One of the best BOFH's in ages. Loved this:

"Probably. Instead of sending the Christmas contraband to the people who've done the design, specification, evaluation, and acceptance of vendors proposals, they'll give the cakes, booze, toys, and trinkets to some person in middle management whose sole contribution has been to add a signature to a piece of paper that they didn't understand."

Does it get any more accurate that this? :-D

That's the BOFH I know.

I'm making a few notes for Christmas this year..

This is by far one of the best episodes ever. It is going to probably get me into a lot of trouble this season.

Great job!!!!!

Laxatives, redirecting Christmas gifts, collapsing chairs AND stuck lifts - tis the season!

I always worry about my vital parts when i sit on these. And now, obviously, it seems i have good reason to be worried. Brilliance!

Actually, just never trust BOFHs. You never know what he's doing to you, except that if you're an idiot, it will hurt. :)

Evidently the BOFH is following the trend of an early christmas start...perhaps more time to plan the downfalls...still the PFY seems to be suprisingly green after last year's episode!

Best BOFH in a long time, well done.

Yep, confirms my suspicion that Simon is still on stop of his game!

I have to say that as far as vendors go, this is about the most truthful description you can get, and bearing in mind that the people at the "coal-face" who DO the work never get the appreciation they richly deserve...

Now then, where is that stack of "re-usable" card and tippix?

Only kidding, NEVER send out a "used" card, it sets a bad precedent!

Have a great weekend people!!

And remember, "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy EVERY minute of it!!!"

Love the chocolate topping. We have a christmas card that is stuck on our wall. We just cross out Christmas in Happy Christmas and substitute our own holiday season. A perpetual celebration card for want of a better term!

Great stuff Simon!

Indeed one of the best episodes in a looooooooooooooong time! Makes me wanna stay on the good side of the BofH

Ah, classic BOFH. Very valid insight, followed by cruelty and revenge. Love it!

Last episode and this one reminded me of good old BOFH. Welcome back, Simon, whatever the distraction was (and it lasted for years!), it seems it is no more.

If the gifts started going to those who did the hard work, the management would soon put into place a gifts policy to prevent them from accepting gifts worth more than a quid. Although I did get a nice wireless mouse a couple of months ago...

Dave,

How about, for the man who has Virtually Everything under Control .... a nice wireless mouse? Drag and Drop Control.

...believe in Santa Claus and expects presents for being good (which they simply aren't going to get because Simon has hacked into their database in the north pole and changed everyone else to naughty and listed all the toys to aliases with addresses at his residence). Bravo, another great episode!

@Stuart johnson

Maybe Simon also took the liberty to make sure the PFY doesn't remember last Christmas' incident while brainwashing him after the Archimedes incident?

Well done.

Factually accurate. Christmas gifts and largess end up with the wrong people.

I wish I had a "modified" one like the director got. Mine was stolen last night (the fifth time in as many years that something of mine was stolen). Too bad the little *** won't be in agony.

Let this be a lesson: never bring anything with you when visiting South Africa.

the dozens of extra printer calls. The setting up of high end color units so a PA can print out christmas cards. The repeated jams and broken parts from someone trying to use a metallic cardstock, or someone trying to get creative with the wrong type of transparency plastic. The Priority One emergency calls where you're pulling out parts of Christmas cards from the fusers and paper path while the perp denies it to his last breath while you drop off the accordioned and shredded evidence to her boss....who is now glad he can print *his* christmas card list.

All with company consumables, company parts, and company time to keep them running.

And this doesn't count the requests and problems dealing with image scanners, Photoshop and graphic design programs, downloaded doc templates containing malignant code, email errors with attachments (home designed christmas cards) that aren't getting past the email filters, or aren't in a format that our systems can open (incorrectly saved originally before attachment, but no one will ever admit it), and the ever hateful Animated E-Cards.

I sincerely hope the BOfH goes after *users* about this annual blight next! :)