Scroogelike Xmas Gifts For Coworkers
December 20, 2012 2:34 PM   Subscribe

What's the most lastingly useful thing I can buy everybody in the office for for a maximum of five Australian dollars (and can get today)?

So a lot of Christmas cards have been landing on my work desk with chocolates and little scratchies inside them and I'm feeling guilty because I haven't got anything for anybody. I want to go out at lunchtime, to a dollar store or supermarket or department store, and get everybody something that they can keep in their bags or desks and which will come in handy for them now and in the future.

Difficulty level: I'm not going to go completely berserk so want to keep these handy things under five Australian dollars. Suggestions please!
posted by turgid dahlia 2 to Grab Bag (12 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
a decent pen.
posted by empath at 2:35 PM on December 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Pens are certainly on my List Of Potential Things and are an excellent suggestion but we already get pretty decent pens at work (gel G2s) which means we already have a lot of pretty decent pens in our bags, desks, cars, at home, etc...
posted by turgid dahlia 2 at 2:38 PM on December 20, 2012


Go to a toy store and get something dumb awesome like dinosaur finger puppets or something.

I have a parasaurolophus at my desk and I fiddle with it all the time. Even right now. Doot doot doot I am a parasaurolophus doot doot doot.
posted by phunniemee at 2:43 PM on December 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: Oh god I completely forgot about those, you're right they are excellent fun. Added to Epic List!
posted by turgid dahlia 2 at 2:46 PM on December 20, 2012


Annoying as hell, but nail clippers.
posted by ODiV at 2:56 PM on December 20, 2012


Glass nail file, if you can find somewhere that sells them. I can never get enough nail files, I'm always misplacing them and having one I keep in my desk would be great. Glass nail files are great, they last forever and are really gentle on your nails. You should be able to get them for $5 - $10
posted by missmagenta at 3:05 PM on December 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


I would love if someone gave me a foldable, reusable tote bag to keep in my desk. I'm sure you can get these for under five bucks in a department store.
posted by jabes at 3:06 PM on December 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


Magnets can be used at home or work
Cups or mugs are always handy
Luggage tags?
Calendars are always good - the weirder the better (e.g Guinea Pig Olympics is one I received recently...) and readily available at Dollar stores
posted by latch24 at 3:19 PM on December 20, 2012


One of those penlights that you can add to your keyring. "Lastingly" in this case will mean "until the battery dies", but that should be something like a year or more.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 5:18 PM on December 20, 2012


Big Issue Magazine (though is 6 Bucks now)

Why give cheap presents to people who don't need things, while you can help someone out instead.
posted by mattoxic at 6:03 PM on December 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Is there anywhere reputable I can go online and make a bunch of $5 charitable donations in people's names? As an extra bonus, somewhere where they could then choose their own preferred charity?
posted by turgid dahlia 2 at 6:33 PM on December 20, 2012


Response by poster: Made a stack of five dollar donations to the RSPCA. Dunno why I didn't think of that to begin with. Good ideas for the future though, thanks all for your help :-)
posted by turgid dahlia 2 at 7:12 PM on December 20, 2012


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