Here’s what happened. An employee spent four years secretly sabotaging their office gift exchange sabotage plan with increasingly inappropriate anonymous gifts. Meanwhile, they also contributed normal gifts under their own name to avoid suspicion.

Office Gift Exchange Sabotage: The Backstory

The employee worked at a company with mandatory white elephant gift exchanges. However, participation was technically optional but heavily encouraged as team building. Therefore, opting out wasn’t really possible without consequences.

Each year, their team combined with two other groups for the exchange. As a result, the group was large enough for anonymous gift contributions. Moreover, this gave the employee the perfect cover for their revenge plan.

The Office Gift Exchange Sabotage Incident

In 2021, the employee started small. They put a potato inside an iPhone box and shrink-wrapped it. Furthermore, they continued contributing normal gifts under their own name.

However, 2022 escalated quickly. The employee anonymously added a used Bible, toy American flag, and MAGA hat found in a parking lot. Consequently, HR sent an office-wide email about workplace politics the next day.

Nevertheless, 2023 went even further. The sabotage included toy handcuffs, a cheap eye mask, and a modified cat toy resembling adult items. As a result, HR sent another company-wide warning email.

Finally, 2024’s contributions included Robitussin, Night Train wine, and a National Enquirer magazine. In addition, the employee planned cigarettes and fake eyelashes for the upcoming exchange.

What Reddit Said

Most people found the escalating sabotage hilarious and wanted updates. However, some worried about potential consequences if the employee got caught by management.

Meanwhile, other commenters shared their own gift exchange horror stories. In fact, one person mentioned their “bad” gifts of spam and old candy became the most popular items.

Furthermore, several users suggested raiding office supply closets for truly terrible gifts. On the other hand, some questioned whether the revenge was worth potential job risks.

The Verdict

Overall verdict: the employee’s creative but risky workplace rebellion resonated with Reddit users. Although the sabotage was petty, most people understood the frustration with forced office gift exchange participation. This story highlights how mandatory “optional” workplace activities can backfire spectacularly. For more workplace drama, check out our work drama and revenge stories categories.

From r/pettyrevenge (1,862 upvotes)