Holiday gifts for advisor... what's a grad student to do?

[bon to the jour]

So the gift-giving season is upon us --- does anyone get a gift for their advisor? I have no clue whether I should or not, so I was looking to hear what you guys usually do. I was thinking of just baking some cookies, but again, I don't know the etiquette around these situations...

[robot_hamster]

Cookies sound nice.

[mudlark]

I've only given gifts to my supervisor at the very end of a degree, post defense, as a thank you for all their support and help. Christmas gifts sound sweet, but are definitely not necessary or even usual!

[lewin]

Maybe traditions are different in your department, but I wouldn't get your advisor anything. I got mine a bottle of wine after my MA defence and once after he wrote a bunch of reference letters for me.

I follow the same rule as any other workplace: Subordinates shouldn't buy their bosses gifts.

[fuzzylogician]

I am not going to give my advisor (actually, the three professors who I meet on a regular basis, because I don't really have just one advisor) anything. I think it would be weird and out of place in the culture in my department.

[aginath]

By nature, I love to play in the kitchen and I love to give. Around the holidays, I combine these two loves together. This year, I made up what's called "Cowboy Candy," which is nothing more than a large jar of pickled jalapenos that have been infused with sugar for a week or two before canning. I gave half pint jars of Cowboy Candy to each of the staff members in my department and each of the faculty members in my program. Each jar was tied with a bow and had a label with a serving suggestion (cream cheese & crackers).

Before coming back to grad school, I would do a variation on this by giving cookie or soup mix in a jar with instructions to my co-workers, colleagues, and supervisor.

[geochic]

I was planning on baking cookies and putting them in little tins for the faculty in the dept. Big Lots or dollar stores have holiday tins and bags super cheap. I figure it is an easy and little thing to do. I'm crocheting scarfs for my fellow grads since there are only 7 of us and I can whip up a scarf in a few hours. It's just how I operate even if it's not the norm. In my last dept it was difficult because it was so big but I tried to do baked goods for special events and candies for exams or presentations for everybody. It's kind of nice that I can personalize things a bit more this year. So I say if you feel like it's appropriate cookies and such are always a hit!

[robot_hamster]

Maybe traditions are different in your department, but I wouldn't get your advisor anything. I got mine a bottle of wine after my MA defence and once after he wrote a bunch of reference letters for me.

I follow the same rule as any other workplace: Subordinates shouldn't buy their bosses gifts.

We always get our boss a gift for Christmas where I work.

[StrangeLight]

my advisor's having me over for dinner with her three crazy/adorable children around the holidays and then we're gonna discuss the latest draft of my thesis (ugh). so i figured i'd bake cookies for the kids, but that's all i'm really doing.

[lewin]

We always get our boss a gift for Christmas where I work.

I mean, places might vary so I don't want to judge your individual situation, but it can be fraught with trouble.

This is getting off topic now, but work is supposed be work, and it gets weird when social aspects are mixed into the workplace. Employees--who presumably make less money--may not want spend on somebody who makes much more than they do. But they are pressured to do so because of the boss-employee power imbalance. What if Jane gives a present but Bob doesn't, then Jane gets that February promotion? This creates a coercive situation.

If any presents are given it should be FROM the boss TO the employees. And this present should be in the form of a cheque.

Grad school is ambiguous because your advisor is kind of a boss, yet kind of not.

[robot_hamster]

I mean, places might vary so I don't want to judge your individual situation, but it can be fraught with trouble.

This is getting off topic now, but work is supposed be work, and it gets weird when social aspects are mixed into the workplace. Employees--who presumably make less money--may not want spend on somebody who makes much more than they do. But they are pressured to do so because of the boss-employee power imbalance. What if Jane gives a present but Bob doesn't, then Jane gets that February promotion? This creates a coercive situation.

If any presents are given it should be FROM the boss TO the employees. And this present should be in the form of a cheque.

Grad school is ambiguous because your advisor is kind of a boss, yet kind of not.

Everyone in our area pitches in to get her something every year, it's not anything expensive. If you don't want to pitch in, then your name doesn't go on the card. I have worked there for 10 years and this is just what we have always done. We appreciate everything our boss does for us so we want to do something nice. People in the other areas do similar things for their managers as well. I don't think I would be upset if someone got promoted, but I guess that is just me. Then again, I don't think I would want my boss's job! Haha!

I suppose if it was an individual getting their employer something it would be a little more weird and that would include an adviser. But I would feel comfortable bringing something that I made that perhaps my adviser could share with others. That's why I said cookies would be nice. You can't go wrong with food! And it is more of a gesture than an actual gift so you don't have to worry about getting too personal.

Edited December 17, 2010 by robot_hamster