What Should I Give My Co-Workers for the Holidays?

Whether you work in a small office or a large one, chances are good that there are at least a few co-workers that you want to (or need to) buy holiday gifts. Shopping for co-workers, many of whom you only interact with five days a week, eight hours a day, can be tricky. Here are a few tips designed to help you choose gifts that will be appreciated, while being acceptable for even those co-workers who you might only consider acquaintances.

Food and Drinks
Food and drinks are always good holiday gifts for acquaintances like co-workers, as they aren't too personal, but can be somewhat personalized. For example, if your co-worker is a coffee drinker, a selection of gourmet coffees or coffee flavoring syrups might be a nice choice. If you've noticed that one of your co-workers frequently hits the snack machines for candy, a nice tin of his or her favorites is always good. Shopping for food and drink related holiday gifts is made even easier by the fact that many larger stores carry pre-packaged gift sets around the holidays. You can simply browse the aisles for something that strikes you as a good match with the co-worker in question. One word of advice - if you are looking at the "drinks" portion of this suggestion, think non-alcoholic. While some companies may be more accepting of gifts of alcohol between co-workers, it's always a better idea to play it safe and steer clear of this potential dangerous area. Also, keep in mind the plethora of food allergies that people have today. If you simply aren't sure about someone's allergies, you may be safer choosing a different gift instead.

Office Knick-Knacks
Most people who work in an office have some sort of personal desk area, and generally they are permitted to decorate that area to some extent. If your co-workers seem to have themes within their desk areas, see if you can't find them something to fit the theme. For example, anyone who saw my desk at work would deduce (rightly so) that finding me Star Wars related items would be a safe bet. If your co-workers don't have an already established theme, try small potted plants or eye-catching desk accessories, like pencil holders or coasters. This idea can work especially well if you are skilled at crafts, as you may be able to make some sort of decorative and useful desk accessory for your co-workers. These items need not be holiday themed, though they certainly can be.

Calendars
Around the holidays, entire stores spring up in most of the malls I have been to, selling calendars by the hundreds. Many of these are day-by-day desk calendars, though they offer traditional wall calendars as well. Desk calendars are a great gift for co-workers, particularly if you know their interests. Have a co-worker who talks about their pets? Get them a calendar featuring pictures of their favorite animal. The varieties of calendars sold as the holidays approach are nearly infinite, so there is a good chance that you will be able to find something that will suit nearly any co-worker. If all else fails, calendars containing crossword puzzles, find-a-word puzzles, or similar games are generally a good bet for anyone. Calendars of this sort that advertise themselves as being 10 or 15 minute puzzles are particularly good, as they're just the right length for an average break, giving your co-worker a little something to take their mind off of work for a few minutes.

While it is true that these gift suggestions all rely on you having some knowledge of your co-workers, it's not too late to start gaining this knowledge. If a particular co-worker has you stumped, start paying a bit more attention to any evidence they give of their hobbies or interests. Even the most reticent co-worker is likely to at least leave a few clues, and they are likely to appreciate your holiday gift all the more if it shows that you have paid attention.