Turns out the holidays are most enjoyable when we go into them with realistic expectations…players gonna play, kids will get sugared up and have tantrums, Uncle Ted will still defy logic by smelling like garlic at all times (seriously, how does that happen when he JUST got out of the shower?!). 

You want to get great gifts for your coworkers, but don’t have all the time in the world. What to do? 

First, you need a strategy – are you going to have a signature gift that you give every year or are you going to find a new, often individual, gift annually? 🎁 Here are some pros and cons to help you make the decision, and our favorite gifts for each.

A) Signature gifts

Pros: Definitely the most time-efficient (and often cost-efficient) approach. In an ideal world, you become known for this thing you give and folks look forward to it every year. These are typically consumables, so you know it won’t clutter up someone’s space (or end up in a landfill).

Cons: John Ruhlin, the author of Giftology, points out that the best gift is something that the giver will use frequently, and think of you when they do. With consumables, the gift is often gone in a week, eliminating the “think of me” factor that Ruhlin advocates.

Our recommendations:

• The “You-Can’t-Go-Wrong” Professional Gift: Harry and David’s “Favorite Royal Riviera Pears” ($40). I’ve been giving these for years because they are delicious and everyone loves them. HACK: Early in my career, I couldn’t quite swing $40 per person, so I purchased the Three Pack ($99) and then re-wrapped them in pairs of two in cellophane bags ($14) with a fun holiday ribbon ($6). That took my average price per gift down to about $9 AND I had one delicious pear left for myself!
• For those with a sweet tooth: This 4-pack of assorted cookies (the thick ones!) 🍪 comes beautifully packaged, and the folks we give it often share stories of enjoying it with their loved ones. When I send consumables, I’m always concerned about the quality of the product in shipping, but Levian has nailed this process. At $29, it’s a great option for those you’ll be shipping the gift to anyway.
• DIY: Some of my favorite memories growing up were of my mother making Pecan Brittle for her co-workers, packaging it in beautiful holiday tins, and then we’d put it on everyone’s desk over the weekend. You can make this your own with fudge, cookies, or any variety of awesome homemade treats.

(Annoying disclaimer on the double-bind: this will be seen as a “warmth” move. If you over-index on competence, as my mother did, this could be a great idea for you. If, however, your teammates tend to question your competence, I’d skip this one for now. If you want to go deeper into competence vs. warmth, I recommend Alison Fragale’s book Likeable Badass).

B) Annual gifts

Pros: It can be fun to brainstorm new things for your co-workers, and annual gifts enable you to personalize the experience to the receiver. 

Cons: This takes a lot more time, and, because you won’t be purchasing in bulk, it can be more expensive.

Our recommendations:

• For Laughs: These notebooks ($19) allow you to select the funny saying that best fits your co-workers; giving a different one to each of your teammates is a speedy way to customize your gifts. For anyone who loves a good pun, I recommend this Pun-a-Day calendar ($20).
• For Readers: This Literature mug ($28) allows your recipient to scan a QR code for a daily literature quote.
• The “one step up gift”: If you are looking for a “small luxury” gift for clients or co-workers, I recommend these leather goods from Cuyana. I’ve monogrammed and given the medium travel case ($98) and men’s zip toiletry case ($198) on numerous occasions. If the recipient uses it frequently, you can gift the tech case ($78), travel jewelry case ($98), or tech carry-all ($198) next year.