S. Claus · Gift Desk
Christmas gifts for coworkers
Small, useful, and nothing HR needs to hear about. Pull a drawer to shop by budget.
Coworker gifts under $10
Proof you thought of them, for less than lunch.
Hot cocoa or tea sampler
For the 3 p.m. slump, which arrives daily and on time.
A really good pen
Better than the supply closet. Expect it to be borrowed.
Hand cream
Winter air plus office heating. They'll thank you by February.
A tiny succulent
Low maintenance, like the best coworkers.
Fun sticky notes
Useful, cheerful, and gone by spring. No clutter left behind.
A bag of good chocolates
They can keep it or share it. Either way, they look good.
Coworker gifts under $25
The sweet spot for most offices.
Insulated travel mug
Coffee stays hot through back-to-back meetings.
A notebook with a lovely cover
For to-do lists, meeting notes and the odd doodle.
Gift card to a nearby coffee shop
They pick the drink. You still get the credit.
Cozy socks or fingerless gloves
Every office has a thermostat debate. This settles it for one person.
Cable organizer or phone stand
A tidier desk, noticed every single morning.
Desk calendar for the new year
Useful from January 1. Optimistic about the rest.
A small potted plant
Green, quiet, and never books a meeting.
Coworker gifts under $50
For the desk neighbor, the work friend, or a gift from the whole team.
A desk lamp with warm light
Dark winter afternoons are long. This makes them shorter.
A coffee or tea gift box
Good beans or loose leaf, and something nice to drink it from.
A soft throw for their chair
For the desk by the drafty window. Every office has one.
A good water bottle
Cold water all day. Fewer trips to the cooler.
Lunch out, your treat
An hour away from the desk is a gift in itself.
A notebook and pen set
For people who still take notes by hand, and like them to look good.
A plant in a nice pot
A step up from the succulent. Still hard to kill.
Secret Santa gifts for coworkers
Safe for anyone you drew, even if you've only met on video calls.
A mug with cocoa tucked inside
Two gifts in one. Nobody has ever been sad about it.
A desk plant
Suits every taste and almost every desk.
A coffee shop gift card
They choose. Which is the real secret of Secret Santa.
A card game for lunch breaks
Quick to learn. Good for a laugh between meetings.
A jigsaw puzzle
For the break room, or for their own quiet evenings.
Cozy socks
Liked by everyone. One size fits most.
Memo · Secret Santa
Three ground rules
- Agree on a spending limit. Then actually stick to it.
- Keep it useful, kind and work friendly.
- Skip anything too personal, and any joke only you will get.
Drew someone you barely know? Ask Santa for Secret Santa ideas.
Memo
- To:
- Anyone with a coworker
- From:
- S. Claus
Re: what to get a coworker
The best gifts for coworkers are small, useful and easy to like: a good mug, a desk plant, a warm drink for a cold afternoon. Most fit under $25. Add a few kind words in a card and it feels personal without being too much.
Stuck on the words? Santa's Christmas card messages have you covered.
Gifts for the whole team
One gift everyone shares. Nobody left out, nobody keeping score.
A treat tray for the break room
Everyone gets something, and the budget stays put.
Breakfast on a Friday
Bagels or pastries turn an ordinary morning into an occasion.
A jigsaw puzzle on the break room table
Something to work on together, a few pieces at a time.
A team photo in a frame
A warm reminder of the year you all survived together.
A card game for lunch breaks
Quick to learn and good for a laugh.
Costs nothing, means a lot
A handwritten card
A few honest lines of thanks can beat anything in a bag.
Homemade cookies or fudge
Add a label with the ingredients so anyone with allergies can choose safely.
A playlist made for them
Free, personal, and good company on a busy day.
An IOU for a coffee run
Redeemable on the worst Monday of their choosing.
Questions from the break room
Santa answers his email. Eventually.
Inbox 5 new
A coworkerHow much should you spend on a coworker gift?
Santa replied
There's no rule, but small is usual. Something in the $10 to $25 range suits most workplaces. If your team agrees on a limit, stick to it, so nobody feels awkward about what they gave.
A coworkerDo I have to buy a gift for every coworker?
Santa replied
No. A treat for the break room or a card for each person is a kind way to include everyone without buying many gifts. Save individual gifts for the people you work with most closely.
A coworkerShould you give your boss a Christmas gift?
Santa replied
You don't have to. If you'd like to, a card or a small group gift from the whole team is a comfortable choice that doesn't put anyone on the spot.
A coworkerWhat are good Secret Santa gifts for coworkers?
Santa replied
Useful things that are easy to like: a mug with cocoa, a nice notebook, a desk plant or a coffee shop gift card. Stay within the limit and skip anything too personal or jokey.
A coworkerWhat's a good last-minute gift for a coworker?
Santa replied
A gift card to a nearby coffee shop, a bag of good chocolates, or homemade cookies with a handwritten card. All can be ready the same day.
Got one he hasn't answered? Tell Santa about your coworker.
Ask Santa for ideas