Christmas Gifts for Co-workers??

Updated on December 21, 2011
L.M. asks from San Jose, CA
21 answers

I work in a small company that isn't really in the holiday cheer. What can I give to my co-workers as a christmas gift, I am a single mom on a tight budget but still would like to do something for them. Any ideas would help. Thanks,
L.

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G.M.

answers from Phoenix on

Make some fudge! Cheap and GOOD! And who doesn't like a little or a lot of chocolatey goodness? LOL
There is a fudge recipe on the back of the marshallow cream jar that you can follow. :-) Then you can wrap a few for each member in some colored plastic wrap with a bow. :-)

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E.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

So far a homemade cake, donuts, and bagels w/ OJ and pastries have brought a little cheer to my workplace. Many coworkers don't have time to eat before work so food + not having to run to a local eatery makes folks around here happy

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R.C.

answers from Dayton on

Bring in cheerful Christmas cookies to share. Super nice gesture with no awkward gifting issues!

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

Bake or buy cookies and make a nice tray.

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

I went a little crazy this year for the three people who report to me. I bought one beers from around the world; microbrewery beers; and the third a lovely breakfast basket from New England. Did I spend a lot of money? Yes, but this folks work really hard for me and I want them to know how much I appreciate their hard work!

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I got the ladies reed scent diffusers for $4.99 each and the guys Geoffrey Beene scarves for $6.99 each at Marshall's.

Christmas ornaments or cookies or nuts are good, too!
Or scratch off lottery tickets in a card.

1 mom found this helpful

R.H.

answers from Houston on

I agree with you. I gave gifts to co-workers most of whom make more money than I make. Only a few returned the gesture and gave me gifts.

Bake some goods but DO NOT put them in the break room--give them individually. This lets them know that you personally feel for them as individuals and not as a collective.

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

Maybe you could take a basket of Muffins or bagels with some juice one day this week and put up a sign saying Merry Christmas to everyone from you! ..

Or consider taking a crock pot of chili and corn muffins.. For a lunch..

Ior some lottery tickets with a gold Dollar to scratch with!

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B.R.

answers from Sacramento on

Sometimes the gift itself isn't as important as the presentation.
When I was working in a small daycare, I did several years of "Secret Santa" gifts. I was fortunate enough to be the first one to arrive each day and therefore had the key to the place. It made things easy, because I was able to go early. The first day I put a nice Christmas stocking, with a small gift in it, in an appropriate place for each worker to find her own (we all happened to be female in that daycare). Each day for the next week, I put in another small gift. Of course, to keep the secret of who "Santa" was, I had a stocking there for myself as well. I believe it was the third year of doing this before anyone caught on that I was "Santa". It was a lot of fun!

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K.G.

answers from San Francisco on

In the past I have given a nice bottle of olive oil. This year a jar a BBQ sauce my husband made. Someone in our office bought a set of small votive candles in a glass container and gave one to each of us (Pacifica brand).

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

my coworker put dollar store coffee mugs full of candy on our desk this morning before we got here. That was nice. I have been bringing a differant treat every day - puppy chow today, pretzels hershey kiss treats yesterday, peanut brittle and peppermint bark last wk. Maybe oatmeal raisin cookie tomorrow. We also have Christmas music playing in the office and every now and then I get up and sing and dance just to keep everybody laughing and singing along. We're all having fun talking about gifts.

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L.D.

answers from Modesto on

Make some fudge, peanut brittle or divinity candy - stuff you don't get all that much unlike chocolates, cookies and candy canes etc. Make a little xmas platter or baggie wrapped with a bow. Attach a tag that says "Thanks for all you do. Best wishes for 2012". The handmade touch, coupled with some recognition of appreciation will go a long way.

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V.W.

answers from San Francisco on

For years I have made a tray of various cookies or individual tins of cookies and/or fudge. Stuff we would enjoy at home, just larger batches. Ended up being a few dollars per person that way and showed everyone I was thinking of them. If you have diabetic or dieting co-workers, you can do a tray of cut up fruit with a yogurt dip and a choc dip

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Now, are you talking about individual gifts for the employees or for the
entire office?
If it's for the entire office & you want to bring in holiday cheer, I would:
bring in a small table top tree (fake is cheaper)
decorate it
bring in a small, inexpensive wreat to put on the door
red napkins or cute santa napkins
cheap plates
cheap appetizers for them to graze on:
chips/salsa/other kind of dip
cut up carrots/celery w/ranch
mini quiches (cheap & filling)
cookies
chocolate candy (cheap)
You could buy most of these things at the Dollar Store if you don't
already have them at home.

Don't spend a lot. You are just trying to bring some festivity into the
office which is so nice of you.

Only do it if you really want to and/or can afford to it.

If you are thinking gifts for each employee:
On the cheap:

an ornament
Lottery ticket
$1 mini gloves
Mug
Inexpensive frame for abt $____@____.com mug warmer plate if you can find it for $5

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J.H.

answers from Sacramento on

I find lottery tickets are always fun. You could do lotto quick picks or scratchers. I find the scratchers to be the most fun. It's always fun for me too to see if there are any winners.

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S.Q.

answers from Bellingham on

This is my first Christmas as head of our organisation. It's a great place with great people, and I wanted to show my appreciation for all of my staff. Unfortunately there's 125 of them, and I'm on a budget because my husband stopped working due to illness a few months ago.

So, to all the field staff who are a couple of 'levels' down from me, and I don't see that often, I hand wrote a note in a card thanking them, popped in a little wrapped Christmas chocolate, and sealed the envelope with a mini gift bow.

To all my other staff that I work more closely with, I found these great Christmas tree chocolate 'slabs', in pretty boxes for only $1.94 each. I'll wrap them prettily and give them out with hand written cards.

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J.C.

answers from San Francisco on

We got my hubby's coworkers a small box of chocolates, a candy cane and a card each. If they like candles, you could pick up some small candles (CVS or RiteAid) for each of them. Something small but hopefully appreciated. He has been receiving bottles of wine and bags of cookies.
Hope you find just the right thing.
Merry Christmas!!

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L.M.

answers from New York on

You can bake, make separate gifts for each person, or just bring in a large platter and leave it in the lunch room.

You can treat them all to breakfast, by bringing in bagels one morning.

I'm giving each of the woman I work with (7), a bath poofie and shower gel.

One year, I got a bottle of nail polish, an emery board and some hand cream. The color wasn't really a shade I prefered but it was nice, and it was great having the other items in my desk drawer.

Each year a male co-worker gives everyone in the office a scratch off lottery ticket.

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B.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I like to buy small votives with scented candles or small holiday orientated candles, wrap one in tissue with curly ribbon and give with a card. Small, inexpensive and fun to get and use.You can buy Santa or Snowmen votives, to put candles in, at any store. They are pretty cute.

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

If you like to bake, make a small plate of cookies for each person. If not, the mug full of candies is a nice idea. You can pick up cute mugs for $1.

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I have always in the past done gifts.

This year I don't feel the bond with my "new' group as I have in the past. Three people gave gifts, but there are many others that did not. Money is tight right now...so I'm not sure I want to go spend what I have left and get them for everyone that is in my group. Not even sure who is in my group, honestly!!

I am a Business Financial Manager - so there is a team of BFM's and then the team I support as the financial person. My team, the Japan team, hasn't had ONE meeting since I started in August. The guy that sits behind me is simply an annoyance so I avoid him if possible. He likes to toss people under busses and I'm not fond of that :).

I think it's great to give if you can though!

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