Cheap Holiday Gifts for Coworkers

The holidays are a great time for coworkers to get together at an office party and exchange gifts. Everyone can relax and enjoy themselves without worrying about meeting deadlines, making sales quotas, crunching numbers, or churning out reports. If your workplace has a lot of employees, you may be struggling to think of gift ideas for coworkers that won't leave your wallet empty. Here are some frugal holiday gift ideas that don't cost a lot of money and won't make you look like a cheapskate at the office.

Cheap Holiday Gifts for Coworkers - Idea #1 - Travel bottle sets

With all the security restrictions in place when traveling by airplane, a set of travel bottles makes an excellent gift. Everyone who travels by plane needs them, and they are very inexpensive but practical. You can pick up an entire set for under $2 at discount stores such as Target or Walmart, and most drug stores carry them as well. Wrap them up, stick a gift tag and bow on the outside, and you're all done.

Cheap Holiday Gifts for Coworkers - Idea #2 - Holiday themed pencils

Pencils with holiday themed stenciling on them make great cheap coworker holiday gifts. They're not only inexpensive, but they are functional as well. The pencils can be picked up at a dollar store or discount store for under one dollar each. The stenciling on Christmas themed pencils will most likely be cute reindeer, santa claus, snowmen, snowflakes, or other whimsical Christmas icons. Thanksgiving themed pencils typically have turkeys, pilgrim hats, cornucopia, or fall colored leaves. Buy several pencils with your favorite designs on them and bundle them together with a piece of curly ribbon. Add an inexpensive notepad and your gift is complete. Use the top piece of paper from the notepad to leave a "to and from" message for the recipient.

Cheap Holiday Coworker Gifts - Idea #3 - Coffee cups stuffed with hot chocolate / tea / coffee

Holiday themed cups and mugs can be found a dollar store or discount store for under one dollar each. Fill the cups with individual packets of hot chocolate, packets of tea, or single serve instant coffee sticks. You can buy big boxes of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee in bulk at a wholesale club or other discount shopping store, and then split the box up amongst the cups. Buying in bulk will save money. Finish off the gift by tying some swizzle sticks to the cup handle with colorful curly ribbon and a to-from gift tag tucked inside or tied to the end of ribbon.

Cheap Holiday Gifts for Coworkers - Idea #4 - Candle with candle holder

Tea light candles come in a wide variety of colors and scents and make a very economical and useful gift. They can be bought in bulk at discount stores and split up to make gifts for several people. Inexpensive candle holders can be found at dollar stores. Simply put the candles in the holders and wrap some holiday colored saran wrap around them and tie the top closed with some curly ribbon. Attach a note card and your thrifty gift is complete.

Cheap Holiday Coworker Gifts - Idea #5 - Homemade bread or cookies

Homemade baked goods such as bread or cookies are a very economical gift idea. All you need is a good recipe and some miniature bread loaf pans. Small sized heavy duty foil pans or small ceramic loaf dishes can be found for about $1. Cookie tins are inexpensive as well and can be found with holiday themed decorations. The cost for ingredients to make the bread will vary depending on what flavor you make, but the cost will be minimal. Wrap the bread or cookies in colorful saran wrap and attach a note card.

Cheap Holiday Coworker Gifts - Idea #6 - Puzzle books

Just about everyone enjoys some type of puzzle book, such as Sudoku, crossword, or find-a-word puzzle book. They can be bought for under a buck at dollar stores or other discount shopping stores such as Big Lots or 75 Off Books. Depending on the number of people you're buying for, you could also stash a $5 gift certificate to a used bookstore such as "Half Price Books". You can wrap the book or simply put a large bow and gift tag on top and you're good to go.