Am I the only person that dreads holiday gift giving at the office?  Some years I have found myself completely stressed out trying to find that perfect gift for a co-worker.  You know the routine, you don’t want to look cheap, but you don’t have a lot of extra cash around the holiday’s to spend either!  Selecting a gift for a co-worker really requires some thought.  You want it to be appropriate, thoughtful and not a great expense. 

After many years of stressing out over handing out gifts at the office, here are a few gifts that I have found work best for my situation in a small office.  I try to keep things as general as possible.  I even try to give everyone in the office the same thing.  Gift certificates or gift cards are a terrific option.  Certificates or cards will allow your co-worker to choose a gift of his or her choice.  Alternately, gift certificates to restaurants or movie theaters are good choices too. If the co-worker has a well-known hobby, like golfing or scrapbooking, gift certificates to a golf shop or crafts shop are very acceptable. 

Co-worker gifts that are also acceptable are presents of food, such as food baskets or boxes of candy, although it’s a good idea to check if the co-worker has allergies or avoids certain foods. Personalized mugs or picture frames make great general co-worker gifts. Flowers are also a great gift that can be given to everyone.

It is important to remember that  co-worker gifts should involve minimal expense. It is important to bear in mind that not everyone has the same income. If your office has an annual gift exchange, co-worker gifts should not be excessive in price.