Holiday and Christmas Gifts for Coworkers

Gifts for your coworkers are probably the last thing on your mind when shopping for holiday presents.  However, if you plan carefully in advance, you can avoid a frantic search for a present at the last minute.  Whether your office is having a formal Christmas party with gift exchange, or employees are left to their own devices in gift giving, this article will show you tips for buying appropriate and affordable holiday presents.

To whom should you give presents in your office? Unless your workplace is doing a Secret Santa type of gift exchange, the lines can be blurry as to who deserves a gift, who expects one, and who can be left off the list.

As a general rule, you should buy a present for your direct superior, the top dog in the office, and anyone who gave you a gift last year. Depending on the people you interact with frequently, you can also put the secretary, IT guy, and close collegues on the list. Here's another rule: if almost everyone buys the secretary a Christmas/Hanukkah/Holiday present, then you should too. Also, if you work in a very small office, you should give gifts to either none of your equals, or all of them. Imagine if you gave gifts to 3 of your peers, and ignored the other 2 peers; things could be awkward.

For managers and supervisors, the most tactful policy is to give a gift to everyone you directly oversee. That way, no hard feeling will arise from playing favorites.

Office gifts need not be expensive or deeply personal, but they should be thoughtful. You want your coworker recipients to feel like you spent more than 10 seconds on deciding what to get them. To generate ideas, take note of their habits around the office. For example, if one of your colleagues is always in the kitchen or break room having a snack or beverage, you can get him or her a food gift or a kitchen gadget. Someone who is always fiddling with the thermostat might like some warm gloves or slippers. Know someone who always reads a book during lunch? Get him a bookstore gift certificate. Office supplies are an acceptable present so long as the items are not something one could easily grab from the supply closet!

The only case when it's acceptable to get everyone the same gift is if you are buying presents for the whole office. For example, you could buy a party tray, cake, or other food gift. You could give personalized coffee mugs or pens to everyone.

If you want to keep your job, avoid the very obviously bad gifts.  For examples, see 7 Truly Horrible Gifts for People You Don't Like.

Set a limit of $15 or $10 per person for office holiday presents. Buying a gift that is too expensive can make the other person feel awkward, especially if he or she forgot to give you a gift, or bought you a cheap gift. Setting a strict limit also helps you budget for the important people in your life: family and real friends. If you shop early, you can easily find tasteful gifts that are less than $15. Look for bargains online and during your regular shopping.  Gift cards are another way to save money.  Some retailers will give you a discount if you buy several during the holiday season.