What do you gift co-workers for the holidays? Specifically, those that work FOR you? I need some ideas! Do you do all the same thing, different things, same price points, etc.?
ETA: THIS WAS MY 100TH POST - WOOO!
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Hah I am having the same dilemma! We have a nice budget for Christmas gifts this year, but not many ideas!
We have 4 employees. Normally we give different things to everyone (they're all very different people) that were all around the same price, but this year we may get them all the same gift, but it's something they'd all love.
How close are you with them?
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I don't have anyone that works for me {it's more of a team situation}, but I do different gifts in the same general price range.
I do give the custodians and mail room staff the same, small gift.
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Ha, you are nice. I might order some food and deliver it to the office!
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My boss usually gives us all a small gift card to chipotle or starbucks along with a card that she picked personally for us.
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Isn't a co-worker who works for you a direct report? I don't think my manager ever referred to me as her coworker. She loved telling people she was my boss.
A good gift basket is always nice. The presentation is awesome and theirs so much to nibble on to keep a person busy for days
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I only get my assistant a present. She prefers amazon gift cards so that is what she is getting
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@pui: Well, I've been here almost 2 years. My paralegal has been the same the whole time. The secretary and copy person have been here about 6 months. So I need something different for my paralegal than last year's gift. And maybe something a little smaller for the others given the length of the relationship?
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I'm not their bosses. They're staff but they work for me. Basically, my paralegal, secretary and copy person. I can direct them to do things but I'm not a supervisor or boss of them. If that makes sense?
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Gifts given in my former office (to me and other admins):
Plant for their desk, flowers, homemade fudge, treated to a lunch out, frame for photos on desk, giftcards for favorite drive through (ie. one coworker always got her breakfast at mcdonalds, so she got a giftcard for there).
ETA: this was a legal office, and I was a receptionist with some paralegal duties. I appreciated flowers for my desk and the fudge the most
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@LindsayInNY: I think I get it, they are in support of you, but have their own reporting structure? Gift baskets still. Can you imagine those suckers sitting on their desks and how happy that would make them?
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yes, that's exactly it! What kind of gift basket?
@cmomma17: Ooh, I know one in particular loves fudge!!
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@LindsayInNY: wine!! And lotto tickets!
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@LindsayInNY: I recommend an amaryllis.
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I wonder if I should get anything for my girls... I manage 6 admins across the country, so I don't work directly/physically with any of them. And I inherited them from my current boss (he used to manage all of us) and he never got us anything for the holidays. Plus, I'm like, a really low-level manager so it would be quite a hit on our checkbook to give 6 gifts. I'm not even giving gifts to some of my close friends!
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@LindsayInNY: Do you have Mountain Man Fruit & Nut Co distributors around you? https://mtnman.com/frontend/
I usually get a basket from there from my boss, or Harry & David but they're a little more $$. -
@LindsayInNY: oh, David's Cookies has some good stuff! I like their triple chocolate crumb cake.
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@StbHisMrs: Not sure, definitely checking them out though!!
@swedishfish: That sounds delicious too...
@HabesBabe: I try to watch costs as best as I can too. I bought Yankee Candle gift sets last year from the outlet. They were something like 50% off too!
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@LindsayInNY: I just checked out GiftBaskets.com and the onesnjnder $50 are a bit cheesy. I have ordered from Sherries Berries in the past. The gift basket search returned everyone's favorite Harry and David's. I would love a relish or two from there wrapped in a pretty bow. Small gift, but something they could use during the holiday season while they entertain or trest themselves.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Both good ideas!! Secretary is a big fan of Sherries Berries. I'll have to look at Harry and Davids. Forgot about them!
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@LindsayInNY: I think LivingSocial had a H&D Riviera Pears basket on sale for 50%... only thing is that you still had to pay shipping. They usually go on sale again for about 40% off in early-December with free shipping, so I'm holding off on that. I heard those pears are bomb.com!
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@LindsayinNY: I'm an attorney and my office set up sounds very similar to yours. I need to get them something for Christmas but I have no idea what to do. My supervising attorney (and technically the boss of all these people) usually doesn't do anything, but she's not really into Christmas.
This is my first Christmas at this place, and I really feel like I need to do something for the 3 support staff that work directly with me (under me?).
I have no idea what to get them. They are all weird about food, so that won't work. Maybe gift cards, but I'm not sure where to. And if a gift card, in what amount? Like, $5 is too cheap but $20 seems too much, maybe. I dunno...
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I usually make (or buy if I'm too burnt out) a big plate of candy/cookies for the departments (records, copy, IT, etc) and then individually wrapped boxes of the same/similar for the paralegals, other associates in my dept. Secretary gets a more substantial gift (usually a gift card) and bosses usually get a bottle of wine although I'm thinking maybe candy/cookies this year to cut down on costs.
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@MrsADS: I think last year, the partner in my office got them all gifts but I don't know what - card with something small so maybe money? Last year, I got my paralegal and secretary a Yankee Candle gift set. I bought on sale at the outlet...
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@MrsADS: How about a decent bottle of wine (around $15). Consumables are always appreciated around my office. And it's not too personal that way (but more personal than cash or gift card). Have you checked out Corporette's or Above the Law's posts on holiday office gifts? I feel like they're fairly informative, although since a lot of them are geared to big east coast firms they spend more than I would in a mid size regional firm.
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There's a market in NJ that does delivery of great fruit/bakery boxes that are pretty reasonable. I use them all the time. It's Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, NJ. Mmm, now I want some of their baked goods!
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@NorCalWayfarer: I thought about wine for my paralegal since she's all about that
Not sure about my secretary though? Corporette recently posted about this and linked to an older post - I'm not in BigLaw though so the "$100 per year worked" will never fly with me! Heck, your firm might be bigger than the one I'm at!@mrsbookworm: Umm, their website looked amazing!!
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I bought a bottle of maple syrup for everyone this year. I don't have people that report to me, but that's for peers and bosses. Zing, one shot all done.
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@LindsayInNY: I just laugh at the $100 per year worked. I'd never heard of that. I usually give $50 -- I'm sure some partners give $100-200 and some dont do anything!
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My managers have gotten me treat towers from Costco and Harry and David and I have really appreciated those! I've also gotten $10 Starbucks cards and a small box of truffles from one of them. The sentiment behind it ("thanks for your hard work") was the best part.
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Ahh, I don't know. I work for a nonprofit so we definitely don't do pricey gifts. And if my boss doesn't give anything, does it make me look weird to give a gift?
I'm thinking like $10 gift card for something like Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts with maybe some treats (chocolates or something). Although one of them just said she hates Dunkin though... LOL.
@Sunny - that's the main reason I want to do it! Just to say "thanks for your hard work".
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@NorCalWayfarer: That might make sense if you're making $200K+ a year! I am not one of those people...
@MrsADS: I was always told that you gift "down" and not "up" so I don't gift to my boss. Only those that support me.
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@LindsayInNY: I'm probably going to get him a $10 starbucks card. I only have one person who works for me right now.
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Funky Chunky (choc covered pretzels/popcorn mix) is delicious and they do such a great job w/ gift baskets (we ordered them for all our clients last year).
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I know this is old, but I'm an attorney and get everyone a big 3 wick candle in a yummy Christmas scent from bath and body works. It's always a hit, and still PC. Also, budget friendly as they're usually 2 for $22!
Not sure about my secretary though? Corporette recently posted about this and linked to an older post - I'm not in BigLaw though so the "$100 per year worked" will never fly with me! Heck, your firm might be bigger than the one I'm at!Reply
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33 comments