As Spark News posted earlier this week, company Christmas parties are back and employees all over the country are excitedly anticipating the awkward yet undoubtedly entertaining interactions that tend to take place during them.
As stated in the recent blog post, 22 percent of employees intend to take the holiday cheer into their own hands and buy presents for their co-workers and bosses on their own. In light of that statistic, CNN published tips that employees may find beneficial when buying their co-workers or superiors gifts for the holidays. Check out a few of them and remember, keep it professional and classy this holiday season.
Talk About Gifts Before Exchanging
If you’re unsure about buying gifts for your co-workers or are unsure of what to get them, talk to them. Ask them what their plans are and maybe work towards setting up a gift-exchange for the office. As CNN states, setting up an office gift exchange is a good way to avoid the odd, “oops, I didn’t get you anything” moment.
Give Something Neutral If You’re Unsure
Often times we may find that we don’t really know the people we work with all too well. You may spend day after day with them, but how well do you really know your co-workers? Do you know what products they like to use or what kind of candle scent they like best? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t, but getting gifts that are neutral and can be used for a variety of things is the best way to go if you are unsure of what to get. For instance, a gift card is a great present for a co-worker and they can use it for whatever they want.
Regift Wisely
It is the opinion of some that regifting is rude and tacky. Others think it’s an awesome way to get rid of something you’ll never use by giving it to someone else. Whatever your opinion on the subject may be, if you regift make sure you do it wisely. Make sure that it is unopened, unused and in good condition. Nobody wants the opened lotion that you used once and realized that you didn’t like the scent. That would be an example of unwise regifting. However, regifting the musky-scented candle that your Aunt gave you last year or for your birthday is a bit wiser, granted you never lit the wick. Just make sure it is something your co-worker is actually going to like and appreciate, not just something to give away and get rid of.
Be Fair
Though you may be better acquainted with some of your co-workers than others, you should be gifting all of your colleagues equally. Of course, it may always be wise to spend a little more on the boss, but that’s an obvious move. If you work with a best friend or someone you want to give a bigger gift to, than you should probably do it outside of work to ensure that you are fair.
If you follow these office gifting rules, your office holiday festivities are bound to be great. And always remember to keep it professional. Take a look at some of the strangest gifts that employees got from their co-workers last year answered in a CNN survey.
A zombie figurine
A keychain that shouts expletives
Bacon of the month club
A ceramic snake
A clock that meows three times on the hour
A hand-painted landscape on a toilet seat
A glass high-heel shoe filled with dish soap
Mustache scissors
A whip
A 12-pack of cola
SOURCE: CNN Living
IMAGE: Courtesy of The Daily Cookie
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