Now that it’s November, many business owners and leaders are starting to think about planning Christmas parties for the office.
If you work somewhere that typically arranges for a Secret Santa gift exchange or if you have close colleagues you wish to buy a present for, it’s a good idea to start planning for, browsing, and buying goods soon.
Here are some tips you can follow to make navigating workplace Christmas gifting quicker, easier, and more affordable.
Get Clear on the Office Gifting Etiquette
Before shopping for presents, try to wrap your head around the gifting etiquette in your office. If you’re new to the company, you need to understand the policies and traditions that exist around who to buy for (e.g., a Secret Santa pick or most colleagues, and perhaps managers) and when to exchange items.
There may be items that the corporate policy says to avoid buying, too, or the etiquette in the office may be only to buy silly, fun things or to avoid these types of gifts altogether. Ask around the office and your manager(s), in particular, for guidance on what types of presents to purchase.
Note, too, that you may find various people in the office who don’t celebrate the holidays or don’t want to or believe in giving gifts. Everyone’s varying values, beliefs, and traditions must be respected, so don’t purchase anything that could be seen as insensitive to the recipient. If you only plan on buying gifts for those people in the office you speak with and get along best with, it’s also wise to avoid handing out their presents in front of co-workers or others you won’t be gifting anything to.
Look for Professional Gifts with a Personalized Touch
When buying Christmas gifts for people in your office, search for goods that are professional yet have a personalized touch, provided you know who you will be gifting to. If you’re buying for a Secret Santa exchange and don’t know the recipient, try to find something that will suit any gender or age. When you have specific people in mind, though, you can be more precise about your purchases.
When considering items, steer clear of anything that could be too personal to choose from, such as clothing, perfume, jewelry, or art. Avoid buying items that are sexualized or romanticized, too, as you can make people uncomfortable and get in trouble if you go this way. Also, unless you’re sure it’s the done thing in the office, you shouldn’t purchase gag gifts that could be misinterpreted or make people feel uncomfortable or offended.
As you shop for office gifts, see if you can find presents that will cater to the interests, hobbies, tastes, or family or home life of the colleagues or managers you’re buying for. For instance, if you know someone who is a keen reader, you could buy them a bookshop voucher or a coffee mug themed around books or their favorite author. Or, if someone has a favorite food or drink or you know they’re a proud parent, a regular golfer, or a musician, you may find gifts relating to these things.
Keep people’s personal situations in mind when you look for gifts, too. For example, don’t buy a bottle of wine for someone who never drinks alcohol or tea for someone you know only ever drinks coffee. You shouldn’t give a heap of candies or chocolates to a diabetic, either, or purchase anything made from or tested on animals to a vegan or animal activist.
Pay Attention to Budget
Of course, budget is always a vital factor in gift giving, especially in office present exchanges. As such, ensure you find out the allocated budget for a Secret Santa game or the suggested spending limit the company gives for other gifts exchanged in the office. Try not to go too far below the maximum when purchasing, if you can afford it, as you don’t want to come across as a miser or cause friction with those you gift to. On the other hand, you don’t want to go over the budget, either, as this can make you seem a show-off and make some people feel uneasy.
If there isn’t a suggested budget from management, ask around the office to see if colleagues can give you an idea of the etiquette. Plus, think about what you feel is okay to spend and can afford to outlay, as well as the number of people you want to give presents to. If this number is high, you might consider hand-making some gifts, such as Christmas cookies or cute tree ornaments.
Take your time searching for the right gift ideas for your office so you feel good about your decisions later and don’t need to worry about how others in the office might react to what you give out.
