Ten Gift Ideas for Your Boss

Buying a gift for your boss can seem intimidating since you want to impress him or her with your creativity and gift giving skills. When deciding on a gift, buy something that fits their personality and choose something they will find useful.

1. Paperweight - Amazon.com actually has some really neat paper weights: a stainless steel Kikkerland 50-year Calendar Paperweight for only $10.25 for the modern, industrial boss or the Alexander Kalifano Gemstone Globe paper weight. It sells for only $29.99 and is handmade from hundreds of hand-cut gemstones; it is the perfect addition to any office space.

2. Mug & Starbuck's Gift Certificate - I'm not talking about just any mug now, I'm talking about the "World's Best Boss" Mug from the TV show, The Office. You can find them on NBC.com for $12 and if your boss is a coffee lover, include a $25 gift certificate from Starbuck's so they have something to put in the mug. This would be a great gift for a boss with a great sense of humor.

3. Leather Accessories - Leather is sleek and stylish that has power and confidence written all over it. Depending on how much you are willing to spend, Amazon.com has leather office accessories from pencil and pen holders at $35 to leather file folder boxes at $130.

4. Sports Gear - If your boss is an die-hard sports fan, get him some office accessories from his favorite team. NFLshop.com has everything from pens and pencils to calendars to letter openers. Everything is reasonably priced; most usable office supplies were under $30.

5. Family Gifts - Your boss works hard and therefore may not get to spend as much time at home as he or she likes. Most likely he or she has talked about doing a family outing for some time but just never has the time to get around to it. This year, buy your boss tickets to a local amusement park, exhibit, or sports outing. Prices will vary on your location and the attraction.

6. Go Green - Buy your boss recycled office supplies; not only will he or she appreciate the gift but also your willingness to save the environment. Recycled items can come in paper, folders, and clipboards. Amazon.com also features recycled newspaper and magazine products such as: mirrors, vases, and coasters; these products can range in price from $10 to $140.

7. Charitable Donation - Give a charitable donation in honor of your boss to their favorite charitable program. Non-profit organizations such as Military Missions and March of Dimes allow you to make a donation in honor of someone special. Once the donation is made they will send a personalized card to your person of honor explaining the gift given. The website, www.charitynavigator.com gives a list of numerous, well-established charitable programs. With the amount of scams piling up, check with this website before making a donation to verify that the program is valid.

8. Magazine Subscription - There are many business magazine subscription choices that would be great reading material for your boss. Two very popular business magazines are, The Economist and Business Week. There are a variety of magazines that are tailored to specific careers such as, accounting, banking, technology, and even Hollywood Scriptwriting! Magazine subscriptions can range from $20 a year to well over $100 a year, so choose wisely. Also, a great way to present the gift is to buy the magazine from the store and wrap it up with the gift certificate of the annual subscription so they can get a feel for what you have gotten them.

9. Desk Calendar - Because every day should start off with a little chuckle, get your boss one of the desk calendars on the 'Top 50 Humor Calendar List' on www.calendars.com. They have it all, Peanuts, Jeff Foxworthy, and Office 101 calendars; they even have calendars specific to certain professions such as, medicine and law. These calendars range in price from $10 to $30.

10. Food - You can never go wrong with food. Many companies have gotten very creative in the display of food such as Edible Arrangements. Their fruit arrangements come with strawberries, apples, and cantaloupe with some even dipped in chocolate. These fruit arrangements range in price from $50 to well over $100 depending on the size. Home-made cookie platters are not only inexpensive but thoughtful and delicious as well.