Office Christmas tips

The Christmas tree is up, the curtains are bought, the fruits for the black cake are almost done soaking and the stash of drinks is ready, only one thing left to do, buy that gift for your secret Santa from work. What do you buy especially if you are not friends with that person or worse, your secret Santa is the coworker you really don’t like? Should you even bother to participate?{{more}}

Gift exchanges.

If your workplace decides to participate in a gift exchange, there should be a few basic rules. Check the company policy on gift giving. Some organizations may not allow this practice. Make sure the people who are involved actually want to do the exchange. Avoid coercion or intimidation.

Set a price limit.

$10 to $20 is a good price range for gifts, but let the group decide. Don’t get too expensive and don’t get too cheap either. Stick to your budget.

Choose wisely.



Avoid joke gifts, jewelry, clothes, fragrances, alcoholic beverages , or gifts that hint at anything sexual or personal.

Calendars, gift certificates, stationery, pen sets, or anything useful on the job are safe choices. Do your homework and learn something about your recipient’s taste before buying.

Wrap the item.

Spend a little time to wrap the gift or put it in a gift bag. Include a handwritten note. The way you present your gift is important. Do not ask the person to open the gift in your presence.

Regifting.

Be very careful when regifting. If someone gave you something last year and you decide to give it to someone else this year, the gift should be new and unused. Remove the name tag and make sure that the gift will not be recognized by the new recipient, the original giver, or anyone they might know. Your best bet might be to not recycle gifts.

Homemade food.

Be careful with homemade foods because not everyone will enjoy or trust your cooking skills. Avoid this as a gift. Store-bought food baskets or gourmet items are better.

Optional participation.

It is OK if you decide not to participate in the office gift swap. However, this decision may not be popular with some coworkers and depending on your office politics the decision could work against you later.

Buying the supervisor a gift.

Steer clear of buying a gift individually for the person you report to. This may be seen as currying favor by your coworkers and could backfire on you. If your work team contributes toward a gift for the manager as a group that’s acceptable. But don’t go out on a limb by yourself unless this is a practice that is acceptable in your organization like small, family-owned businesses.

Gifts for clients.

Before you decide to buy a gift for a valued client make sure you know the client’s employer’s gift policy. Some companies do not allow employees to accept gifts of any kind.

To all a very Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season.