子活動也難以進行。
讓同事出一兩美元沒問題。但要一二十元通常就行不通了。那些認識送禮物件想多給錢的人可以多給，但對於辦公室湊份子活動，誰也沒必要非得給多於一兩元。
如果你負責湊份子活動，你可以只讓那些真正認識送禮物件的人來參加，這樣會好辦些。但是與其把任何外人排除，不如讓那些可能不想湊份子的同事自己選擇："我正在讓大家湊份子，給瑪麗買一結婚禮物，我知道你不認識她，所以我不好意思讓你出錢。"這樣，你就把決定權完全交給了對方。從出錢人的角度來看，如果有人讓你自作決定而不讓你為難，你便不會感到有壓力了。在某些辦公室還有一種做法是傳遞個信封。每位同事可不記名地放入他或她願意給的數目。
辦公室聚會辦公室的另一種傳統是聚會，慶祝重大事件——分娩送禮會、結婚送禮會、退休歡送會，普遍性的生日晚會等等。嚴格而言，這些聚會不應在辦公時間或場所舉行，但它們經常就在辦公室舉辦。如果可能的話最好還是另找一個地方舉辦較大的同事聚會。在辦公時間舉辦的聚會如退休歡送會或慶祝生日活動應簡短為好而且不可過分熱鬧。有些大公司集中舉行慶祝活動——即他們一個月搞一次生日聚會而不是開一系列生日晚會。禮品多數辦公室喜好某種禮品贈送形式，通常在節日之際，老闆往往送僱員禮品，而僱員沒有必要回贈禮物。除非祕書或私人助理想給老闆一件禮物。這一禮品可以是非常普通的物品，儘管老闆的禮品可能相當昂貴。實際上僱員若送給僱主一件精緻或昂貴的禮品，那是不合適的。有些辦公室設有禮品交換袋，每個人將自己的名字放入袋中再抓另一位同事的名字。如果實行的是這種習俗，禮品應是小禮物，不妨設定個金額限制，通常是在5到10美元之間。
最好的辦公室禮物是一般性的，但選擇時顯然要考慮到個人興趣。書籍、光碟、食品、辦公桌裝飾品、記事檯曆、雨傘，和一般性的服飾物件如圍巾、手套等都是不錯的選擇。帶有開玩笑性質的禮品在許多辦公室也頗為流行，只要不過分傷人。
僱主應該切記獎金不是禮品。那是整個酬金補償的一部分，絕不應被稱為或被認為是一種禮物。除了特殊的`辦公室習俗，同事間的禮物交換同朋友間的禮物交換是一樣的。
註釋：
ive n.擁擠吵鬧的地方（或場面）
ection n.募集的錢，募捐
nt vt.對…表示忿恨，怨恨
pient n.接受者，收受者
s n.支配，掌管
hehook[口]擺脫責任，脫離困境
ymously adv.匿名地，無名地
uitous adj.無所不在的，普通存在的
ise n.[～s]事務所，辦公室
ued adj.減弱的，低調的
e vt.使合為一體
lge vi.（與in連用）讓自己高興一下
st adj.樸實無華的
sh adj.慷慨的，大方的
orate adj.精製的
bag[美]摸彩袋
rsonal adj.一般的
ssory n.[復]裝飾品
s n.獎金
bursement n.（費用的）償還，補償