Take some time to think about each coworker. What do they love, and what do they hate?
Love it or hate it, Christmas never seems very far away. That means presents. While buying for your nearest and dearest is often quick and easy, buying gifts for coworkers is always a bit of a challenge.
Whether it’s for a Secret Santa event or you want to show your favorite colleagues how much you value them, you have lots of options to consider. Many of us are working remotely and now only ever see our coworkers on small screens has made Christmas shopping even harder.
If you’re struggling to come up with some inspiration for Christmas gifts for coworkers, here are some ideas you might not have.
1. Stationery
What better gift for someone in the office than some unique stationery that they can use every day? We’re not talking about a pack of Post-It Notes here and think of the stationery that’s going to take their breath away. That could be a personalized pen or a complete stationery set, depending on your budget.
Top tip: If you want to blow their socks off, look at Moleskine notebooks.
2. Get personalized
When it comes to colleagues, the risk of just grabbing a generic present is always high. The smiles when they unwrap the gift will be half-sincere, and the gift itself will tend to sit around unused for a while before being regifted elsewhere.
Top tip: Avoid the generic, and choose a gift that you can personalize. It’s hard to beat personalized gifts for coworkers, and they’ll ensure your colleagues know how much you appreciate your working relationship.
3. Tech accessories
Most people in the workplace already have more than enough tech surrounding them, and they might not have the tech accessories that give their favorite devices a splash of their personality. Look at ideas like pebbled leather AirPod cases, which will let your colleagues keep their earbuds safe while looking slick.
Top tip: This is one of the best gifts you can get for a work colleague, and you can choose the tech accessories that match your budget easily.
4. Events
Something that’s growing in popularity, buying a day out and an experience they’ll never forget is always going to bring out the smiles. This gift is only going to be limited by your imagination. Look at nights spent in their favorite museum, behind-the-scenes visits to your local zoo. The sky’s the limit.
Top tip: If you gift an experience, ensure that your colleague can get time off to attend it.
5. Alcohol
It might seem like a bit of a cop-out, but Christmas drinks are always going to be appreciated. You don’t have to go wild either, and there’s plenty of alcohol available to suit even a Secret Santa budget. You could go for a bottle of high-quality wine or go wild with some deluxe spirits.
Top tip: Include a packet of painkillers with your gift to reduce the hangover effect.
6. Books
If you’ve got a colleague with their nose buried between pages, then buying a book is always a good gift idea. You’ll need to know what kinds of books they read and what they don’t need, but you’re not strictly limited. Look at some of the most recent best books of all time lists, and pick something that you think will delight you.
Top tip: You could even gift some e-reader, along with a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. That way, you’re gifting thousands of books.
7. Guarantee a match
Take a look at the coworker you’re buying for. Are they the kind of person that likes to color match what they wear? If so, you’re in luck. If your coworker wears blue every day, you know that blue gifts are the way to go. Think about clothing, or look at colored phone cases that will match their favorite colors. They’ll love being able to color coordinate every day.
Top tip: Choose the color schemes that you know your coworker loves.
Final thoughts
Christmas can get very stressful, balancing budgets and making sure that you don’t overlook someone. Don’t let buying for your work colleagues be a source of stress, but don’t fall back on the novelties or the generic.
Take some time to think about each coworker. What do they love, and what do they hate? The more you can narrow down their interests or lifestyle, the easier it will be to buy the gift that will ensure they know how much you value them.
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