If I gave her a plant I'd just have to water it myself.
October 11, 2010 9:24 AM   Subscribe

What do I get my boss for Boss's Day?

Yes, I know it's a greeting card company holiday and yes I know Emily Post says that you shouldn't get your boss a gift unless it's from a group. But I really like my boss and lately she has been even more supportive than usual, so I'd like to show my appreciation.

I don't really know much about her hobbies, beyond the fact that she likes golf. She's in her early 50s but seems younger. She's also well off, and I am broke, so I'm looking for something like a heartfelt token.

Previous gifts I have given her: A scarf I knitted (which she wears often), a picture frame with a photo of her sons in it, baked goods.

I wish I had time to make her something, but I'm swamped in handicrafts already. So does anyone have any ideas for an inexpensive, yet thoughtful gift?

No plants!
posted by elsietheeel to Shopping (12 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: If you bake, bake a cake. That way, you can bring it in and have some celebratory cake-eating in your boss' honor, because she's such a great boss. That way, she'll know you appreciate her, your coworkers can appreciate her, and you can avoid the awkwardness of gifting something to your superior.

Or an arrangement of cut flowers (not a plant) because they prettify the office. I think what you want to go for here is drawing attention to your boss for being awesome.

But I would go with cake. (I like cake.)
posted by phunniemee at 9:30 AM on October 11, 2010 [1 favorite]


Get her a session to at the local driving range. Golfers always need to practice.
posted by lorebella at 9:32 AM on October 11, 2010


You can always get away with something cheaper if it's more fitted to her needs. And a combination of a couple of things is always good -- a funny magnet or a little edible treat can both add to and diffuse the seriousness of a heartfelt note without taking away from the sentiment behind it.

A couple Christmases ago I got my boss one of these with a heartfelt card and a small box of fancy local truffles. I knew she went to the gym after work every day, and was always poking me like a mom to drink more water, so I thought it would be nice.
posted by Madamina at 9:39 AM on October 11, 2010


I would go non-traditional and edible and make her amusing custom M&Ms. Everyone likes M&Ms!
posted by DarlingBri at 10:13 AM on October 11, 2010


Get her a gift certificate to the local spa (massage and manicure)or(manicure an pedicure). After working with 100 other teachers for 30 years - I never saw a woman dissapointed because she received this gft
posted by pamspanda at 10:38 AM on October 11, 2010


Response by poster: Folks, I think your definition of broke is different than mine. I'm not going to go without gas in my car or food in my stomach over this.

But I should have specified at the start - $20 or less, please.

phunniemee, I was already going to bring in a cake for all of the bosses (I do occasional admin work for a couple of the other managers) but the flowers thing is nice. I think I might have done that the year before last, but eh. It's better than just a card. And I used to work at a florist, so I can do it myself on the cheap. Thanks!
posted by elsietheeel at 11:19 AM on October 11, 2010


Best answer: Hand written thank you note. As a boss, let me tell you, these mean a hell of a lot more than any token gift.
posted by bfranklin at 11:59 AM on October 11, 2010


I agree that a thank you note would be very appropriate and quite nice.

If you want a traditional gift, how about a handmade wooden pen?
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:07 PM on October 11, 2010


Best answer: As a boss, the whole idea of this makes me cringe. Nthing the handwritten note idea - I definitely want to know when I'm doing something that makes valued employees *feel* valued.
posted by mozhet at 12:24 PM on October 11, 2010


Response by poster: Interesting. Thanks for the input, bosses. I think I'll go with the handwritten note and a cake for the office, and save the flowers for her birthday (which is in three weeks).
posted by elsietheeel at 12:34 PM on October 11, 2010


For former bosses when I'm just stopping through town and might or might not catch them, I've gone note + bottle of wine. For my current boss, I'd be weirded out by gifting him something (but might take him out for a beer).

I'm actually leaving my current company this week, so I might grandfather Current Boss into the "former boss" category and leave him a small gift upon my departure - he'll be out of town for my last day, and it's been a good 2 years.

But nthing the No Specific Boss Day Gifts thing. The cake sounds ok though.
posted by deludingmyself at 3:07 PM on October 11, 2010


Response by poster: Well I'm glad I didn't bring her flowers! She took the day off at the last minute.
posted by elsietheeel at 8:17 AM on October 15, 2010


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