It’s Thanksgiving this week, which means that the holidays are sneaking up on us. Have you bought anything yet? I haven’t bought a single, solitary thing. I’m not really known for my planning capabilities so I’m not surprised and I’m not stressed quite yet. I maintain that time is an illusion, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to participate in the gift-giving season. There’s something special about this time of the year where you get an opportunity to express the love and appreciation you have for the people around you in a non-cheesy way. A gift is a perfect way to open that door, so I relish an opportunity to give a delightfully thoughtful gift to my coworkers during the holiday season.
Here are some ideas rolling around in my head for the special work friends in my life. My number one no-brainer tip to give a great gift is to actually know and observe the person you are buying. People give little clues and breadcrumbs about what they’d appreciate as a gift if you just pay attention. For example:
Do you see your coworker at the coffee machine every morning? If so, they’d probably love the accoutrements associated with their preferred beverage. Last year, I gave my coworker a ceramic tea steeping cup (amazon) and a bunch of loose leaf premium teas (amazon). It made me so happy to see her using it in the office this past year. If your coworker is into coffee, how fun would it be to give them a chemex (amazon) for the office? Their life would never be the same. No more crappy office coffee for them.
If your coworker shows up to meetings and studiously scribbles notes, it’s just a no-brainer to buy him or her an awesome notebook and pen. I swear by these big, wide moleskins (amazon) in a bright color. My colleague recently gave me U Brands pens (amazon) and they have been ultra delicious to write with.
Is your coworker constantly telling you about their latest weekend warrior trips? If so, get them something travel related. You can never go wrong with a great passport case (madewell) or luggage tag (madewell). It’s the gesture that counts the most.
What about the person who is constantly on their ear buds trying to tune out the loud talkers? Get them a case that fits their personality. I can’t stop thinking about this cute one from Rifle paper (rifle paper).
My work bestie is a busy mom trying to balance motherhood with her work. I know it’s not easy for her to carve out time for herself. I was thinking about getting her a self-care kit (body shop) and a nice bottle of wine. That way it’s just there when she needs it. She’d probably appreciate that more than a massage gift card because it requires no advanced planning.
I know this is probably the most obvious gift guide of all time, but I’d honestly be jazzed to receive any of the gifts I listed above from a coworker. Don’t overthink it. Just buy a token and use a card to express the way you feel. That’s all that matters anyway.
Do you have any gift ideas to add to this list?
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