Best Holiday Gifts for Co-Workers: Under $20

This year, take a break from the usual coffee mugs, candles, and Christmas ornaments. Here are some inexpensive, fresh ideas for the people who make your job easier. Remember them at holiday time without blowing your budget.

1. Starbucks Gift Cards
Who doesn't need a little lift on the way to work or during the day? You can set the amount. Buy and redeem cards at any free-standing Starbucks store. The best part? One size fits all, so you can optimize your shopping time. If they don't like coffee, Starbucks also offers a selection of teas and hot chocolate. If they do, they can keep the card and charge it up for future use.

2. Wall Calendars
With the price of paper skyrocketing and so many companies cutting their print budgets these days, a lot of vendors aren't sending out the usual calendars at the end of the year, leaving blank walls and disappointment come January. Brighten up your co-workers' cubicles and their days with a colorful calendar. Available at kiosks in any mall or on-line. Pick one with scenes of the tropics for a quick mental vacation. Or choose a theme that suits your colleagues' interests. Kittens for the cat lady, classic muscle cars for the car fan, the appropriate team's baseball or football calendars for the sports nut. Just keep it tasteful - most companies have policies against displaying offensive material. And if you're buying at the mall, buy early. The good ones go fast. Many cost $10.00 or less

3. Williams Sonoma Mulling Spices
Simmer in cider or wine for a soothing holiday treat, or just boil this fragrant mix of spices plain to make your colleague's abode smell wonderful. I've been giving these out for years and have gotten nothing but compliments. Comes packaged in an attractive brass tin. Available only at Williams Sonoma stores, $10.

4. Krause's Chocolates
Yes, everyone gives everyone chocolate at Christmas, but I'm willing to bet that none are as good as these. Krause's Homemade Chocolates has been in business in New York's Hudson Valley for the past 76 years, making hand-dipped chocolates with the freshest ingredients. Available in milk, dark, or white varieties, including sugar-free alternatives. Buy these on-line (web site below), or at their stores if you are lucky enough to live near one (Saugerties, Albany, Poughkeepsie). $12.45 for a pound of pre-assorted chocolates. Voted "Best of the Hudson Valley" for the last four years straight.

5. Gourmet Food Items
It might require a little more detective work (say, if Sue down the hall has a sweet tooth or if your office-mate likes salsa-the hotter the better), but a gourmet treat can be a savored treasure. Some ideas are real maple syrup or candy, gourmet jams and jellies from American Spoon Foods, infused vinegars, or hot sauces and salsas that will melt your utensils. For example, check out the line of barbecue sauces, hot sauces, salsa and other goodies from Danger Men Cooking. Order from their main web site, or check out their list of distributors for a retail location near you. A 7 ounce bottle of their "Tough Guy Hot Sauce" is only 6.95.

6. USB-Heated Travel Mug
We know how it goes at work. You stop by your favorite coffee place on the way to the office, have about three sips then get called away...and by the time you get back your cappuccino has congealed or your latte is lukewarm. With this unique travel mug that can go from car to computer - thanks to a USB adapter - your colleague can keep that coffee hot until the crisis is averted. It also comes with a 12V auto adapter for the car. The stainless steel mug is double-insulated and has a spill-proof lid. Comes in red or blue. At this price, why not put one in your own Christmas stocking? $19.95 at Gifts & Gadgets online.