Work appropriate holiday giving revisited.
Here it is again…holiday time, how the heck did 2009 go by so fast? The holiday season has inevitably snuck up on me, and that means one thing: SHOPPING! I’m always looking for ideas for my gift giving, especially since the people I love giving presents to are very hard to buy for. With the budget tight this year, like many of us, I am looking for unique and inexpensive deals, too. Whether you love or loath the hobby, ‘tis the season for gift giving and so I pose the question, what’s work appropriate gifting?
Here are my top 5 picks for work appropriate AFFORDABLE gifting:
Desk Appropriate
Even if you are giving to someone that is not in a desk job, you can never go wrong with desk accessories. Some good ideas to consider are picture frames, disk/CD holders, personalized pens, planners/organizers, calendars, coasters, coffee/tea cups or mugs, stress relief gadgets, notepads, and indoor odorless plants. The price point for these items will vary but most desk items can be found anywhere from $5.00-$25.00.
Ornamental
Not everyone puts up a Christmas tree during the holidays, but it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t appreciate a token of the season. Personalized ornaments are a nice way to capture the holiday spirit and cater to an individual’s hobby or specialty. Ornaments range in price from $10.00-$30.00 and many shops (or mall kiosks) will handwrite a personalized name or year for around $5.00 each.
Gift cards / Monetary
Whoever said gift cards or money are impersonal presents is mistaken in my book. There’s not a person I know that wouldn’t appreciate a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant. Gift cards are one of the most popular ideas for the holiday season and nowadays they can be found in most local grocery stores. The best part is that you can decide how much you can afford to spend without the hassle of shopping.
Books
A really good book such as a biography or fictional novel makes a great work appropriate gift. If you know your co-worker has a hobby like cooking for example, a cookbook makes a great gift-and don’t forget to write a personalized message inside the cover! Prices for new books can range from $5.00-$30.00, or check out a used book store for gently used books in great condition for less than $2.00 each.
Entertainment tickets
Houston has some of the best entertainment hands down. There are many different options for entertainment including theater arts, musicals, sports games, ice rinks, and movies. The price for all of these venues is generally a bit steeper ($50.00-$100.00) than the other options in this blog; however movie tickets can range from $10.00-$20.00. Check out http://www.fandango.com for more information on locations and pricing.
Like I mentioned in my holiday blog last year, the key to work gifting is to remain respectable at all times and if you are unsure about you work gifting policy check with your human resources department or your supervisor. Happy affordable gifting!
Questions or suggestions? Leave a comment to participate in this blog.
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