| How to Choose a Christmas Gift for Your Boss Dec 18th 2012, 08:00 Is it Christmas time, or a different holiday, and you're having trouble thinking of a good gift to give to your boss? Maybe it's for another employee or just someone you don't know well enough to know what they like. Here's some help to find that perfect gift. - Think about what you know about your boss. Do they enjoy any particular activities, like sports cars, adventure climbing, or Roman history? Are they a bit geeky, a fan of certain shows, or obsessed with cooking? Hopefully you've had enough proverbial water-cooler conversations with to know the answer to some of those questions. This will help you form a small personality profile on them, allowing you to start brainstorming on what types of things they might like.
- Take the time to have a personal conversation with them. Ask them questions about their family, their children, their weekends, their vacations. (Not all at once, it could look suspicious.) A personal conversation with your boss will give you a better understanding of their mannerisms and motivations as well as gift ideas.
- Take a peek in your boss's office (if they have one). It is outfitted with a lot of technology? Think electronics. Does it have a lot of personal mementos? Think scrapbook or picture frame. Take a cue from your boss's work environment.
- Decide how much you want to spend. If it's a significant present, ask some of your co-workers if they want to chip in. Depending on your work situation, shoot to spend $100 or less. Any more and your boss might think you're trying to buy his or her favor.
- Gather up store ads in the newspaper or a generic website and browse through them to get ideas. With their interests in mind and a set budget, you should find something that they will enjoy.
- Consider a humorous gift if your boss has a sense of humor. If your boss if the kind of person who knows how to laugh at him/herself, especially, a funny gift could be the perfect opportunity to let off some steam and show your boss you care.
- There are all manner of funny gifts you can get your boss. It's best to get something that won't make him/her feel self-conscious, so think of something that's non-threatening and may even stroke his/her ego:
- A flying stuffed animal, such as a squirrel or a monkey.
- A giant fist coozie.
- A reindeer candy dispenser that dispenses candy out of its...backside.
- A "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" pillow (A pillow shaped like the arm of a girl or a guy).
- A giant "impossipuzzle."
- Consumable or disposable items also work well since your boss won't feel like the gift is just taking up space.
- Avoid pranks, elaborate or otherwise. Stick to physical gifts if you can; pranks can turn sour if your boss isn't expecting them.
- Craft an item with a group of coworkers. Craft your boss something DIY or homemade, adding a little bit of a personalized touch, often for less money. Unless the craft item takes very little time to make, it's better to craft the gift as a group: You don't want your boss to think you're trying to curry favor or, even worse, romantically curious (if applicable).
- Buy one of those ready-made gift baskets; even cheaper and more thoughtful is to gather items separately and create your own custom gift basket. This way you can truly personalize the basket and buy items you know they will not only like, but truly love (i.e. their favorite candy/beverage/snack).
- Personalize your gift. Whatever gift you decide on getting your boss, it's a good idea to add a personal touch. Personalization lets your boss know that you bought/made the present with him/her in mind. It's a nice sentiment, even if it's not exactly true.
- Write a meaningful card. Don't simply sign it; say something you truly mean (i.e. "I really enjoy our meetings," "You make me smile when you talk about your children," or "Thank you for your understanding when I was out sick").
- Buying every day items with a little twist will brighten his day (a personalized mug, those neon post-it notes instead of the boring yellow ones, etc.).
- If you are still uncertain as to what to buy, ask a more sensitive worker or one closer to your boss. He or she will be more attuned as to what your boss would enjoy.
- Find out what store they really like spending money at and buy them a gift card. Again, if your budget is not impressive, ask your co-workers to join.
Edit Warnings - Do NOT just get them a gift for the mere purpose of giving them something. Bosses are human, too, and will know what you're doing.
Edit Things You'll Need - An actual interest in your boss's life outside work.
- A set budget.
- Some co-workers to chip in.
- Time to go shopping.
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