Allergic to Cheer

Christmas was just around the corner, and the head of the company asked us to choose between a bonus and a Christmas gift box for chocolate. I was not much of a sweets person, so I was the first to vote for the bonus.

The intern collecting the votes immediately called me out by name in the team chat.

"Ella, Christmas is supposed to be about the holiday spirit. Isn't choosing the bonus a bit materialistic?"

Even the department manager tagged me.

"Ella, the company values team spirit more than anything."

In the end, everyone else picked the gift boxes. I was the only one who did not.

When the Christmas party arrived, the intern had bought gift boxes filled entirely with nut chocolate.

She knew I was allergic to nuts, yet she forced me to try some in front of everyone to show my team spirit.

"Ella, this was bought with everyone's bonus money. You cannot just refuse, can you?"

The next moment, I was struggling to breathe and a rash spread across my body.

The intern looked at me with pure disgust.

"Seriously, Ella, do you have to ruin the mood when everyone else is having fun?"

I frantically searched my bag for my allergy medicine, but all I could find were a few pieces of chocolate.

Seeing me in such a state, the intern laughed.

"Medicine is only one part of it. You need more sweets anyway. I swapped your medicine for the chocolate in the gift box."

My breathing was getting worse by the second. I quickly grabbed my phone and texted the CEO.

[Dad, I'm having an allergic reaction. I'm at the…]

A couple of days before Christmas, our department head surprised us in the work chat with a holiday reward.

Then came the follow-up message.

[Team, you've all been amazing! With Christmas right around the corner, the company wants to show its gratitude with two special gifts.

[Choose between an $800-holiday bonus or an exclusive company-branded Christmas gift box for chocolate.

[Vote within the department. The majority rules, and the department head will report our decision.]

The chat went wild.

[Wow, our team lead is the best! Totally in love with this!]

[That Christmas gift box sounds so luxe! I'm all for the gift box!]

[Come on, who wouldn't want the $800? Think of all the stuff you could get!]

I stared at my phone and did not think twice before voting for the cash.

I could not help but think, who in their right mind would skip the cash for some company swag?

However, no sooner had I cast my vote than Yvette Sullivan, the intern tallying the votes, pinged me in the group.

[Ella, looks like you're the lone wolf who went for the cash. Might you have voted by mistake?]

I scrunched my eyebrows, but before I could type a response, she sent another message.

[Isn't Christmas all about the vibe? The company's gift box is meant to be a heartfelt token. Going straight for the cash, doesn't that seem a tad materialistic?]

The lively banter in the chat came to an abrupt halt, and the mood shifted subtly.

I inhaled deeply and responded, [I just voted based on what I personally need, that's all.]

Right after my message went out, Keith Johnson, our department head, joined the conversation, tagging me.

[Ella, Yvette's making sense here.]

[We youngsters should look at the bigger picture, not just the quick buck.]

[The company was all about team spirit and sticking together, and that fancy gift box? It was like the department's collective face.]

Keith had a way of steering the crowd. Once he chimed in, the whole mood shifted. Those who had been hollering for cash bonuses did an about-face.

[Mr. Johnson's got a point! I was thinking too small!]

[All for the gift box! Nothing beats team spirit!]

[Yvette is such a gem, always keeping us on track with the team vibe!]

Right on cue, Yvette dropped a cutesy emoji in the chat.

[Thanks for the praise, but really, I just believe we've got to stick together. Can't let personal choices mess with our department's groove.]

Watching the back-and-forth in the chat, with everyone rallying behind the gift box, I felt queasy.

I was the one who had dared to vote for what we all truly wanted, and I suddenly became the bad guy, labeled as selfish and short-sighted.

The vote was a foregone conclusion. Everyone but me went for the gift box.

Keith was all smiles in the chat. [Excellent, this shows our department's rock-solid unity!]

[I've sent off the results, so get pumped for the company's Christmas gift box!]

The chat lit up with cheers and a parade of brown-nosing: Keith was a genius, the department unbeatable.

Yvette even slid into my DMs with a smiley face. [Ella, don't be mad, okay? I'm just thinking of the team.]

I forced a smile, left her on 'Read', and shut the chat. I had had enough.