Holiday office parties never actually went out of fashion; however, they are seemingly making a comeback of sorts. During the last decade, in the wake of the depressions, some companies around the country actually cut their holiday parties.
However, it seems like things are back in order…
According to a recent Challenger, Gray & Christmas survey, around 80% of companies in the United States will have a holiday party. However, according to the survey, a surprising percent of workers isn’t really looking forward to office parties this holiday season…
In most cases, people don’t want to overspend on their holiday gifts.
This is pretty understandable – you already have to buy presents for your family members, so you don’t want to break the bank shopping for your coworkers. However, seeing as how you spend all day with your coworkers, you probably still want to put smiles on their faces. Don’t worry – we’re here to help.
So here you have a few gift ideas that will put your coworkers in holiday spirits without making you go bankrupt in the process…
1. Buildable magnets
For starters, here’s something a bit “childish” – fridge magnets. However, this Speks magnet is not just a simple refrigerator magnet. It’s made up of more than 500 tiny magnets, that you can shape and play with for hours.
2. Lightning cable
Is your desk-buddy always losing their charger and asking you to borrow yours? Well, if you buy this AmazonBasics lightning cable, you’ll be able to say goodbye to all of those annoying exchanges. While the gift might be a bit passive-aggressive, your coworker will definitely be thankful.
3. Business card holder
Despite all of those social media sites out there, most businesspeople still have business cards. Why don’t you upgrade your colleague’s card holder to this slick model from Kate Spade? Honestly, your colleagues are probably walking around with pockets full of business cards, so this will actually be a useful present.
4. Novelty library kit
Despite what some may think, tons of people still love to read. If you have any passionate readers on your staff, you should go with this library kit from Knock Knock that comes with an ink pad, date stamp and checkout cards that will allow them to keep up with their favorite books.
5. Portable label maker
This falls into the category of more “useful” presents. A good label maker will help your coworkers stay more organized, plus it will eliminate all of those arguments over food in the communal fridge. A good option would be the Dymo LW450 Turbo label maker that easily connects to a PC or a Mac and can pump up more than 70 labels per minute.
6. Custom demotivational calendar
In reality, no one likes corny motivational calendars. So why don’t you opt for an ironic gift that will help your coworkers keep some perspective in their workday? This demotivational calendar comes with 12 or 16 demotivational pictures of your choice.
7. Desk organizer
If you want to make sure that your colleague doesn’t miss a memo in their life again, you should opt for this tiny dinosaur organizer. It has a spring-loaded mouth, where you can hold memos, and it comes with a little notepad in the back.
8. Prisma picture frame
Standard picture frames might be too cliché, so you should pick something more exciting. This Umbra frame is geometric, metallic and dare we say – chic. This could be a good addition to your coworker’s home or work desk.
9. Low-maintenance plant
Sitting in an office with other people, surrounded by machines all day can be pretty tiresome. So why don’t you buy a nice variety pack of low-maintenance plants from Home-Depot, and distribute them throughout the office? You’ll surely bring some life to your workspace.
10. Office emergency kit
The last gift idea on our list is actually meant for the ladies in your office. This little office emergency kit includes everything from pain relievers to a sewing kit, so your colleagues can be ready for anything. And don’t worry, there’s a male version of the kit too.
The bottom line
Let’s be honest, what most workers want for Christmas is a raise or a Christmas bonus. Nonetheless, you still want to let them know that you were thinking about them when you went gift-shopping this year. Getting a small, but still a worthwhile gift will help you spread some much-needed holiday cheer around the office and let your fellow workers know you appreciate their company each week of the year.
