Looking for ideas for office gifts. Price range is $15. All women in the office. My thought was an apron with apron poem I found on the history of aprons. Thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
The biggest office hit for me was the year I made home-made Kahlua!
I made it, put it in cool glass containers, wrapped it in clear festive bags w/ribbon and a cute tag...it was HUGE hit both with my co-workers and at my husband's office!!
Husband says someone has asked him for it or inquired about it every year since then! Pretty neat!
I swoon any time someone gives me a Starbucks gift card. Not very original but for me, an overpriced mocha = a little bit of luxury and relaxation time in the middle of a hectic day.
I found really nice body butters at Victorias Secret a few years back. They always have a good sale at this time of year. Everyone loved them ( the women that is!).
Are you buying for one woman in the office or for all the women in the office? If just for one person, you could do:
A $15 sweater in a staple color (navy, black etc).
Mini crockpot. Elite has one for $16.
Faux leather gloves.
A cold weather car kit: ice scraper, hand warmers, pair of sm knit gloves for $1, tire guage, flare, inexpensive thermos etc.
Framed inspirational quote for their desk (write your own or find one
online) w/a big bar of good chocolate.
Cute bowl for change to be kept by their front door or on their desk.
Little canvas picture (you can find them for $10 or $15).
Set of cloth napkins for their home in a pretty color.
I like the catered lunch idea, too.
Updated
Are you buying for one woman in the office or for all the women in the office? If just for one person, you could do:
A $15 sweater in a staple color (navy, black etc).
Mini crockpot. Elite has one for $16.
Faux leather gloves.
A cold weather car kit: ice scraper, hand warmers, pair of sm knit gloves for $1, tire guage, flare, inexpensive thermos etc.
Framed inspirational quote for their desk (write your own or find one
online) w/a big bar of good chocolate.
Cute bowl for change to be kept by their front door or on their desk.
Little canvas picture (you can find them for $10 or $15).
Set of cloth napkins for their home in a pretty color.
I like the catered lunch idea, too.
I got my staff tins of popcorn from the local boy scouts. Yes, I could have bought the same tin for 1/3 the price at Walmart, but, they seem to enjoy knowing that it also benefited a local group. And i'm the one out the extra $$, so it's not like they lost out on something.
Crock Pots lunch size
I love the idea of a catered lunch! If I worked in an office I would appreciate a catered lunch over a gift.
Why don't you do a fun catered or boxed lunch one day. You can do something yummy for $15/pp even if you have to go pick it up somewhere. It might be nicer to have a little impromptu Christmas lunch instead of an actual gift.
I think the apron thing is kind of cute, and I do find shopping for women so easy as there are tons of little things I like, but sometimes I feel like we have so much stuff it's nice to have someone do something nice for you instead.
Whatever you decide it's nice you think of everyone!
Oh and I've made my own kahula before too and it's super easy and very yummy! You can get cheap glass bottles at lots of places.
$15 worth of high-end chocolates! You can rarely go wrong with this gift. If the person doesn't enjoy chocolate, she is probably an alien. Just kidding. If she isn't into sweets, then she has an instant "hostess gift" for the party she's likely attending that weekend!
After many many years of Secret Santa Swaps, Yankee Gift Exchanges, Chinese Gift Exchanges... whatever, here are my thoughts... unless you actually know who you are buying for, get something consumable. I cannot tell you how many "trinkets" and "candles" I have tossed in the trash on my way home from an office party. I don't like clutter and we don't use candles (we all have bad allergies).
The BEST swap gift I have ever received was a beautifully hand-painted cookie jar filled with homemade cookies. The cookie jar was tasteful, small and the giver knows that I have young children so the cookie jar is always filled. She is a phenom in the kitchen, so she made her "famous" lemon cookies and included the recipe along with 5 coupons for a "free dozen" because she knows that I don't bake! Thoughtful and personal, but then again we drew names at work that year so she knew she had me!
We have done yankee candles (both small ones and car freshners), hand lotion. scarves, lottery tickets, coffee cups/gift cards, chocolate, etc. Just small $5-$10 a piece gifts. Not sure how many people you have to buy for, but that always makes a difference for me.
LOVE your idea....go for it!
How many people are you buying for?
I've been in several offices where we did a Yankee Swap as part of our holiday party. Have you ever done one? Everyone buys a gift and there's a price limit (Usually $15-20). One gift. Wrap it. At the party, every picks a number, and then they choose a gift in order. #1 goes first, selects a gift, opens it. #2 does the same thing, but now can decide if she likes her gift or #1's gift. If she likes #1's gift, she swaps. #3 goes, but can choose between her gift and gifts #1 and #2. And so on. At the very end, Person #1 gets to choose whatever she wants because she's the only one who didn't get to swap yet. It's hilarious to see desirable gifts getting grabbed and gag gifts getting traded off. A lot of times people swap for a gift that would be perfect for them or for someone in their family, so it's not like people get stuck with really bad stuff. It's just a personal preference sort of thing.
If you like this idea, there's also a little holiday story about "The Wright Family" - everyone holds a wrapped gift, and someone reads the story. It's full of the words "Wright" "Right" and "Write" as well as "left" - every time you hear a key word, the gifts pass to the right or the left. When all the passing is done (complete with laughter!), then you start with the #1, #2 and swapping.
This kind of makes a game of all of it, provides entertainment, keeps the price range manageable, and puts a whole lot of gifts into the mix so people can choose.
Just another way to go.
ETA - here's the link where you and others can find "The Wright Family"
What about a FREE no boss day. That is a day where you, the boss lock yourself in the office, no email to staff, no watching the sign in/sign out, etc.
Then the next week, you can hold a meeting and ask what did they like about the day, etc.
I would VALUE that!
If you are not the boss-what about a $15 collection of fast food gift certificates from various spots and allow the girls to 'fight' over them at a potluck?
