A box of teas, one of each kindBlack, green, mint and a fruit one cover most desks.
A card for each person, naming one thing they did wellIt costs nothing, and it is the gift people pin up at their desk.
A card game for the break roomPick one with rounds short enough for a lunch break.
A desk calendar for the new yearTimely in December and useful until the next one.
A desk plant that lives on office lightAsk the shop for one that does well away from a window.
A donation to a charity the team voted forHold a quick vote and send one card saying where it went.
A gift card for the coffee place by the officeThe one everybody already walks to; write the amount inside the card.
A hot drinks table: cocoa, cider mix, marshmallowsSet it up by the kettle for the last week before the break.
A jar of local honey or jamNeutral, used up, and it says where you live.
A notebook with their initial on the coverLined, lies flat, and small enough to carry to a meeting.
A pen good enough to be borrowed and never returnedOne good pen, not a set; add a refill.
A plain, heavy mugNo joke on it and a good size; it gets used every day.
A snack box for the afternoon slumpCrackers, dried fruit, something sweet: nothing that needs a fridge.
A stocked snack drawerFill one drawer everyone can reach, and say it is for all.
A tin of cookies with a label of what is in themWrite nuts, dairy and wheat on the lid, so everyone knows what they can eat.
Good coffee beans for the shared machineAsk whoever makes the first pot which roast the office drinks.
Spiced nuts or granola in a jar, labeledMake one batch, fill a jar for each desk, and list what is in it.
For a gift swap 10
A bookshop voucherRight for someone whose taste you do not know.
A cable tidy and a spare charging leadCheck which lead most of the office uses before you buy.
A cookbook of quick lunchesFor the coworker who eats the same sandwich every day.
A deck of cards with the rules of one gameWrite the rules of a quick game on a card and tuck it in the box.
A lunch box that does not leakWith a clip lid and a place for a fork.
A small toolkit for the desk drawerTape, scissors and a screwdriver; the whole floor will borrow it.
A stand that props a phone on the deskSmall, and in use by the afternoon.
A travel cup with a lid that sealsPlain color, and narrow enough for the cup holder of a car.
An umbrella that fits in a bagIt lives in a desk drawer until the day it saves someone.
Warm socks in a plain patternStretchy ones fit most feet, and nobody has too many.
One gift for the whole team 7
A box of pastries for the team that helpedLeave a note on the box that says what it is for.
A cake from the bakery, cut at the afternoon breakAsk a close coworker which flavor, and whether they would hate the fuss.
A fruit bowl, kept full for a weekBring fresh fruit on Monday and top it up midweek.
A group lunch order, the team's pick of menuSend the menu round in the morning and collect the orders before noon.
A new kettle or toaster for the kitchenReplace the one everybody complains about.
Doughnuts or bagels for the whole floorBy the coffee machine on a Friday, with a note so people know to take one.
Something to share at the next meetingA box for the table gives to the manager and the room at once.
To say thank you 8
A handwritten note that says what they didBe exact: the report they fixed, the call they took for you.
A message to their manager about what they didCopy them in; praise that reaches the boss is a gift with a use.
A note about one thing they taught youExact and short; it is the gift a manager rarely gets.
A written recommendation they can useOffer to write one for their next application; it outlasts any object.
Chocolates and a two-line cardSmall box, kind words, left on the desk without a speech.
Lunch sent in on a day they are buried in workAsk what they cannot eat before you order.
Their morning drink, waiting on the deskAsk a desk neighbor what they order.
Their phones or their shift covered for an afternoonAgree it with the manager first, then tell them to go home.
For someone who is leaving 10
A bag for the new job, from the collectionOne person collects, the amounts stay private, everyone signs the card.
A book of photos and office jokesAsk each person for one picture and one line.
A card signed by everyone, in real sentencesPass it round a week early, so nobody writes only their name.
A cutting from the office plant, in a potRoot it in water well ahead: a piece of the old office for the new one.
A farewell lunch with the people they chooseTheir pick of place and guest list; the team splits the bill.
A framed photo of the whole teamTake it on an ordinary day, at the desks, not at a party.
A jar of stories, one from each coworkerFor a retirement: the day they saved the project, the worst coffee they made.
A meal voucher near their new workplaceLook up what is on the street they are moving to.
A print or map of the city, for someone moving awayMark the office on it with a small dot.
Everyone's own contact details on one cardAsk each person first; it keeps coworkers reachable as friends.
For a manager 6
A book about the hobby they talk aboutFishing, running, bread: you already know which one.
A framed print for a bare office wallNeutral subject, modest size, from several of you.
A group gift, with one person collectingKeep it optional and the amounts private; nobody should feel they must give.
A plant for their office, from all of youChoose one that does not mind a week without water.
One card from the whole teamSigned by everyone, handed over without a ceremony.
Their favorite snack, in a size to shareLeave it on the desk with a card from the team.
How it works
What should I get my coworkers? Something small, neutral and easy to share. These ideas are sorted for Christmas and the holidays, a gift swap, someone who is leaving, a thank you, the whole team and a manager.
Read the full guide
Keep it small and neutral
Food with a label, something for the desk, or a note that says what a person did suits anyone. Ask whether your workplace has a rule on gifts before you buy; a gift swap usually sets a limit of its own.
One gift for the whole team
For a team, one thing everyone can use is better than ten small parcels: a new kettle for the kitchen, a stocked snack drawer or a card game for the break room.
Give to one desk mate away from the others, or bring something for the room as well.
Questions and answers
What should I get my coworkers for Christmas?
One thing for the room: a labeled tin of cookies, good coffee beans for the shared machine, or a hot drinks table by the kettle. Add a card for each person if you like.
What is a good cheap gift for coworkers?
A card for each person, naming one thing they did well, costs nothing. A jar of local honey or jam, a box of teas or a desk calendar for the new year costs little.
Should I get my boss a gift?
You do not have to, and a costly gift from one person can look like an attempt to win favor. One card from the whole team, or a group gift with the amounts kept private, is the safe way.
What do you get a coworker who is leaving?
A card signed by everyone in real sentences, a framed photo of the whole team, or a farewell lunch with the people they choose. A written recommendation they can use outlasts all three.
What should I not get a coworker?
Anything about their body, age or private life: clothes with a size, perfume, a diet book, a joke gift. Leave out alcohol too unless you know the person well.