Who gives gifts to co-workers?

People who like their co-workers?

That said, I can't afford an $85 gift for my mother, let alone my officemates. But these are all pretty gifts! Lovely finds, Adrienne.

Great gift round-up! I like.

I've never worked in an office where we are expected to give each other (or the boss!) holiday gifts. But I have spearheaded a few $10 Secret Santa or DVD White Elephants for the office holiday party. Less spendy, more fun.

Nice stuff, but I'm not sure how appropriate it is to spend $85 on a gift for a co-worker. That's a bit much.

I'd love an article on gifts for coworkers in the $10-25 range. That's usually the secret santa (or secret snowflake) range and it would be extremely helpful!

Should I mention the irony of someone promoting overpriced kitsch while delivering the arrogant notion that she's fit to be giving anyone "a gentle push in a better design direction."

I saw the picture for Sense and Sensibility and thought that would be a great gift for a coworker. A nice pretty hardcover version of a book you think they'd like. Then I saw it was an iPod docking station. Terrible thing to do to a beautiful book!

Co-worker gifts over $10-20? You're kidding, right?

Pollyanna exchanges are usually for $10-15 bucks. I have plenty of tape in the office! LOL!
I don't need to buy another co-worker tape.

@CLG - if you want that version of the book, they sell it at Anthropologie. A few other classics with similar design as well.
I think it's a great idea though, for those of us who love design and to read - to have something that reflects that rather than a slick plastic thing that looks out of place amongst our vintage eclectic interior.

Wow! TinyTerrains is amazing!!! (Etsy shop that sells the featured terrarium). Adding to my favorites :)

"or who could use a gentle push in a better design direction" = "Give your co-worker something that you KNOW is not to her taste" = "Be a bad person, but rationalize that it's OK because your taste is 'better' than everyone else's."

When one can't avoid holiday gifts for co-workers, these are great options and prices are what one expect to pay for a gift for a co-worker! Excellent post!!

My co-workers get something hand-made by me in my hobby art form of polymer clay. (Last year, for example, I crafted elegant (THEIR description) ballpoint pens using blanks made for woodworkers.) Another year I made personalized, glamorous, hinged covers for Post-it pads. (They were a cute desk accessory. Not meant to be more.) I also make jewelry, but I prefer to give something less personal to people I work with.

This year we are doing an ornament exchange (which I think was discussed in this blog, where I got the idea to suggest it!) A nice ornament for $5-10, with swapping permitted afterward if desired.

Other times we have done Yankee Swaps or Secret Santa. (With Secret Santa, people completed forms listing things they like to get including foods and items they collect, as well as things they would NOT like to get. In my case, I like (LOVE) milk chocolate, I collect Moravian stars, and I hate pink... for example.)

GIFT IDEAS for co-workers: a special coffee/tea mug with some coca packets or other treats included; a great new book (either a fiction bestseller or a business book they might like); box of candy if you know their likes and/or dislikes; holiday ornament; special desk/cubicle calendar; stationery (note cards); something small and charming from a museum gift shop; iTunes gift card if applicable...

I don't recommend clothing, jewelry, perfume, wine, gag gifts (unless it's a tradition and you are careful to not offend), foods to which they are/might be allergic, or anything too personal or too expensive.

If gift exchanges are not a known tradition where you work, be sure that you give something the person won't feel encumbers them -- it's difficult to receive a gift from an acquaintance to whom you didn't plan to give anything, unless it's casual enough and generic enough to not feel like a big deal.

Finally, never EXPECT reciprocation. Either give a gift to co-workers not caring if you get nothing back, or don't give anything at all. (Or only give a group gift, like a goody basket for the break room...)

(Years of advice, there!!) ;^)

yeah, anyone trying to use a gift to give me a "gentle push in a better design direction" can take their ugly 75$ espresso set and shove it. the best gift of all is not having to deal with that kind of person at work.

These gift selections are a hot mess. What do you do if you have more than one co-worker to shop for? Do you blow the holiday budget on them? AT, at times you can be a bit too "Let them eat cake" for your own good.

My office just holds a cookie exchange/cookie eating competition and calls it a day. Who feels like shopping for coworkers on top on friends/relatives. Plus what do you do for those that don't celebrate the holiday? Ignore force to participate. Where I work, thats about 35-40 percent.