What kinds of Christmas gifts do you buy when you're buying for the whole office?
December 15, 2011 2:23 PM Subscribe
What kind of Christmas gifts do you get for co-workers, when you're cheap and have a bunch of them to give to?
I started this job last November and was kind of surprised to find that pretty much all of my co-workers (there are like 8 or 9 of us, all women except one) gave out small gifts to all colleagues. Who does this?! It was too late for me last year and I'm wasting a lot of time this year worrying about what to get people. I don't bake well and don't want to spend much more than a few bucks per person. I like all these people but wouldn't really consider any "friends". Is a small bottle of fancy lotion okay (I'm cheap and can get a great deal on these)? Any other ideas? Have you gotten something small that you liked a lot from a colleague? (For comparison's sake, last year I got a homemade Christmas ornament from my crafty colleague, 2 bags of fancy nuts from my rich colleagues, and a cookie mix that I later spotted at Wal-Mart from my colleage who defies adjectivity.)
Thanks!
I started this job last November and was kind of surprised to find that pretty much all of my co-workers (there are like 8 or 9 of us, all women except one) gave out small gifts to all colleagues. Who does this?! It was too late for me last year and I'm wasting a lot of time this year worrying about what to get people. I don't bake well and don't want to spend much more than a few bucks per person. I like all these people but wouldn't really consider any "friends". Is a small bottle of fancy lotion okay (I'm cheap and can get a great deal on these)? Any other ideas? Have you gotten something small that you liked a lot from a colleague? (For comparison's sake, last year I got a homemade Christmas ornament from my crafty colleague, 2 bags of fancy nuts from my rich colleagues, and a cookie mix that I later spotted at Wal-Mart from my colleage who defies adjectivity.)
Thanks!
Along those lines, you could go for a Gift in a Jar. They make you look craftier than you really are and are pretty inexpensive if you make them for a number of people.
posted by FakePalindrome at 2:30 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by FakePalindrome at 2:30 PM on December 15, 2011
Lotion is fine, if that's what you have access to - go for it! I was thrilled when my colleagues moved to saying they'd made a donation in our group's name, but I also appreciated/previously gave a cute fancy chocolate to each person.
posted by ldthomps at 2:30 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by ldthomps at 2:30 PM on December 15, 2011
Do you have Cost Plus or Trader Joe's near you? Get a small, fancy package of chocolates or other treats, stick a bow on top.
posted by Glinn at 2:31 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by Glinn at 2:31 PM on December 15, 2011
You can buy a nice candle for under $5. I think a small bottle of fancy lotion would be very nice, actually. Silly Christmas socks, a tin of hard candy, boxes of flavored teas, a beautifully-wrapped soap. Basically.....nice stocking stuffers. If you want to make something and you're not crafty, a hand-selected CD of Christmas music might be nice.
posted by iconomy at 2:32 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by iconomy at 2:32 PM on December 15, 2011
If no one else gave lotion last year, I would go for it. (Probably, people tend to give the same sort of gifts each year, so someone might have already staked their claim as the Lotion Guy.) I keep lotion at my desk at work and use it all the time; I'd love a new bottle of something fancy. And it's a nice break from the seemingly endless snacks at this time of year.
posted by kate blank at 2:44 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by kate blank at 2:44 PM on December 15, 2011
I wouldn't mind lotion, but I'd really love a fun lip balm. And I adore nice bar soaps in pretty wrappers.
And speaking as a co-worker that receives gifts, our school's office admin. gives everyone a bag of this kind of caramel corn that's like crack. I look forward to it every year, and eat the whole bag all by myself while I watch a movie and wrap gifts. One parent gives each staff member a little box of some cookie or candy, and it's always interesting because, well, they're Asian (the family and the sweets) so it's something that's usually either cute or beautifully packaged and nothing I'd ever buy for myself.
I have also received little notebooks. (This company is popular here - she's a local mom and I love her stuff.)
Sometimes you have mug people, sometimes you don't - but I like getting mugs (there are cheaper ones out there - but these are two I liked - there are others I've since jettisoned), and I don't care if there's anything in them.
On that note, I've also received and very much like interesting teas.
I often give little plants - mini African Violets, a tiny cactus - something cheerful, if I can find them - in plain little white pots. I use my own paper wrap and pretty ribbon around them rather than the store's.
This year, I've seen some really lovely sparkling non-alcoholic drinks around in cute little bottles - I was thinking about giving those, with crazy straws - that's iffier though.
The trick, unless you've got one awesome thing that everyone will love (like that crack popcorn) is always finding slightly different (but relatively equal) items that look personally chosen for each recipient. So if you do lotion, a slightly different one for each person is just a bit nicer. If you do the same lotion, personalize the wrapping.
posted by peagood at 2:56 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
And speaking as a co-worker that receives gifts, our school's office admin. gives everyone a bag of this kind of caramel corn that's like crack. I look forward to it every year, and eat the whole bag all by myself while I watch a movie and wrap gifts. One parent gives each staff member a little box of some cookie or candy, and it's always interesting because, well, they're Asian (the family and the sweets) so it's something that's usually either cute or beautifully packaged and nothing I'd ever buy for myself.
I have also received little notebooks. (This company is popular here - she's a local mom and I love her stuff.)
Sometimes you have mug people, sometimes you don't - but I like getting mugs (there are cheaper ones out there - but these are two I liked - there are others I've since jettisoned), and I don't care if there's anything in them.
On that note, I've also received and very much like interesting teas.
I often give little plants - mini African Violets, a tiny cactus - something cheerful, if I can find them - in plain little white pots. I use my own paper wrap and pretty ribbon around them rather than the store's.
This year, I've seen some really lovely sparkling non-alcoholic drinks around in cute little bottles - I was thinking about giving those, with crazy straws - that's iffier though.
The trick, unless you've got one awesome thing that everyone will love (like that crack popcorn) is always finding slightly different (but relatively equal) items that look personally chosen for each recipient. So if you do lotion, a slightly different one for each person is just a bit nicer. If you do the same lotion, personalize the wrapping.
posted by peagood at 2:56 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
I second Trader Joe's. There are lots of chocolates and holiday cookies. They also have great little tapenades that you can put a bow on. There are chocolate covered espresso beans too. So many choices there.
Or Honey, everyone likes honey!
I also purchased a giant bag of M&Ms (from Costco) and then put them in little jars with a bow for a bunch of people one year.
Tea is also good.
Ornaments can be fun.
Try Retrevo.com for some cool stuff. They have a pack of 24 individually packaged headbuds for $19.99. There were also 24 for $24.99 and it is free shipping. No matter how you slice it, it is about $1 each so not a bad price!
Scratch off lottery tickets are always fun.
I went to a dollar store and gave everyone a Coca Cola mug each. They cost me $1 each!
You can actually find lots of silly and fun things at the dollar stores. Chapsticks, socks, knit gloves, scarves...you get the idea.
Happy Holidays!
posted by Yellow at 3:05 PM on December 15, 2011
Or Honey, everyone likes honey!
I also purchased a giant bag of M&Ms (from Costco) and then put them in little jars with a bow for a bunch of people one year.
Tea is also good.
Ornaments can be fun.
Try Retrevo.com for some cool stuff. They have a pack of 24 individually packaged headbuds for $19.99. There were also 24 for $24.99 and it is free shipping. No matter how you slice it, it is about $1 each so not a bad price!
Scratch off lottery tickets are always fun.
I went to a dollar store and gave everyone a Coca Cola mug each. They cost me $1 each!
You can actually find lots of silly and fun things at the dollar stores. Chapsticks, socks, knit gloves, scarves...you get the idea.
Happy Holidays!
posted by Yellow at 3:05 PM on December 15, 2011
The best office gift I ever got was a pair of warm fuzzy socks. I think they were from Target, but they were great. I still use those.
I like to can, so I always make little 4 oz jars of homemade jam or fruit butter in a couple of different flavors to hand out, and those go over well.
posted by danielle the bee at 3:14 PM on December 15, 2011
I like to can, so I always make little 4 oz jars of homemade jam or fruit butter in a couple of different flavors to hand out, and those go over well.
posted by danielle the bee at 3:14 PM on December 15, 2011
Last year my local dollar store had quite lovely fluted ice cream sundae dishes for a buck each. I packaged them up with some chocolate sauce and sprinkles and called them "ice cream sundae kits" - total cost was under $5 per kit, and they were the top item at all four yankee swap events we were forced to go to.
Seriously, your local dollar store can be full of surprises.
posted by anastasiav at 3:38 PM on December 15, 2011
Seriously, your local dollar store can be full of surprises.
posted by anastasiav at 3:38 PM on December 15, 2011
Do you have a Dollar Tree store nearby? As in everything is a dollar? I picked up some novelty chocolate bars that are wrapped like a million dollar bill, reminder magnet pads, and some inspiration books there. I then decided as I was making Christmas cards who to give what. Truly, it is the thought that counts.
posted by sandyp at 3:45 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sandyp at 3:45 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
The cheapest gift is a one dollar scratch off lottery ticket inside a handmade card.
posted by cda at 3:56 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cda at 3:56 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the ideas, everybody! I think I might claim the title of Lotion Gal and give the dude some fancy chocolate from Trader Joe's. I'm trying to be cheap but not necessarily Dollar Tree cheap (even though I am mildly obsessed with Dollar Tree and asked my mom for a gift card from there for Christmas).
I'm open to more ideas if anyone has them! (And danielle the bee, you reminded me that I once got fuzzy socks from a boss and am still wearing them too! I think I will splurge and give all the women a pair of those as well.)
posted by jabes at 4:15 PM on December 15, 2011
I'm open to more ideas if anyone has them! (And danielle the bee, you reminded me that I once got fuzzy socks from a boss and am still wearing them too! I think I will splurge and give all the women a pair of those as well.)
posted by jabes at 4:15 PM on December 15, 2011
I might make these white chocolate peppermint pretzels! But maybe with dark chocolate. Looks super easy!
posted by sucre at 4:38 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by sucre at 4:38 PM on December 15, 2011
I hate to give away my secret, but Pier 1 can be a surprisingly good place for this sort of thing. I got these reusable grocery bags there a couple years ago and people still talk about how much they use them. The year before I got little spoon rests which also seemed to go over well.
posted by ephemerista at 4:49 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ephemerista at 4:49 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Dollar Tree had head massagers that I saw people mentioning on mefi earlier so I had to buy it. They were in a clear plastic tube in the hair section so I wasn't sure what it was at first. I thought it felt really odd though, like a cross between tingles and spiders.
A few days, I met up with a friend for lunch and brought it to show off the weirdness. He loved it so much I told him to keep it as a Christmas present. I'm really tempted to buy a bunch for the next movie night and hand them out so I can see everybody try it.
(what it looks like)
http://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-AR18-A-Scalp-Massager/dp/B003YZ3BTU/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1323995793&sr=8-11
posted by stray thoughts at 4:51 PM on December 15, 2011
A few days, I met up with a friend for lunch and brought it to show off the weirdness. He loved it so much I told him to keep it as a Christmas present. I'm really tempted to buy a bunch for the next movie night and hand them out so I can see everybody try it.
(what it looks like)
http://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-AR18-A-Scalp-Massager/dp/B003YZ3BTU/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1323995793&sr=8-11
posted by stray thoughts at 4:51 PM on December 15, 2011
I believe I saw fuzzy socks at Walgreens, 2 for $3. Not sure if they'd hold up but they were definitely sufficiently fuzzy.
posted by Glinn at 4:55 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by Glinn at 4:55 PM on December 15, 2011
Everyone in the world needs a head massager like the one stray thoughts linked to. Fact.
posted by MadamM at 6:06 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by MadamM at 6:06 PM on December 15, 2011
I give something small to my team of ~50 each year. The past couple of years I have done a card with a scratch lottery ticket and a card with one of those single-serve cappuchino or mocha sachets. Both went over extremely well and were very cheap. With a smaller group, you may be prepared to up the ante a bit (eg $2 scratchie or a cappuchino and a mocha sachet).
posted by dg at 6:14 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by dg at 6:14 PM on December 15, 2011
There also some nice truffles and such at Whole Foods at $3.50 a box right now.
posted by maryr at 8:03 PM on December 15, 2011
posted by maryr at 8:03 PM on December 15, 2011
I just found out that my mom's coworker puts high quality hand soap & lotion in the company bathrooms during Christmas so no one has to use the cheap foaming soap. I thought that was a nice (yet inexpensive) company gift.
posted by castlebravo at 9:01 AM on December 16, 2011
posted by castlebravo at 9:01 AM on December 16, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by michaelh at 2:25 PM on December 15, 2011 [1 favorite]