Christmas Gift Guide for Work Proximity Associates

If your office is organizing a gift exchange, even if it’s a white elephant gift or Secret Santa, we have some ideas for what you might want to give your coworkers without being tacky or over-the-top. Gifts for our work associates can often be strange and off-the-wall, simply because we don’t know them well enough to get them anything of worth. Here’s our list of ideas for that person you spend most of your day with.

Recipe Book

Everyone loves to eat. Regardless of who you’re gifting, a recipe book might just be the thing. It’s especially useful if the coworker in question has a taste for ramen or tacos. If you purchase the appropriate recipe book, they’ll be delighted. Even if you’re not sure if they’ve ever turned on a stove before in their life, these days there are several fun cookbooks on the shelves, from Snoop Dogg’s cookbook to Danny Trejo’s cookbook, to Gordon Ramsey’s old favorite. Classy, cool, or a little crazy, there’s a recipe book for just about anyone.

Office Chair Cushion

Regardless of whether you work in an office or work from home, the fact of the matter is your office chair will begin to feel like sitting on a rock the longer you sit in it. Consider gifting a cushion for the person in the cubicle next to you (or on the Zoom call, as the case may be). Everyone appreciates a comfy tushy, so give them a gift that will help them enjoy their day a little more comfortably.

Coffee Mugs or Wine Tumblers

Is your coworker always drinking coffee? Are they the first to suggest happy hour after work? With all the fun and exciting mugs and tumblers out there, you’re sure to find the perfect one that suits their personality. Don’t just get them a plain cup, get them one that requires a little thought and tell them you appreciate who they are. Perhaps your mug could come in a little care package complete with the roast – or the wine – of their choice. Include some chocolates. Go the extra mile. Don’t simply get them the mug or the tumbler, gift them some goodies as well. 

Candles

Nowadays, you can find candles in all shapes, sizes, and scents. They’re not just for women anymore. If you have that hard-to-buy-for male coworker, consider getting him a candle that smells like cedar, leather, bourbon, or all of them combined. This is especially handy for those coworkers who work from home, to brighten the atmosphere and keep them focused on work. Couple the candle with some soaps of the same scent and make it that much more of an aromatic bonanza. You might even throw in some bath salts and a facemask for the ultimate gift of relaxation.

Christmas gifts for the coworkers don’t have to be throw-away items, gag gifts, or re-gifts from days of Christmases past, get them something new, something meaningful, and something they’ll actually love. Delight your coworkers with gifts that show them you care.