Earlier this year, we took to LinkedIn and asked hundreds of professionals the question on everyone’s mind when it comes time for the office Secret Santa: What holiday gifts do people prefer to receive in the workplace?
The poll results were loud and clear. While the majority (60%) preferred gift cards or vouchers, people were torn between personalized and practical gifts in a two-way tie for second, and nearly 10% said they’d like to receive food and gourmet treats.
To make sure you get the memo, we rounded up 14 safe-for-work gift ideas that’ll make your office gift exchange a success.
Gift cards
1. Bookshop.org
With a mission to help local, independent bookstores thrive in the age of e-commerce, every purchase made on Bookshop.org supports more than 1,600 independent shops across the United States.
2. ClassPass
With a monthly membership, ClassPass connects you to thousands of fitness and wellness experiences—whether you choose strength training, yoga, Pilates and boxing classes, or massages, acupuncture and manicures, is entirely up to you.
3. HelloFresh
HelloFresh takes the stress out of cooking dinner. Simply choose your favorite recipes and the fresh pre-measured ingredients with step-by-step recipe cards are delivered right to your door.
4. MagicLinen
From bedding to clothing to home decor, MagicLinen offers premium quality linen that is sustainable and OEKO-TEX® certified, guaranteeing the absence of harmful substances and chemicals.
5. Vine to Bar
Using chocolate made from upcycled, pressed chardonnay grapes, Vine to Bar creates earth-friendly gourmet chocolate-covered almonds, chocolate bars and tasting squares made with beneficial antioxidants and lower sugar.
Food & gourmet treats
6. Bushwick Kitchen’s Threes Knees Spicy Gift Set
The gift guaranteed to spice up the party, Bushwick Kitchen’s Threes Knees Spicy Gift Set bundles the brand’s three most addicting gourmet sauces and condiments for the foodie in your life. The set includes bottles of Spicy Honey, Spicy Maple and Gochujang Sriracha, as well as a BK dish towel.
Price: $49.99/ bushwickkitchen.com
7. Compartés’ 20-Piece Signature Truffles Gift Box
Award-winning, gourmet chocolate brand Compartés has been perfecting its recipes for almost 75 years. Compartés’ 20-Piece Signature Truffles Gift Box includes handmade chocolate truffles with assorted fillings that are made with seasonal ingredients and contain no preservatives or additives.
Price: $54.95/ compartes.com
8. Brightland: The Essential Capsule
AAPI-owned and female-founded, Brightland has amassed a cult-like following for its elevated kitchen essentials free of artificial preservatives. Treat the home chefs in your life with The Essential Capsule, which includes two extra virgin olive oils with their own unique flavor profiles and two fruit-infused vinegars.
Price: $112/ brightland.co
Practical gifts
9. Courant’s CATCH:1 Essentials wireless charger
A sleek and stylish wireless charger, the CATCH:1 Essentials is wrapped in designer-quality Belgian linen and takes up no more space than a coffee coaster. The charger is designed specifically to reduce dead zones thanks to the large charging coil and charges Apple and Android devices quickly.
Price: $40/ staycourant.com
10. Costa Farms Houseplants
Costa Farms grows more than 1,500 varieties of houseplants and ships them directly to your door. Head to the website to toggle between categories like light level and water level. With more than 50 plants at $50 or less, including the mini Monstera, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect plant for your officemate.
Price: Starting at $24/ costafarms.com
11. Kaenon Sunglasses
Kaenon’s Avalon Polarized Sunglasses are available in seven hand-painted colors. And they do more than just look good: Discreetly integrated nose pads keep the frames in place, and anti-glare, hyper-clear polarized lenses help you tackle whatever adventure is on your to-do list.
Price: $125/ kaenon.com
Best personalized Christmas gifts for coworkers
12. Birthday Co. Birthday Candle
Perhaps the most personalized gift of the bunch, the Birthday Candle comes in 365 individualized labels and scents that coincide with the receiver’s birthday and star reading.
Available in scents like “rose, neroli and water lily,” each candle is hand-poured in small batches in the U.S. and has a burn time of 60-80 hours.
Price: $49.99/ birthdate.co
13. Papier Colorblock Notebook
For the list maker in the office, Papier’s hardback Colorblock Notebook comes in nine colors and can be customized based on paper type (lined, plain or dotted) and personalized with the name of your Secret Santa. Papier sources its paper from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests that comply with the highest social and environmental standards.
Price: $32/ papier.com/us
14. Manuel-Dreesmann Laptop Slip Sleeve
The Slip Sleeve For MacBook by Manuel-Dreesmann is perfectly minimalist, made of premium leather and sewn by hand in the heart of Barcelona to ensure maximum quality. Available in 13-, 14- and 16-inch sizes, each MacBook sleeve can be personalized with a name or logo. If you’re a PC user, don’t worry—just send the customer service team a note, and they can adjust the sleeve size to fit.
Price: $190/ manuel-dreesmann.com/en-us
Prices accurate as of press time.
This article originally appeared in the November/December issue of SUCCESS magazine. Header photo by DC Studio/Shutterstock; Body photos by 6: ©BushwickKitchen; 8: ©Brightland; 10: ©CostaFarms; 12: ©Birthdate.co.
Megan Nicole O’Neal is a writer with a passion for storytelling, traveling and whenever possible, mixing the two. The UCLA alum lives in Los Angeles; more specifically westside coffee shops with equally strong wifi and dark roasts. Connect with Megan on Twitter at @megan_n_onealor her website mnoneal.com.
