It’s not uncommon for employees to receive gifts from their employers around the holidays. Sometimes, these can take the form of a sizable holiday bonus. Other times, a boss may opt to give their employees a small gift as a thank you for the work they’ve done over the course of the year.
While some of these gifts can be lackluster, others can be simply confusing, as TikToker and art teacher @lil.yambs learned in a video that currently has over 15,000 views on TikTok.
In the video, @lil.yambs expresses dismay before showing off her present: a COVID rapid test.
“I’m confused. Is this a joke?” she asks. “I got my Christmas present from the school. It’s literally a COVID rapid test.”
@lil.yambs Am i a brat? Lol #teachersareunderpaid #teachersoftiktok #teachertiktok ♬ original sound – lil yambs
As some commenters pointed out, COVID rapid tests are now free for Americans. One must simply enter their information on the U.S. Government’s website, at which point they will be sent up to four free rapid tests per household.
Furthermore, schools have been receiving many free rapid tests since January of this year. At the time, the Biden administration announced it would be distributing 500 million rapid tests to schools around the nation while setting up infrastructure to allow additional tests to be distributed monthly, per the Wall Street Journal.
Some commenters alleged they received the same present from their workplace.
“The district I work for gave us Covid tests last Xmas too. This year..nothing,” wrote a user. “I don’t know which is worse.”
“We got COVID tests also. Nothing else and not wrapped,” claimed another.
“We also got covid tests and my boss’ wife baked us cookies that I’m allergic to,” shared a third.
Additional users took the video as an opportunity to share the less-than-great presents they received from their places of work.
“I got an unpopped bag of microwave popcorn for teacher appreciation that said, ‘just popping in to say thanks for all you do,’” recalled a user.
“We got a rock with googly eyes glued on it,” recounted a second. “To make it even better, a kid stole it off my desk the next day.”
“As a back to school gift one year, they gave us half dead grass. Like literal grass in a plastic planter. Told us to remember ‘the grass is greener where you water it!’” said a further TikToker.
Above all, TikTokers wanted @lil.yambs to know that her work is appreciated, no matter what her school does to show it.
“So awful. I cannot believe they took the time to make someone wrap those. You all deserve better,” summarized one user.
The Daily Dot reached out to @lil.yambs via TikTok comment.
