Non-gag leaving gifts
August 24, 2022 3:47 AM Subscribe
The head of my team is quitting for a better job elsewhere, and the team are discussing getting him a small gift but all the suggestions are stupid and jokey ones. Can you think of any good ideas (or methods of generating ideas) to get something nice?
The problem at heart is that gag-gifts are awful. They exist to be thrown away. They're generally not even funny. But also I don't know this guy personally all that well, since the team was created during the pandemic and we're mostly remote.
So in this situation where you want to buy something that is not wildly pricy, but also not awful, what do you do?
(Additional complication in this specific case, he's moving to a country where alcohol is illegal, so my general go to of a decent bottle of scotch is not gonna work)
The problem at heart is that gag-gifts are awful. They exist to be thrown away. They're generally not even funny. But also I don't know this guy personally all that well, since the team was created during the pandemic and we're mostly remote.
So in this situation where you want to buy something that is not wildly pricy, but also not awful, what do you do?
(Additional complication in this specific case, he's moving to a country where alcohol is illegal, so my general go to of a decent bottle of scotch is not gonna work)
I got a small collection for the leaving gift of a colleague that was renowned for chatting - we got him a waffle maker! He saw the gag AND was delighted with his new counter top gizmo. Don't let the fun get in the way - merriment is there if you look for it.
posted by jallypeeno at 4:00 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jallypeeno at 4:00 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
The best present that I have ever received when leaving somewhere was a little compass. You could get one on a keyring or something.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:14 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:14 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
I was going to suggest a gift card, but that might be problematic, too, given the whole "moving internationally" thing.
posted by stormyteal at 4:22 AM on August 24, 2022
posted by stormyteal at 4:22 AM on August 24, 2022
If he's moving someplace you can get an online shopping voucher for or get a voucher for a local place via online means, that might be generic enough while being thoughtful?
posted by cendawanita at 4:25 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by cendawanita at 4:25 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
As somebody who has moved internationally, I second Gotanda's comment that more stuff to move is a curse rather than a gift.
That said, if somebody wanted to give me something before an international move, the best present would have been a subscription to a local periodical, delivered to my new foreign address. That would have helped me adjust to my new culture; it would arrive at my new home, so I wouldn't have to move it; and it would be inherently disposable, so I wouldn't feel bad about recycling it when I was done. If there's a local equivalent of Consumer Reports or Which? Magazine, that would be great. If not, something like a local Time Out if that exists. And if not, even just a subscription to a local newspaper or magazine would be helpful and informative.
posted by yankeefog at 4:35 AM on August 24, 2022 [5 favorites]
That said, if somebody wanted to give me something before an international move, the best present would have been a subscription to a local periodical, delivered to my new foreign address. That would have helped me adjust to my new culture; it would arrive at my new home, so I wouldn't have to move it; and it would be inherently disposable, so I wouldn't feel bad about recycling it when I was done. If there's a local equivalent of Consumer Reports or Which? Magazine, that would be great. If not, something like a local Time Out if that exists. And if not, even just a subscription to a local newspaper or magazine would be helpful and informative.
posted by yankeefog at 4:35 AM on August 24, 2022 [5 favorites]
Cash. That’s what everyone wants, and it will be more appreciated than any token gift. This is what we do at my work.
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 4:56 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 4:56 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Yeah given the moving overseas thing, I would also say cash. You could even do a Visa/Mastercard gift card and that way he could buy what he needs with it. Just pitch it as something to help him out in the way he needs it to or else to buy himself a meal when he firsts arrives to his new place.
posted by urbanlenny at 5:30 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by urbanlenny at 5:30 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
If he's trying to move abroad, more stuff is going to be the bane of his existence. I just moved *across town* and by the time it was over I hated every piece of random crap I owned, I cannot imagine moving across the globe.
Actual things that might be useful:
1- UberEats or other takeout giftcards for use before he leaves the country, depending on how long he has. Making food while you're trying to pack and get rid of stuff is One More Thing. This can help.
2 - Just cash or a Visa/AMEX/Etc giftcard. Again, unless his moving package is remarkably amazing he will have expenses he did not plan for, some cash won't go amiss in any way at all.
posted by Medieval Maven at 5:33 AM on August 24, 2022
Actual things that might be useful:
1- UberEats or other takeout giftcards for use before he leaves the country, depending on how long he has. Making food while you're trying to pack and get rid of stuff is One More Thing. This can help.
2 - Just cash or a Visa/AMEX/Etc giftcard. Again, unless his moving package is remarkably amazing he will have expenses he did not plan for, some cash won't go amiss in any way at all.
posted by Medieval Maven at 5:33 AM on August 24, 2022
Cash in the person's future currency!
posted by nkknkk at 5:34 AM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by nkknkk at 5:34 AM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
Seconding plonkee: if he's moving to a country he's not familiar with, a guidebook, because people often don't think to get one for an actual relocation (as opposed to a holiday). Or a nature guide, if anyone knows him well enough to know whether that would be appreciated. And if he's moving back home *from* a country he was once unfamiliar with, a guidebook to his current city is something he might be pleased to leaf through nostalgically in the future. It captures the city as he knows it, whereas the web will always move on and present the city as it becomes.
I know, it's stuff, but a solitary book is neither heavy nor bulky. (It's only when they get together in herds that your problems really begin.)
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:54 AM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
I know, it's stuff, but a solitary book is neither heavy nor bulky. (It's only when they get together in herds that your problems really begin.)
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:54 AM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
As a manager, I would be really uncomfortable receiving cash from people who reported to me...
posted by sriracha at 5:59 AM on August 24, 2022 [20 favorites]
posted by sriracha at 5:59 AM on August 24, 2022 [20 favorites]
What about something small that won't take up much space, like a nice pen with an engraving from the team?
posted by jabes at 6:06 AM on August 24, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by jabes at 6:06 AM on August 24, 2022 [10 favorites]
3rding cash, in the currency of the place he's moving to, to give it a tinge of excitement.
posted by penguin pie at 6:10 AM on August 24, 2022
posted by penguin pie at 6:10 AM on August 24, 2022
How about a (small) art print of some kind by a local artist? Something city-themed is often easy to find, and a nice object for them to hang in their next office.
posted by veery at 6:29 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by veery at 6:29 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Seconding sriracha on cash being potentially problematic, unless it's a token amount -- I'm not sure what I'd do if my reports decided to gift me money, but it would be somewhere between "feeling very awkward" or "I need to inform HR just in case I've accidentally broken a rule".
Honestly if I were in your manager's place, the thing I would value most is a simple card or letter from y'all, with your (non-work) contact info (but only if you like the guy and actually want to stay in touch).
Or a care package of American goodies sent to wherever he's moving to, a month or so after the fact; things that might not be readily available where he's going.
posted by ook at 6:36 AM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Honestly if I were in your manager's place, the thing I would value most is a simple card or letter from y'all, with your (non-work) contact info (but only if you like the guy and actually want to stay in touch).
Or a care package of American goodies sent to wherever he's moving to, a month or so after the fact; things that might not be readily available where he's going.
posted by ook at 6:36 AM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
An antique postcard related to your type of business or location would take up almost no space. These are easy to find online. You can search eBay for antique or vintage postcard plus whatever, and there are other antique postcard stores online. For instance, when I searched "antique postcard computers" on eBay, I got this one.
There are also lots of frames for postcards online, and that would make it feel more like a gift.
I also really like veery's suggestion of art by a local artist.
(I would be very disturbed if my coworkers gave me cash.)
posted by FencingGal at 6:52 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
There are also lots of frames for postcards online, and that would make it feel more like a gift.
I also really like veery's suggestion of art by a local artist.
(I would be very disturbed if my coworkers gave me cash.)
posted by FencingGal at 6:52 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
As a manager, I would be really uncomfortable receiving cash from people who reported to me...
As a non-manager, I would be really uncomfortable giving some of my hard-earned money to someone who's likely already making a lot more than me.
Although, to be honest, I don't really see the need for going-away gifts. Nowhere I've ever worked has done that. All the places I've worked, the custom has been to take the person out to lunch on their last day. This is tricky if you're remote, but you can DoorDash/Grubhub/gift card him something fancy. Assuming that's not an option for some reason, I would think the best gift would be something to remember the people you're leaving, most obviously a photo of them. If you're remote, it might have to be a collage. But even that, in these days of Facebook memories, seems unnecessary to me.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:54 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
As a non-manager, I would be really uncomfortable giving some of my hard-earned money to someone who's likely already making a lot more than me.
Although, to be honest, I don't really see the need for going-away gifts. Nowhere I've ever worked has done that. All the places I've worked, the custom has been to take the person out to lunch on their last day. This is tricky if you're remote, but you can DoorDash/Grubhub/gift card him something fancy. Assuming that's not an option for some reason, I would think the best gift would be something to remember the people you're leaving, most obviously a photo of them. If you're remote, it might have to be a collage. But even that, in these days of Facebook memories, seems unnecessary to me.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:54 AM on August 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
How about an engraved business card holder? Or some other small, fancy-ish business item like the pen mentioned above, that would mesh well of the business culture of the place he is moving to?
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:34 AM on August 24, 2022
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:34 AM on August 24, 2022
Someone I know recently received a gift card to a plant shop in their new location as a leaving/moving gift. This was amazing for her because A. she was well known to enjoy plants and B. she wasn't able to move with very many of her old ones. I don't know if your boss is a plant guy, but something along those lines might be sweet.
That said, all I've ever given as going-away gifts to my management is a thoughtful card about the impact they've had on me. I think they've been appreciated. GroupGreeting or similar works well for a group card if you're remote.
posted by mosst at 7:41 AM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
That said, all I've ever given as going-away gifts to my management is a thoughtful card about the impact they've had on me. I think they've been appreciated. GroupGreeting or similar works well for a group card if you're remote.
posted by mosst at 7:41 AM on August 24, 2022 [4 favorites]
Food. And a card.
Get a nicely artisanal well-presented thematic box of snacks and goodies, maybe related to either the person's new location or job, or the current location, or something they once mentioned they liked. They can eat it on the plane while thinking of you fondly.
posted by hovey at 8:39 AM on August 24, 2022
Get a nicely artisanal well-presented thematic box of snacks and goodies, maybe related to either the person's new location or job, or the current location, or something they once mentioned they liked. They can eat it on the plane while thinking of you fondly.
posted by hovey at 8:39 AM on August 24, 2022
I am sentimental, and was disappointed that I got a gift card when I left a job after almost a decade. I used the gift card to purchase something that I thought commemorated my work, and I tell people that was my parting gift, because it was, and is perfect for me and the job I left (a book shaped vase for my school librarian job.) When another colleague retired from the same school, we got him a monogrammed duffel bag from L.L. Bean. He is a traveler, and we knew it was practical and specific to him and his interests, which I think should be the main goal of a gift like this. What would be helpful to him, and also say we appreciate the work you did, and the impact you had on our time together. Maybe a monogrammed passport holder?
posted by momochan at 9:52 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by momochan at 9:52 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
You haven't stated your budget, but I would buy (and appreciate as a gift), any small thing that is universally useful regardless of destination and is also easily packable. With the exception of the umbrella, all of these qualify:
Rolling Square universal charging cables (charges almost anything)
A quality pen (I like the CW&T Pen Type B (mine is Titanium))
If he's a cyclist, a Velo 2.
If he's a backpacker, camper, or heavy walker, a Modl Water Bottle (I recommend the Pioneer bundle).
A good umbrella, unless he's going to a dry country. I recommend Blunt.
posted by dobbs at 10:20 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Rolling Square universal charging cables (charges almost anything)
A quality pen (I like the CW&T Pen Type B (mine is Titanium))
If he's a cyclist, a Velo 2.
If he's a backpacker, camper, or heavy walker, a Modl Water Bottle (I recommend the Pioneer bundle).
A good umbrella, unless he's going to a dry country. I recommend Blunt.
posted by dobbs at 10:20 AM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
A digital subscription to a local newspaper or a paper like the New York Times.
posted by bendy at 2:29 PM on August 24, 2022
posted by bendy at 2:29 PM on August 24, 2022
Assuming he likes his co-workers and enjoyed his job, a nice keepsake I've seen done in academia is a photo of something relevant (group photo, picture of spacecraft, building, product logo, whatever), framed, with messages and signatures on the matte around it. In the remote world that might be harder, but maybe someone could collate digital versions of messages and assemble something and have it printed? That produces a sentimental item that is flat and relatively easy to ship (though, you could also have it shipped to his new location).
posted by LadyOscar at 10:31 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by LadyOscar at 10:31 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
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