A dieting co-worker's birthday came along and three of 30 other workers pooled our money and bought a nice meat and veggie platter. Dieting co-worker was thrilled. Others filled their plates while complaining that someone should have bought a cake. It didn't matter that birthday co-worker didn't want cake, she wanted cake and that was all that mattered. Of course that was the last time I made the effort for birthdays so complaining co-worker didn't get a cake on her birthday either. If I do something nice and get bitched at because it wasn't perfect, I won't risk doing it again.