DEAR PAM: With the holidays just around the corner, I am quickly reminded of how much I spend on gifts for office events such as birthdays, weddings, new babies, flowers for those retiring or in the hospital, and on and on. Now I must worry about the office holiday gift exchange. I am not alone. Quite frankly, many of us would like to forgo the tradition, but we “go along to get along.” Are there any tips that may help to make it more palatable?

-- Signed, All Gifted Out

DEAR GIFTED: It’s that magical time of year again -- the season when the break room smells faintly of peppermint mocha, and office-gift-exchange season begins.

While these exchanges are a popular way to celebrate the holiday season and foster camaraderie among colleagues -- as you indicated, it can also be a source of a

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