Employee Xmas Gifts (employer, job, paid, interest)

[md2ga]

Help - I have eight employees to buy for this Christmas. I would like to keep each person around $20.00. There are male and females - please help with any suggestions!!

[sapphire]

Well, since gift cards are out.........just stick a $20 in a money holder. Sometimes I get things from people and I just wish they had either not given me some little trinket, or just give me the money they spent instead. That sounds ungrateful, but seriously, who needs more trinkets?

[MIKEETC]

I would just give them $20 directly with a card.

[IonRedline08]

I agree with Cash as a good idea, but...

I know my work would flip out of I did that. It is a corporate place, and if they got wind of it, which they would in about 5 seconds, I am sure I would get in trouble.

What about a planner?
Magazine Subscription?
Books?

[GypsySoul22]

Can you give them some sort of voucher to a supermarket? My husband's ex job used to do this and it was great.

You could splurge on holiday dinner a little more with that $20 or just buy something interesting.

I agree, if you can't get a voucher, give them the cash. Who needs another mug or other cheap thing?

[djkkt6]

Ties for the men if you're in a business professional environment.

Not sure about the women. Gift certificates to a local spa?

[ESFP]

I always liked the catalog gift, whereas the employer paid an unknown amount and gave me a catalog to pick out any gift in it. Incentive Gift Program's Sales Incentive Catalog Different employees can get different priced catalogs and won't know, as the gifts available are according to which priced catalog I got, but have no price marked. I could get a portable radio, knife set, tire inflater... Whatever I choose.

[christina0001]

I don't like the idea of cash, sounds more like a weak bonus than a gift, even though it's not.

I used to go to stores like TJ Maxx or whatever, and find something cute like a jar of cookie mix, or a Christmas tree ornament, something like that. For a mix of genders, I might do an ornament. You could also do a nice pen, or some kind of food item like a small ham or a small fruit basket, a pretty little cake, something like that.

[Racelady88]

I didn't see where the OP said no gift cards. Those are my favorite gifts. I have gotten nice meals at local restaurants, gas station cards, and even certificates for a car wash. My favorites have always been to the grocery store or to Wal Mart where I can get something I truly need.

I have had bosses who gave away things I had no use for and I always wondered if they knew that nobody really appreciated the gift. If you know each person well enough to make each gift personal it would mean a lot more. If not a gift card is better than a picture frame or a mug warmer or a festive holiday tin of popcorn.

[Moonlady]

Last year my boss gave us all a basket from our local grocer. They had different themes - mine was Mediterranean and had olives, pasta, lots of neat stuff. I loved it! You might see if you can find something like that or even put one together yourself.