so long, and thanks for all the fish

December 15, 2010 11:12 AM

I'm leaving my job at an environmental foundation after 5 years. My last day is tomorrow, and the 15 people in the office are starting in a new office space on Monday. I'm probably going to write individual cards to a few people, but what's a good gift for the whole group? They're overstocked with chocolate, plants, and cut flowers.
posted by moonlet to Shopping (10 answers total)

Given it's an environmental group, maybe donate a tree or a grove of trees in their honour?
posted by angiep at 11:19 AM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

A larger gift certificate to a local lunch place? Depending on how much you want to spend, allot say, $5/per person to TGI Friday's, a local place, café, wherever you know people like.
posted by ShadePlant at 11:20 AM on December 15, 2010

Specialty coffee and tea have always been well received by my workgroup.
posted by WayOutWest at 11:21 AM on December 15, 2010

For my last day at my old job, on my way to the office I stopped at Starbucks, picked up coffee and pastries, and we all had a nice breakfast together.
posted by Dragonness at 11:29 AM on December 15, 2010

An interesting wall clock, poster, or similar shareable decoration as a housewarming (officewarming?) present.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:30 AM on December 15, 2010

I always thought those big canisters of flavored popcorn were a joke and a stupid gift.

Until our office got one from a vendor one year.

You'd think we were starving Somalian refugees. People were flocking to it all day, groaning with delight, and walking around with bits of popcorn attached to their lips.
posted by HeyAllie at 11:35 AM on December 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

I don't know how much you want to spend, but I was thinking gift certificate to a favorite lunch/snacks/happy hour place, if there's a place that's a favorite (I know they're moving, so maybe that doesn't work).

This Garrett Popcorn is pricey but shockingly worth it.

Is there something you know that they would like to have in the new space but that might not be already planned for?
posted by mrs. taters at 11:56 AM on December 15, 2010

What is the thing that people are constantly looking for because someone else has taken it? Pens? Staplers? Coffee mugs? Clip boards? Get some of those.

But more gift-like would be to get some sort of food product. Since you're leaving near the holidays, people tend to be swamped with food and gifts right now. What about letting them know that you want to give them something next month when all the Christmas cookies will be gone?
posted by sciencegeek at 12:01 PM on December 15, 2010

Is there something fun/useful you can get for the new office space? A toaster for the kitchen? An indoor composting cone? A framed poster of something environmentally related to put on their wall? A refrigerator white board so people can write threatening messages to each other when someone eats their cheese (or is that just my office?)
posted by bluefly at 12:28 PM on December 15, 2010

Tubs of Toxic Waste. Always a big hit around our office and they're the first things to go at conferences.
posted by bonehead at 12:56 PM on December 15, 2010