I have no idea what to get for the office gift exchange

by Alison Green on November 26, 2024

A reader writes:

I’ve signed up to participate in my office’s gift swap, where everyone is supposed to bring a wrapped gift and we’ll each pick one to open. I think it’s a Yankee Swap, where people will pick one at a time and then can either keep what they opened or “steal” someone else’s gift. Since I don’t know who’s going to end up taking home whatever I bring, I have no idea how to shop for this! What’s a good generic gift to bring when you don’t know who it will be for?

You can read my answer to this letter at New York Magazine today, where I’m also answering these additional questions about holiday gift-giving at work:

  • Should I give my boss a gift?
  • Should I get my employees gifts?
  • My boss wants an expensive gift!
  • My company gives terrible gifts
  • My coworker gives me a gift every year – should I be reciprocating?
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{ 310 comments }

{ 310 comments… read them below }

    1. Somehow I Manage*

      I wonder what happened to the rest of the blankets because they said they only had three left.

      I hope gifted them year after year to one person…

    3. Slow Gin Lizz*

      Haha, I do love that one. That post has a lot of ridiculous stories in it, was fun to read again, so thank you for posting.

      2. LaurCha*

        My last workplace was in South Louisiana, and there were a lot of home cooks in the department. Knives were actually very popular in our Christmas gift exchange. The guy who summered in Alaska brought one of those ulu knives one year, the head of our study abroad brought a lovely little set from Italy, etc. Obviously these were of the kitchen/dining type variety, not weird hunting or tactical knives.

        We did the yankee swap thing, and the most popular gifts were booze and knives. I don’t know what that says about the art department, but there you go.

    3. Artemesia*

      A decent one is really expensive; a cheap one is junk. If the dollar amount is high enough to get a nice cheeseboard with tools, it is a lovely gift but it is out of the range of the exchanges I have been in. A nice small box of candy is safe and easily regifted and of course the price range on that can be anywhere.

      In yankee swaps, oddly the gifts that were most popular in several exchanges I have been in were toys. I remember a bathtub submarine that was the most stolen item. Jigsaw puzzles — local art museums have cool ones. And in fact the gift shops of local museums often have things that would work well for exchanges including nice puzzles. I remember someone getting one of those vases that is flat and then folds out to hold water and flowers. And you get the double benefit of supporting a local institution.

      Alcohol is a know your group thing.

      1. Middle Aged Lady*

        Toys are always good. A few years ago Mr. Middle Aged Lady brought in a tiny Baby Yoda that was quite popular. Maybe a Wicked themed item this year would be good?

      2. Anon for this*

        I will never forget the peals of laughter at a battery operated yapping, walking, fluffy white stuffie dog.

        The icing on the cake was learning it had been brought by our emeritus guest. He had a serious face and an intimidating CV — and I learned that day he also had a wicked sense of humor.

    4. Three Flowers*

      USB mug warmer (with an auto-off weight sensor for safety). I thought this was a total gimmick until I tried it. Now it has a permanent place of honor on my desk.

      2. LaurCha*

        Did you find one for less than those Ember ones that are like $100? I have a colleague who really needs one (her coffee always goes cold and she gripes about it)…. but I’m not spending that much!

        2. A Significant Tree*

          I have a no-name one that was a gift in a swap a few years ago, it works great and our gift budget was <$20 (US).

      3. Mornington Crescent*

        Someone bought my boss one in our Secret Santa last year, and he managed to burn his finger on it!

    6. Pottery Yarn*

      I did a pack of knives for last year’s white elephant exchange. We had three recent grads join the team and all were making plans to move into their first apartments, so I knew they would be useful!

      1. Norm Peterson*

        I saw a tiny vacuum (usb powered desk size) it is sitting in my Amazon cart while I decide if I want to spend the $14 to participate in our under $20 white elephant.

        1. Seeking Second Childhood*

          I’d say that’s a really good idea unless you have one person who is constantly being teased for crumbs on their keyboard. Then it might feel barbed.

    7. BW*

      One year someone brought big fuzzy “bear claw” slippers, and EVERYONE wanted them. The woman who finally won them wore them everyday at work. She’d change out of her regular shoes and just wear the giant bear claws around the office.

    8. Dek*

      Not the worst, but as someone who lives in an apartment with a small kitchen and has gotten Fancy Cheese Boards before…they just wind up going somewhere else.

      That said, odds are also good someone with a house and the ability to entertain there would steal it.

      tbh I say just walk around TJ Maxx or Marshall’s in the front and pick up something that catches your eye. Hard to go wrong with a blanket. Especially if the office is cold.

      1. JB*

        This is the key. When you are shopping for a Yankee Swap/gift swap, you are not looking for a gift that ANYONE would like, but just one that a good number of people will like.

        Ideally this means it ends up with someone who appreciates it, but if not, it should be easily re-gifted.

        It should also be something you wouldn’t mind bringing home yourself. So if the person who gets stuck with it seems really disappointed, you can do an after-game trade for whatever you ended up with and just keep your own gift.

        The best choice will still be dictated somewhat by your audience. Our department is mostly young men recently out of college. A lot of booze gets swapped at our annual Yankee Swap. I don’t drink, couldn’t tell you the first thing about booze so I certainly shouldn’t be buying it for anyone as a gift. I am bringing a box set of hot sauces.

    1. Bettyboop*

      agreed on this not everyone drinks and it really sucks when you get booze and you can’t drink it

      1. NotBatman*

        It can also inspire some overly personal conversations by accident. The question “why don’t you drink?” has like 8 extremely personal answers (religion, medical condition, family alcoholism) and yet people feel the need to ask it at work all the dang time.

      2. Mad Harry Crewe*

        It took me years to work through (via cooking or regifting) bottles of wine I received at my last job.

      3. Aggretsuko*

        It’s always the person in AA who ends up getting the booze. Happened to my coworker every year.

        1. Csethiro Ceredin*

          We have a few people who I know are in recovery (but they are very open about it and wouldn’t have been offended) but the one year someone got wine for our exchange, our solitary underage staff member received it.

    2. Venus*

      I remember seeing a bottle of wine at one of these random gift exchanges, and the person wrapped it up to make it obvious that it was a bottle of wine and it was picked early on by someone who knew exactly what they were getting. I wouldn’t get alcohol myself, and wouldn’t suggest it, but in that case it worked well.

      1. JB*

        Yes, our swap has a lot of alcohol but it is always either wrapped in such a way that you can see what it is or it is placed in one of those tall bags that’s really only for booze. So it is very easy for me and the other non-drinking participants to avoid it.

        Personally I would say to be really careful with items that are NOT straight-up alcohol but which include alcohol as an ingredient. Much easier for someone to grab without realizing. I’ve run afoul of this myself, a coworker opened my gift knowing I don’t drink and don’t bring booze for the swap…but what I had brought was a make your own pretzel kit with beer cheese. Not a problem for me and my own non-drinking habits, but not something she could use herself. (It wasn’t any kind of disaster since she just swapped for something else she wanted, but I still felt a little bad.)

    3. Drago Cucina*

      It’s also a big matter of taste.

      I have a serious wine hobby: WSET 2, working on my wine judge certification, etc. But what I drink for pleasure is different than what I know about and have to judge. I don’t like sparkling wines. I can name at least 5 wine judges who don’t like sparkling wine. Invariably there are suggestions to give wine lovers Champagne.

      I would never give a bourbon drinker a brand unless I knew it was something they liked. The same fors for any alcohol, perfume, etc. It’s all a matter of personal taste and preference.

      1. Caramel & Cheddar*

        This is a Yankee Swap, though. The expectation that a gift will be personal and thoughtful isn’t realistic because it’s different from, say, a Secret Santa where you specifically draw someone’s name. Like, you shouldn’t pick any obviously bottle-shaped items at a Yankee Swap given your expertise and interest, but the person bringing the wine isn’t choosing one with Drago Cucina in mind, they’re just picking whatever was under the price limit at the store.

      2. Dido*

        sounds like a Yankee swap is not for you if your tastes are so specific and you’re not willing to regift what you get if you don’t like it

        1. Elizabeth West*

          This is why I hate them.
          Next time I’m forced to participate, if I get something I like, I’m immediately leaving. Or I’ll bring something I want but no one else would, then take it with me at the end.

          1. Eukomos*

            Office gifting events aren’t really about getting a thing you’re excited to own, they’re about social bonding. In fact, I’d go so far as to say all gifting is about bonding rather than getting an item. If you have a thing you want, go buy it. When you receive a gift, thank the giver for thinking of you and then feel free to toss that sucker directly in the trash the instant they glance away if you don’t want it, it’s not about the object.

          2. ubotie*

            “Next time I’m forced to participate, if I get something I like, I’m immediately leaving”

            Absolutely defeats the purpose of a Yankee swap-style gift exchange, probably against the rules, will very much not win you points with coworkers, and is just all around not conducive to a great working environment. It’s also just unnecessarily combative and frankly, rude and mean.

            If you don’t want to participate then don’t participate. But also, Yankee Swap exchanges are not actually about personal gift preferences. It’s about social bonding and having fun, like others have said. I don’t know why people insist on being so weird about this every time the topic comes up. It’s like people insist on being socially stunted misanthropes (and then they complain that they never get promoted, are never happy at work, never get recommended for jobs, etc without ever seeming to make the connection as to why that might be).

            1. Reluctant Mezzo*

              Yes, I still remember the dramatic chase scene led by the drama teacher at one such gathering over a bucket of Corona. It wasn’t quite a conga line by the time they went outside into the snow, but it looked like one if you squinted.

            2. StringerBell*

              Seriously, why is anyone getting this invested or incensed about a silly company party game? If you actually insist on making some sort of dramatic stand against it, you’re just going to seem very weird and antisocial to most likely all of your coworkers.

            3. pocket microscope*

              Right! It’s not fundamentally about getting a nice gift, it’s a social game. This is like the kid refusing to let go of the parcel in a game of Pass the Parcel, hoping they can keep it by them until the music stops. And I understand that kid, but we’re all adults now. We can either play the game or opt out if it’s that much of a struggle. When we want a small nice thing, we’re generally capable of getting it for ourselves – or if we can’t, then we also genuinely can’t afford to play games with any kind of spend involved, which is a perfectly good reason to opt out.

          3. Nancy*

            Yankee Swaps aren’t about the gifts, that’s why the price limit is usually low. I’ve even participated in ones that encouraged people to bring something small from home they no longer wanted, so no one had to spend money if they didn’t want.

            Don’t participate if you don’t want, but it’s just a way for people who may not know each other well to socialize through an shared activity instead of small talk.

          4. Lurky Dismal*

            This is a very, very bad idea and will alienate most of your coworkers. If you don’t want to participate, stay home.

          5. JB*

            The point is to bring a fun gift, not to expect to walk out with something you’ll love. It’s a game, not your personal birthday party.

    4. Somehow I Manage*

      If it is a personal gift exchange, I’d agree. If it is a Yankee Swap kind of gift exchange, unless everyone buys some sort of alcohol, it can actually be pretty safe because SOMEONE will swap for it.

      If a non-drinker got it and said anything about not drinking, I’d swoop it up just to save them even if I didn’t like the specific alcohol.

    5. Strive to Excel*

      The reason alcohol gets suggested is that it’s available at a wide range of prices, easy to transport and store, and has high re-gifting function. No gift is going to fit everyone’s taste, not matter how hard you try.

        1. Strive to Excel*

          Then you regift it, or keep it on hand if you will have company over, or drop it into the next Yankee Swap you get. I’m not saying you should deliberately get a bottle of wine for someone you know is not going to drink it or has issues with alcohol, but if you just don’t like booze then that’s just how Yankee Swaps go sometimes.

      2. The OG Sleepless*

        My husband met me at my work holiday party one year, and I put him in charge of buying an item for the gift swap. I cringed when he showed up with a bottle of Bacardi Limon. As it turned out, the nondrinkers just didn’t reach for it, and the ones who were interested had an epic battle over it.

    6. Eukomos*

      Depends on the office, wine’s a big hit at mine. It’s pretty easy to package it so that it’s obvious it’s wine (indeed, I’d say it’s hard to disguise), so people who don’t want it can avoid it.

    7. But not the Hippopotamus*

      I worked at an office where people were upset if they didn’t get wine (or one of the handful of repeat gifts from prior years that clearly had stories, but nobody shared them). I was glad a coworker warned me as all prior ones I had seen were things like funny (decade old novelty items) or super generic (gigantic chocolate bar)… or at least pretty (a weird shaped glass bottle of herbed olive oil)

    8. Roland*

      It’s a Yankee Swap. Alcohol will get stolen and the original opener would never keep it even if they wanted to.

  4. Bettyboop*

    jigsaws always go down well. books. I tend to stay away from smelly stuff like soap and candles because they’re a bit old hat. often stuff like travel games go down well too

    1. Admin of Sys*

      oh, i like the idea of a jigsaw puzzle, I’m going to keep that in my hat for the next time one of these comes up

      1. ferrina*

        Ooh, seconding this! This is a great idea, and not something I’ve seen at my work’s gift exchange.

        1. A Significant Tree*

          Ooh thanks for the link, this would make a great gift for me! Now I have to find someone to strongly hint at… :-)

      1. Reluctant Mezzo*

        A small power tool would be popular! We sent the daughter to college with Her First Power Tool Kit, and she scarfed up tons of free beer and pizza putting together IKEA furniture.

    3. IT But I Can't Fix Your Printer*

      My puzzle contribution was popular last year! I picked a wintry non-Christmas design so it would be festive without excluding anyone.

    4. Eukomos*

      In the puzzle vein, a couple of years ago at my office’s party when those simple Lego sets that were houseplants came out, multiple people brought them, and they were wildly popular.

    1. Sleeping Panther*

      This is more or less the direction I go. A festive box, a holiday mug, a gourmet cocoa mix, a couple of large candy canes in different flavors, and maybe some cozy socks if the price limit allows.

  6. NotBatman*

    I also think officeware can be nice for this kind of impersonal exchange — a matching mug and coaster set, a mouse trackpad, a chair cushion, a whiteboard and markers. Keeps things practical and increases the likelihood someone will use your gift.

    1. sacados*

      Agreed. Last year, the gift I got (after it had been stolen multiple times, so highly in demand) was one of those little mini “desktop vacuums,” the small battery-operated ones that kind of get all the dust and whatever else to clean off the top of your desk. It was such a great idea!

      In previous years, my go-to has always been a Starbucks (or wherever) gift card in the amount of the gift limit. Simple and most people do like it.

      But at my old job last year, there were actually two people who gifted lottery scratchers — like, an assortment of the $1-$5 scratch-off games. And those were also wildly popular. I did wonder if that also is a “know-your-audience” type of thing, in the same sense that alcohol is. (Is it not “work appropriate” to bring scratchers because someone in your office might have issues with gambling, or is that overthinking it …? I don’t know.) But personally I found it a fun idea.

      1. Martin Blackwood*

        I know some people at work (at least ysed to) contribute a few dollars to a pool, someone would buy lottery tickets, and the group would split the proceeds! Plus every stanley cup/superbowl/etc theres some sort of gambling game around it in the break room. I dont really sports or gamble, so Im not up on the details. So, i do think it would go over great in some offices!

      2. porridge fan*

        Given the harm that gambling can cause to people (and their loved ones) who can’t easily manage their response to the temptation it brings, it would be kinder to stick to a minivacuum or a Starbucks gift card.

      3. bookbug71*

        If you do get some scratchers, please attach them to some other small item, such as candy or a mug. That way if they’re all a bust, at least the recipient will have received something else as well.

        My mom got some scratchers at a family party (that she organized) and was both hurt and upset that everyone went home with something nice except her since hers didn’t even pay out a couple of bucks.

      4. Greg*

        OMG, came here to post that, at every Yankee Swap I’ve ever participated in, lottery tickets get stolen multiple times. And honestly, even as someone who generally isn’t into them, it’s the perfect gift for something like this. A typical Yankee Swap has a limit of like $10 or $20, and there’s a high probability that any gift you get for that amount will not be something anyone values very highly. Whereas a lottery ticket at least gives you the possibility that it could be worth much more. Throw in the fact that people other than me absolutely love playing the lottery, and it’s no wonder tickets are always so popular

      5. Seeking Second Childhood*

        Y’know, a nice BACK scratcher with the remaining budget filled in with lottery scratchers could be fun…

      6. Slow Gin Lizz*

        We’re doing a gadget-themed swap this year, $25 limit. Someone mentioned the desk vacuum as a possible gift and I think that’s a cool idea. Another person mentioned their desktop mug warmer. I have one myself and I LOVE it. My issue right now is that I can’t decide which of the many useful gadgets would be a fun one to choose for my swap gift.

    3. RLC*

      Mini whiteboard and markers is potentially a very useful gift for nearly anyone! Notepad and pencil sets are also widely useful at work or home.

    4. Dek*

      One year I got a nice firm lumbar cushion with a vibration setting. Don’t use it at work (too loud), but it was a lifesaver when I messed up my back for a bit.

      Depending on how cold the office is, a lap blanket could be nice too.

      1. Slow Gin Lizz*

        Oooh, I have a vibrating back massager too and that would be a good gadget gift for my team’s swap this year. Once again, too many possibilities!!!

  7. Manager*

    Last year I got my team JBL bluetooth speakers for $35 each. They LOVED them! It was possibly the most well received gift I have given my staff. If $35 is out of your budget, you can find versions for less on Amazon. I’ll post the link to the ones I got below. Highly recommend!

      1. NotBatman*

        That’s a great idea that’s practical, fun, but not so common (e.g. a mug) that everyone’s likely to have one already.

      2. porridge fan*

        It p*sses me off So Much when I go out in nature and can’t hear the stream and the birds for some entitled a-hole’s boombox.

        1. Resident Catholicville, U.S.A.*

          I do charity 5k’s and I do NOT want to listen to other peoples’ boomboxes while walking- that’s why I have my own headphones. (Inevitably, it’s someone with a stroller that they’ve hooked it onto- one memorable time, it was a woman with a tiny dog in a stroller.)

        2. Elle*

          I hate these people with the fire of a thousand suns. Headphones exist. I didn’t drive out to this trail to hear techno.

          It’s always the people with inappropriate shoes/not enough water/etc, too.

      3. Slow Gin Lizz*

        Thank you for this! I’m a hiker and I can’t stand it when people have music playing on the trails. Just wear headphones, sheeeesh!

    3. A Simple Narwhal*

      Oh that’s a great gift, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed to end up with a good quality bluetooth speaker.

      I’m going to keep this in my back pocket for my family yankee swap next month!

        1. Seeking Second Childhood*

          For that budget? I was just looking for an external hard drive and saw some 1 TB listed under $35.

    4. Wayward Sun*

      On the cheaper end, the Ikea VAPPEBY bluetooth speakers sound surprisingly good for what they are and are only $15. They’re not audiophile quality or anything, but I use them all the time for listening to podcasts in the shower or the garage.

  8. HE Admin*

    My go-to for this is a small cast-iron skillet (you can get one for about $10 on Amazon) and a bag of cookie mix so the person can make a skillet cookie for dessert.

    2. ferrina*

      I love this! Delicious and practical, and easy to find someone else to take it if you don’t want it.

    3. Disappointing Aussie Office Gumby*

      I’ve done something similar before. Secret Santa gift swap was a generic set cost point. Since I love gifts with some whimsy attached, I got a six-cup muffin tin, a packet of muffin liners and a packet of muffin mix.

      Turns out to be quite popular. (Only the meter-long Toblerone was more popular.)

    1. Admin of Sys*

      It’s a pretty common phrasing along the east coast in the us? When used in comparison to white elephant, white elephant swaps have the implication of ‘useless’ gifts, where as yankee swap tends to be cheap but usable things.

      1. A Simple Narwhal*

        I wouldn’t necessarily call it “cheap”, you can set it for whatever budget you’d like. (I tend to see around $20 but it can definitely be more or less.)

        But yes the idea is that you bring a good/real gift, not a gag gift.

    3. Jiminy Cricket*

      It’s a group gift exchange with rules. Everyone brings a wrapped gift. People take turns choosing and opening the gift. Then, there are complicated rules that vary by group that allow someone to “steal” someone else’s gift rather than keeping their own.

      It turns gift giving into a game and is supposed to be fun, with lots of laughing and stealing. Sometimes the point is to bring a real gift that someone might actually want. Sometimes the point is to bring something ridiculous to see who gets stuck with what.

      1. Not my real name*

        The rules do vary. One important “rule” I like is that you either open or steal. In my experience the more common way is to open a present. And then the person says, “I’ll steal the Godiva chocolates and you get the scented mug mats.” In my family, if you want the Godiva Chocolates, you steal them. Whoever you stole from then gets to open a present. I never “stole” in a Yankee Swap with the traditional rules because I never felt comfortable dissing a gift that someone made the effort to choose and bring.

        1. Seeking Second Childhood*

          My first job, they had us open in reverse seniority order so the director was the only person who had no steal option.

        2. Dek*

          Would stealing a gift be “dissing” it? It always seemed like a point of pride to me to have been the one who brought a gift that everyone wanted to steal.

          At the office we keep ours all in good fun.

          On my Dad’s side of the family, we used to…but we’re all a little bit mean, so it wasn’t the best idea (think swiping a movie someone got that you have no interest in just because they were excited about it)

    4. Somehow I Manage*

      Not sure if it stems from here specifically, but Michael Scott made an office Secret Santa into a Yankee Swap by insisting that gifts could be stolen. That was the first time I’d heard the phrase.

    5. AnonInCanada*

      Normally that’s used in northeastern states. Here, we call it “Dirty Santa.” Same premise.

    6. Dek*

      I’m in the southeast US and we call it “Dirty Santa” here (or sometimes White Elephant, but I find that confusing, because sometimes that has the connotation that it’s supposed to be something you already owned)

      1. NotBatman*

        I think OP would need to judge office culture and their own standing, but that it could be awesome. My husband got one for my mother one year, and it really is the best of being both funny and practical.

  11. Admin of Sys*

    I always used to get a small bag of coffee beans, a cheap but nice glass mug, and a stick of cinnamon. Or the same combo but with a selection of nice holiday themed teas. Invariably /someone/ wanted it. You can do it with hot chocolate mixes too. But I found adding the mug really elevated the gift.

    1. ferrina*

      Definitely! It’s nice to have a complete set in a gift. And this is the kind of thing that will definitely appeal to someone in the room.

    2. Dek*

      This time of year you can usually find pre-assembled kits as well. Usually for hot chocolate.

      One thing I would saw is that Hot Cocoa Bombs are stupid, and no one should get them. Just get a mix.

  12. Venus*

    You can never go wrong with a variety of food or consumables, like chocolate, soaps, unusual local drinks (teas, coffee, booze), crackers and cheeses… because no one will hate it, and hopefully at least one person will be really excited to get it.

    I spent years of frustration with family who never seemed to like any gifts, yet thankfully they were quite happy when I switched over to food and drink. I also prefer it myself, because I live minimally and rarely need to buy myself things. It may not be everyone’s preferred gift, and it’s not very exciting, yet it works well enough.

    1. hereforthecomments*

      I like to give local food: honey, hot sauce, salsa. Gives business to small owners and the products are usually very desirable.

      3. Nah*

        There’s some local beekeepers who’s main selling season is now, they’ve just harvested the fall honey and will often sell a jar with a big chunk of comb in it and wildflower honey for like 8 bucks. fantastic gift and always popular, since it usually fits into all but a few specialty diets (especially great as a harvest/winter gift for my Jewish relatives that eat kosher, it’s vegetarian, and my Keto diet aunt likes to use it over more processed sweeteners/sugars)

    2. Slow Gin Lizz*

      For my last couple of family swaps I brought in homemade candy (fudge, PB cups, etc) and everyone was like, oh man, I’ve had too many sweets lately, I don’t want these. Last year I even ended up with it, which was fine as I hadn’t kept many for myself anyway. But I decided then that I was going to do something savory and/or healthy, like broccoli or something, for the swap. Crowd-sourced at a game night I was having, someone suggested pickles, and another friend said she’d pick me up some from Rein’s Deli on her way home from CT for Thanksgiving. Lol. I think/hope it’ll be a hit.

  13. LifebeforeCorona*

    The only gifts that I remember that everyone wanted were: a 5lb bag of pistachio nuts (maybe not these days) a new word a day calendar or almost any kind of very nice themed calendar if you know the person you are buying for. An indoor/outdoor thermometer that can hang on a window, a book of simple magic tricks. These were for a gift swap and everyone really wanted the big bag of pistachios.

  15. Gift giver*

    The most popular uni-sex gifts that I’ve seen were the glass/ceramic Tupperware, a massage gun, kitchen mixer. The women really loved this high end skin care set. Fuzzy blankets, puzzles, family board games are safe options. Instead of alcohol, a wine/whisky glass set is a good alternative.

    1. Adds*

      I was at a beer league hockey team holiday party and one of the gifts was a set of small, perfect-for-leftovers-sized Pyrex… there was almost a fight over it.

      I think nice food storage containers are always a good choice.

  17. new librarian*

    my go to for swaps was always a neoprene lunch sack. They come in fun colors/patterns, fit the usual $10-$15 expense rule, fit all sorts of lunch containers, and are practical but not too work related.

  18. CoffeetoContracts*

    My team is all about plants. They can sit on a desk, go home, or easily re-gift. I’ve currently got a stash of monsteras in my bath tub just for holiday gifting purposes.

    1. LadyAmalthea*

      My go to gift when I don’t know the person getting the gift is a small teapot, big enough for 2-3 cups of tea. non offensive and generally useful for hot drinks other than tea.

    2. Resident Catholicville, U.S.A.*

      I’m choosing to believe that 1) you don’t use that tub and 2) you’ve turned it into one gigantic planter full of dirt and you just repot the monsteras as necessary out of your bath tub as necessary.

    3. AFac*

      I keep reading ‘monsteras’ as ‘monsters’.

      Which either says something about my brain on a holiday week or something about the size of your plants.

      1. Mary Ann Spier’s missing Prozac*

        Then they get regifted, sheesh. I have all the allergies (especially to plants), no green thumb whatsoever, and I have a cat so I do have to be careful about what plants do come into the house via other residents—with this time of year, poinsettias are a big no no.
        But if someone gave me a plant I would still…just somehow deal with it??? Every plant I’ve ever been gifted has been smaller than a pineapple so it’s not like it took up much room anyway. The one or two times I really couldn’t keep it around (IE too dangerous to keep around a cat), I was able to pass it along to someone who didn’t have that concern and was more than happy to take the plant off my hands.

        So like, it’s not that big a deal and again these types of events are less about the actual gift and more about the socializing and social bonding.

        1. amoeba*

          Also, with plants, you can usually tell what they are even when they’re wrapped, so very little chance of picking it when you don’t actually want it.

    5. Three Cats in a Trenchcoat*

      I have a (definitely too large) horde of pepper plants I’m growing for office christmas presents. I saw a filius blue pepper at a botanic garden (wild ornamental colors but edible), and I started a batch of seeds in August that will hopefully fruit before the holiday.

  19. Tradd*

    When I used to work places that had the White Elephant/Yankee Swap, I would just buy a 13 case of beer. It was the most popular gift. Other places I’ve worked since (and I don’t participate now) said no alcohol.

  20. Caramel & Cheddar*

    Consumables are really good for this sort of thing — I’m fussy about gifts in that I’m at an age and living space size where I no longer want stuff, especially in a context where the gift won’t really be personal, but consumables that I can either eat/drink myself or pass on to a friend are always welcome. Even if you don’t love the thing you ended up with, they’re great as a last minute gift or as a host gift for a holiday party you might attend, etc.

    I did always enjoy things like those weird “cozy” sets where you’d get a mug and hot chocolate combo, slippers and hot chocolate, a set of coffee syrups, etc. You can’t go wrong with gift cards to the coffee chain within walking distance of your office, but I’m always hesitant to go the gift card route because it’s the kind of thing where if too many people do it, the point of the game kind of gets lost.

    1. HE Admin*

      You could do a fun mug and then the gift card. Then even if EVERYONE did mugs and coffee gift cards people could steal for the mug design they liked best.

    3. Lily Rowan*

      The place I worked with the most fun Yankee Swap, people would try to disguise their gifts, so if someone was doing a gift card, they would wrap it with a huge can of pears or something. It was very funny.

    4. Can't Sit Still*

      One office I worked at basically had an annual Starbucks gift card Yankee Swap. It was silly – I tried to put a stop to it, but it was Tradition and could not be stopped or diverted to gifts instead. Since our office was located between three Starbucks, it wasn’t really a bad gift, just boring.

  21. Wayward Sun*

    In my office we specifically do holiday ornaments for our swap. I like that because it avoids a lot of questions about what’s appropriate, plus it keeps the dollar limit low. I think ours is $20.

    1. Kendall^2*

      Holiday ornaments really means Christmas ornaments, though. If your office ends up with folks who don’t celebrate that holiday, they’ll always opt out, so you might not realize how it’s not welcoming for some.

      1. Wayward Sun*

        That’s true. Our office only has like eight people in it, though, so it’s easy to know if that’s going to be an issue. So far it hasn’t been.

      2. ferrina*

        But what about the Hannukah balls?
        (see the archives for the full story on the Hannukah balls- I got second hand cringe reading it)

      3. amoeba*

        Yeah, I think that’s very much a “know your audience” kind of thing. In a group where everybody celebrates Christmas, I think it could be great. In small teams, you probably know!

    2. LaurCha*

      It also gives the artists/crafters an opportunity to make an ornament to give! We did Dirty Santa at a museum I worked in and the artist-made ornaments were always in high demand.

  22. Keira*

    I usually go to T.J. Maxx or a similar store and get one of those $20 gift baskets full of chocolate and snacks – Ghirardelli or Godiva, not cheap stuff. They’re always very popular and sought after during work exchanges where people can “steal” gifts.

    1. Spreadsheet Queen*

      Not this. I bought one once and I don’t know what the deal was, but it just flashed all night, which no. In my own bathroom, I ended up with those motion-activated magnetic puck lights and mounted them on the wall. They light up when you enter the toilet closet – just enough to see what you are doing – and turn off a bit after you go back to bed. Plus, you don’t have to figure how to both not touch them and not drop them in the toilet water when cleaning the bowl, like you do with the actual toilet lights.

      Honestly, I’d err on NOT giving toilet-associated gifts!

  25. Drago Cucina*

    Was it here? Someplace, someone commented giving stamps and nice, generic note cards. It was a big hit.

  26. shelly*

    If it is a fun group where people swap and it’s like under $20 you should def get a fun weird gift A few years ago someone gave in a wooden cat with spooky eyes that rotated around the office desks based on birthdays and accomplishments. If that is not your crowd I saw recently someone gave stamps and some postcards. Everyone can use stamps and the postcards were hysterical. I hate when it gets too serious. Last one I went to I gave a STACK of lottery tickets and everyone fought over them! Def scope out form a coworker what the vibe is.

  27. Steve*

    these are all great suggestions – I’ve been to some gift swaps that are “real” gifts and some that are “gag” gifts – be sure to know in advance which one you’re going to. lol :)

  28. Dave the Cat*

    Last year I brought a set of spices from a high quality spice place. It was a big hit. That said, I don’t like it when people bring food because there’s a chance someone with restrictions will get stuck with it. I don’t try to find something that will please everyone – I’d rather bring something that will make people say oh, of course Dave the Cat brought that one.

    1. HomebodyHouseplant*

      yes, it sucks to be that person with the food restrictions that somehow ends up with the food. one year I ended up with a giant reeses cup (allergic to peanut butter), cookies (outside of my macros), and wine (i don’t drink). so I ended up with…nothing. I didn’t choose any of these, they ended up being mine as a result of stealing/swapping. I ended up giving everything away.

      1. ferrina*

        One year one of the junior staff with food restrictions ended up with a giant gift basket of cookies that she couldn’t eat.
        The next year the senior staffers who were planning the party conspired to make sure that she got a present she could actually enjoy- if she got an edible gift that she couldn’t eat, one of them stole the gift from her, and she would get to pick something she could use. After that they kept an eye on anyone with food restrictions and would quietly steal a gift that someone couldn’t eat (especially for junior staff or lower paid positions- executives were on their own)

    2. Bast*

      There’s a chance that no matter what you bring someone won’t like it, though. I say this as someone who came from a company where Yankee Swap was usually an odd assortment of alcohol (wrapped very obviously), Visa Gift cards in the amount specified, and occasionally, an inappropriate adult gift (this was the owner of the company. He thought he was hilarious). I kind of acknowledged that the majority of the time I wasn’t going to get anything I would like or use, as someone who drinks very sparingly and is picky. The Visa gift cards were often the only real *useful* thing. I can’t tell you the number of times that I ended up with a bottle of something I knew I would never drink, and just ended up handing it off to another colleague who I knew had been hoping for it. I knew I was the odd man out though in not wanting alcohol, but since it was all in good fun and I wasn’t expecting a thoughtful gift, I wasn’t upset. It isn’t just food though. Of all the really nice gift suggestions listed on this thread, I can think of someone who wouldn’t like it for one reason or another.

  29. LM*

    I’ve seen cookbooks get stolen at these exchanges more often than not! From famous local restaurants/chefs, celebrity cookbooks, etc.

    2. Aphrodite*

      This is a great idea too, and it doesn’t have to be limited to cooks. I have a small grilled cheese cookbook (Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stove Top, Grill, and Sandwich) from 2004 that is probably my favorite ever. Multiple recipes using all kinds of cheese and you don’t need to know how to cook to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Highly recommended.

  30. Good Wilhelmina Hunting*

    I would prefer not to play this type of game. Only played it one year where I used to work, but having had at various times a nice toiletries set, a fun looking game, and then a book voucher (ideal, as I was about to start study), it was disappointing to up with a stupid comedy movie that I simply donated on the way home.

    1. Fíriel*

      When I’ve played there’s been a max rule for how many times an individual person can be stolen from for this exact reason (I think twice?) – losing out on the good stuff repeatedly sucks.

    2. Dido*

      The LW says she signed up for it, meaning it was optional and nobody had to participate if they didn’t want to

      1. Knighthope*

        Agree! I always bring something nice and usually go home with something stupid. That’s now my expectation.

      2. Good Wilhelmina Hunting*

        The boss’s EA organized it without telling anyone that was what we were going to do. I’d never heard of a “Dirty Santa”.

  31. Cate*

    Our office’s parking lot is in the woods and is surrounded by trees. As a result, sap regularly falls on our cars. Last year was especially bad, and we were constantly trading tips for how to best get it off our cars. So for last year’s Yankee Swap gift, I made a “sap removal set” – a bottle of the removal spray I swear by, a microfiber cloth, and car windshield glass wipes. (Our limit was $15, so it just made the limit.) The colleague who won it decided to leave it in the office for all of us to use when needed.

  32. Sangamo Girl*

    The mug with a coffee shop gift card I brought one year was very popular. Maybe because the mug said, “Did you read the f&$#*@% email?” It was stolen the maximum number of times.

  33. marta*

    pizza fixings- dough mix, jar of sauce, pepperoni log, bottle of hot honey; candle warmer, and several smaller jarred candles; vintage flower pot with plant rootings.

  34. Benihana scene stealer*

    I agree in general that you don’t need to get boss a gift, but I think there’s an exception to be made if we’re talking about a $5 secret santa item or similar.

    2. Be Gneiss*

      I work for a confectioner and so you’d think we have enough chocolate….but no, it’s still a good gift.

  36. MAC*

    One year at Previous Job, we each brought a $15 gift card and did the open/steal thing with those. Another time it was coffee mugs. Sometimes having a theme makes it easier than being completely freestyle. Less hurt feelings when an opened gift DOESN’T get stolen, too.

    1. Pottery Yarn*

      Yes! We did $20 gift cards one year at my old job in college and it was awesome! I always dread getting a crappy gag gift in a white elephant exchange, so this was much better!

  38. Lore*

    My most successful gift for a swap was a mini French press and insulated cup. (I think the limit was $20.) The best gifts I’ve gotten were fun office supplies—snowman pen, cool paper clips—and travel games. My office used to do a variant where you did all the swapping with the gifts still wrapped so it was as much about fun and misleading packaging as about the gift, though, so it didn’t so much matter what you unwrapped at the end.

  39. Ami*

    I know the suggestion is to go with a generic gift that everyone might like, but I’ll chime in with some of the opposite advice and say, why not go for something distinctive? The yankee swap gift I remember most is a big brass candleholder shaped like a stag head. I think I might have been the only one who wanted it, since no one tried to steal it for me, but my reaction also made it pretty clear how much I loved it and we were a polite group lol. It’s perfect for my sense of decor and still sits in pride of place on my mantel; I’m never getting rid of it. I don’t think I ever would have been able to justify buying it for myself, but that’s exactly the kind of gift I love to get most. Maybe one of things you look longingly at in the store but think “oh I love it but that’s too much/I don’t have space for it” is going to be someone else’s favorite gift.

    2. Pathfinder Ryder*

      Yeah, at my first work Stealing Santa, one of the much stolen gifts was a pineapple-shaped pitcher.

    3. CrackerJaxonApple*

      Agree! My favorite one was the year my boss brought a new mini crane game. I used it as a centerpiece at my wedding!

  40. Csethiro Ceredin*

    We do this kind of exchange for about $25 value. I have given and received some popular items:

    -An umbrella that folds up with the wet part on the inside (we’re in the PNW)
    -A set of fancy salt, oil, and vinegar with little dipping bowls
    -A high end pepper grinder I got on a really great sale
    -Nice faux-fur throw
    -A winter-themed serving plate with a tea towel
    -A waterproof bluetooth speaker
    -A blanket scarf

  41. Anonymous Penguin*

    I’m going for one of the small Dolly Parton cast iron skillets and a box of cornbread mix. Even if you don’t cook, the skillets are decorative, and Dolly Parton is very popular here.

      1. Anonymous Penguin*

        No, but some of them have her silhouette on them, and the one I love most says “Jolene, please don’t steal my pan!”

  42. Not my real name*

    Is anyone else having trouble accessing this site? I usually use chrome but beginning today there are issues. I tried a different browser and it worked fine.

    1. Aggretsuko*

      Yeah, it was whiting out for me on every screen and browser I tried. Seems to be back now though.

  43. VoPo*

    The bad at gifting company reminds me of the first company I worked for out of school. Every Thanksgiving they would give everyone in the company a frozen turkey. I was 23. I travelled out of state to see family for Thanksgiving and lived in a dinky studio with a tiny freezer. The turkey wouldn’t even fit. It was also heavy and I commuted via public transit so just getting it home to find out it didn’t fit in my freezer was an ordeal. I ended up having to dumpster it after I couldn’t find anything else to do with it before it thawed too much.

    The following year, I just left mine at the front desk in a refusal to deal with it.

    1. Pottery Yarn*

      My partner’s work does this, but I believe they give employees the option to donate their turkeys if they don’t want or need them, which is nice and simple.

    2. Elizabeth West*

      OldExjob gave people a certificate for a turkey. Much easier than hauling a whole-ass bird around. I always gave my certificate to another coworker who fed a lot of extra people because I lived alone and don’t like turkey.

  44. Chocolate Teapot*

    I have 2 Secret Santa gifts to buy this year. One is a team member I know quite well and I have a good idea of what to buy them, the other is a recipient as part of a floor wide exchange.

    I vaguely recognise Floor Wide Recipient’s name and that’s about it. We all had to give a quote about ourselves and apparently I have an optimist to buy for.

  45. Rebekah*

    I’ve had good luck with a funny book like “100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings” or a funny notebook with a set of pens. One year someone in my office brought a bag of potatoes because he had forgotten to bring a gift but had some groceries in the car. It made people laugh and was surprisingly popular.

    1. Bast*

      We had someone gift one of the giant, company sized packs of toilet paper one year. Everyone laughed, but it was a useful present that others actually stole.

  46. Anon for this one*

    The most popular gifts I’ve seen at a “steal or open” work gift exchange:
    1) a heavy plastic skull (think anatomy class study aide) – yes, it was highly entertaining
    2) teapot set
    3) kits of various types
    4) postcards with stamps

  47. Susie and Elaine Problem*

    My office is doing a Yankee Swap – I saw some discussion the other Friday about gifts and picked up on someone’s hot sauce idea. I got a multi-pack “hot sauce from around the world” box with 4 different kinds: Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and interestingly enough: Australia.

    1. Lady Lessa*

      I treated myself to an Advent calendar that is 25 tiny bottles of hot sauce. Looking forward to starting it.

      1. Susie and Elaine Problem*

        I saw one of those… also found sets with many more varieties but I wanted to stay under the $20 limit.

        I’m expecting a fair amount of swapping to get this gift since it seems that most of the people in my office like spicy food… especially our Big Boss.

  48. Sara without an H*

    Re office gift-giving: There was a Secret Santa every year at Tiny Women’s College, but participation was voluntary and not everybody participated. I never heard any complaints about the quality/taste level of the gifts, though.

    At Tiny Women’s College Library, staff occasionally brought small, low-monetary-value gifts for everybody. I had one staffer who made small felt sculptures as a hobby and brought in several to give to coworkers. Everybody liked them and there was no sense of imposing an obligation on anybody.

    As director, I didn’t give my staff gifts per se, but I did bring in chocolates during the run-up to winter break. Judging from the speed with which the bowl emptied, it was a good choice.

    Gifts, in my view, can be problematic at work. If they’re too expensive, they seem to impose an obligation on the recipient, and they can easily go wrong, as the terrible-gift-giving company episode shows. If you’re going to do it at all, keep everything voluntary, low-key, and low-cost.

    If this sounds like a recommendation for yet another round of gift cards to the local coffee shop — well, gift cards were invented for a reason.

    1. A perfectly normal-size space bird*

      I am very glad my employer doesn’t do December holiday parties or gift exchanges (we didn’t even before everything went remote). I’ve been at other employers where office gifting was the norm and it was always stressful to have to buy gifts for all my coworkers when it was a time of year that was already filled with Christian holiday parties and “optional” gift giving.

      I have a friend who, in July, was showing off the specialized crafting equipment she bought so she can make all her coworkers gifts for Christmas. I would be very uncomfortable knowing that a coworker spent that much money and effort making a gift. Especially since I know what the gifts will be and they are the kind of thing that requires the recipient to have a specific kind of doohickey with which to use it.

      1. Strive to Excel*

        Sometimes the coworker gift is an excuse to use the specialized crafting equipment, but yes, I agree with you.

        1. Sara without an H*

          Bingo! Space bird, I suspect that your friend wanted that crafting equipment for herself. The gifts for coworkers gave her a convenient excuse for something she’d already decided to buy. And in my experience, anyone who goes in for crafts in a major way needs some way to get rid of the output.

          But I agree with your larger point — buying gifts for people you know and love is tough enough. Trying to buy things for coworkers you know only superficially just becomes a source of stress and expense, which nobody needs in December.

    1. A perfectly normal-size space bird*

      Those are good for all occasions. A friend of mine had a death in the family and I gave her a gift basket that included one of those. She said she would activate it on her desk whenever she was feeling sad and it cheered her right up.

  50. EngineeringUnicorn*

    Those cooky kitchen gadgets that are also animals (like the whale strainer and the vampire garlic mincer and loch ness monster ladle, etc) are generally really well received in my experience.

    1. Camp Staff*

      Along the same lines, my daughter took a Dash mini waffle iron to a swap last year and it was the most popular item.

  51. Hospital PT*

    Things that went over well in my office last year… A jar candle, soft throw blanket, scratch tickets, restaurant gift cards, movie tickets…

  52. Anita Brake*

    As someone who previously hated “Yankee Swap” and “Dirty Santa,” I have come to realize the fun of it! Along with the previous great suggestions, may I suggest:
    A “Squatty Potty.” Makes #2 easier, especially if pregnant.
    Duct tape-not along with zip ties
    Zip Ties-not along with duct tape
    Poo-Pourri
    Batteries
    A Home Depot Orange bucket-with or without gift card

    1. Unkempt Flatware*

      My glob I’d be so embarrassed and displeased to open a pooping-related gift in front of colleagues.

  53. A Little Bit Alexis*

    Some of the hits from gift exchanges I’ve been a part of:
    – puzzles (especially with local ties/art)
    – fancy pasta and sauce set with wooden utensils
    – fun food/snack sets
    – A battery organizer and storage case
    – anything related to a local sports team
    – nice hot chocolate mixes
    – an oversized soup mug

    2. RLC*

      Flashlights, especially the compact ones which easily fit in pocket/purse/tote bag are just about the most perfect universal gift! With an attached wrist lanyard or carabiner clip, even more perfect.

    3. Rocky Mountain (not) High*

      This gave me a real warm fuzzy. My mom gifted us flashlights every year, in various shapes and sizes. She passed in 2018, and my sister and I have started trading off on who is the designated flashlight gifter for the year.

  56. HomebodyHouseplant*

    im going to go against the grain and say not food. people have allergies and dietary restrictions for all sorts of reasons. at a friend’s white elephant a few years ago both me and my husband ended up with food gifts I couldn’t eat, so we basically ended up with nothing. it was really frustrating because we brought nice gifts. if you’re going to do something food related, include something that is not consumable so the person at least walks away with something in the end.

    1. Eukomos*

      I think the lesson here is don’t bring nice gifts to a Yankee Swap. You’re not really meant to get good value for your money out of them, it’s more meant to be a fun icebreaker game to play with your coworkers.

  57. The Formatting Queen*

    My go-to for yankee swaps that are in the $10-$15 range is a 5-pound bag of gummy bears (or Sour Patch Kids, coke bottle candy, etc.). You can find them on Amazon. It’s a big enough bag to be a “novelty,” and it’s rare that you’ll see someone else bring something similar. It works for work, family, and church groups, and appeals to both adults and kids if necessary (although their parents might disagree…) Other novelty candy or novelty-sized foods are options too – one time I gave a friend an 80 oz. jar of peanut butter and a 35 oz. jar of Nutella. $10 each and there’s just something about those giant jars that tickles people’s fancies.

  58. Spooz*

    For the Yankee Swap, I would get a quantity of “fun” stationery items according to whatever the gift budget is. Low? A pack of shaped post it notes. Medium? Glittery scented gel pens. High? Spend the whole lot on novelty paper clips!

    Most office workers use stationery, so whoever ends up with it can use it. No worries about allergies, dietary requirements or cultural misfits. Suits men and women. Tone absolutely appropriate for the office. Fundamentally consumable so no one is stuck with it forever.

  59. Spooz*

    For the person who gets gifts from their coworker and does not reciprocate…

    PLEASE don’t feel the need to reciprocate. This has been going on for several years. It is abundantly clear to your coworker that this is not a two-way gifting relationship. They have all the information they need to decide whether they want to get you a gift anyway. Some people truly do just like that sort of thing. Absolutely do NOT start getting them a gift just because they continue to get you one. If they don’t like it, they can just stop getting you a gift. It is 100% their decision to continue and 100% NOT your obligation to reciprocate.

  60. Honoria Lucasta*

    I’m a big fan of browsing those buzzfeed shopping articles that are, like, “65 amazing things under $20 at Amazon right now that you didn’t know you needed in your life!” Usually I see three or four things on there that I think could work as gift-swap item. Sometimes they’re a little goofy, like lightstaber chopsticks, and sometimes they’re useful but quirky like a keychain flashlight or a fire starter survival tool. Then I save them to a wish list so I have them gathered in one place when the time comes.

    1. Bast*

      I am also a huge fan of those lists, and have bought more than a few things for myself that I wouldn’t otherwise have thought of.

  61. Kay*

    To the last LW in the article whose coworker always gives them a small gift: a note of appreciation is an excellent idea. Even better, send some (honest and true) positive feedback to their manager and CC them on the email.

    1. just another rando*

      People shouldn’t go out of their way to compliment coworkers to their bosses just because the coworker in question happened to spend money on a gift.

      1. Roland*

        They said honest and true. Just a reminder to say something nice to their manager if you can; seems perfectly reasonable to me.

  62. Another Kristin*

    You could go completely ridiculous – my mom’s workplace swapped around a fluffy backpack shaped like a chicken. Whoever got it would have to bring it back the next year, it was always a hit.

    Or you could get, like, a nice mug and a box of herbal tea, that’s a pretty safe bet.

  63. Ana Gram*

    Ours has a $25 limit. I got a $20 Target gift card and some mini Nutellas and candies. Easy and fun for just about anybody.

  64. ES*

    I usually find something warm/fun at Costco. One year a plush throw blanket. One year a large Squishmallow. This year it’s a weird one-size blanket-hoodie combo (the Snuggie is back in different form because time is a flat circle). They’re all under $20 and they get stolen like crazy until they hit the theft limit in my office’s White Elephant exchange.

  65. JJLib*

    It can depend on whether the exchange is for decent gifts or gag/junk gifts. If you aren’t sure which kind of exchange this is, ask someone who’s been there for past ones, so that you don’t bring a good gift if everyone else brings silly stuff.

    For decent gifts: gift card/prepaid visa, mug and cocoa packets, candy, ornament, puzzle, hand towel

    For gag gifts, the discount bins at Target, or stuff from discount stores (Dollar Tree, Dollar General, 5 Below…) would work.

    I usually scope out the post-Christmas sales and find a few things on deep discount that would make good gifts and tuck them away until the next holiday season’s gift exchange(s).

  66. Lucifer*

    “What’s a good generic gift to bring when you don’t know who it will be for?”

    No booze, just to be in the safe side. Just go ahead and regift the wrapped candle that’s been in your linen closet since Christmas 2010 (look up “Christmas Candle SNL” on YouTube). There’s a reason that candle has made it all around the world twice.

  67. HonorBox*

    While you definitely have to know your audience, I think something completely absurd could be a lot of fun and make for some funny stories and memories. I’m thinking about something like this stuffed frog backpack that my daughter has. It is absolutely not anything I’d buy for myself, but if I got that as a gift, I’d 100% be throwing my phone and water bottle in it every day, or filling it with snacks. It is something usable but also ridiculous and people are unlikely to get themselves.

  68. SoapiestEagle35*

    I love finding an inexpensive board game or puzzle! Might I recommend the game Dutch Blitz – a fast paced card game! If you’re feeling extra generous you could also include a scratch off ticket!

  69. Spiders Everywhere*

    The best way I’ve seen gifts from companies done is when my partner’s company contracted with a service where you could go to a website and just pick out a gift from a catalog up to a specified tier. I think that might be the only time either of us got a company gift that we genuinely wanted (panini press!) Usually in my experience corporate gifts range from useless to vaguely insulting.

  70. wine dude*

    The most popular gift ever at our white elephant exchanges was a set of vibrating salt and pepper shakers. The, um, gay women at the party kept stealing them from each other, and much hilarity ensued!
    A party I’m invited to this year has specified that we should not spend money on the gift but rather to bring something we want to get rid of. I think that’s the perfect way to go!

    1. Migraine Mama*

      My office did this one year! Popular items included a box of old Disney VHS movies and a lady mannequin (but only the upper torso and head and I think one arm?) The coworker who went home with the mannequin was so happy she cried.

  71. My Brain is Exploding*

    Wondering what happened to the LW who was being strong-armed by the BOSS to give $60 to the fund to buy something FOR THE BOSS. And was told it was mandatory.

    1. Heidi*

      I also wonder about the manager who’s going along with this and demanding $60 from everyone. Are they doing it out of fear for their own job? Do they truly think the boss deserves it?

  72. MotherofaPickle*

    Bought my last boss one of those gag gifts that was a pack of post-it notes that said something along the lines of “Reasons You Effed Up Today” with a bunch of check boxes, and a fun pen. Definitely a Read The Room-Office Culture call, but I knew that all of my coworkers who would inevitably receive one would start attempting to play “boss post-it bingo”.

    Boss rolled his eyes. Coworkers reacted as expected.

  73. Lizzianna*

    For gifting to employees, my agency doesn’t provide a budget for employee gifts, so anything we give is out of our pocket unless we can tie it to a team accomplishment that we can use our awards budget for.

    The last few years, I’ve just done handwritten cards and a small gift bag with a handful of Lindt truffles (I buy a big bag at Costco) or another small gift. I’ve gotten more feedback from the handwritten cards than any gift I’ve ever done before, even when I had a smaller team and could afford actual gifts.

    The year we did have a budget (our team was also celebrating a major project being completed so I was able to tap into our non-monetary awards budget), we did Yeti mugs with our logo and team name engraved. That was popular, and 2 years later, I still see people using them. But not something I could have afforded out of pocket.

  74. Essentially Cheesy*

    I got a coffee-pod-a-day advent calendar for my next white elephant gift exchange (the joke is supposed to be that we are doing this on Dec 6th, past the start of Advent) but it might be a good gift for exchange in general.

    Several of my office mates are coffee addicts.

    1. Lizzianna*

      Oh, this is a good idea. I need to go get our white elephant gift, and we just got a new office Keurig. I may go get a variety pack of fun K-cups.

    2. Csethiro Ceredin*

      Someone got me a cheese advent calendar last year and it was delightful – mini wrapped cheeses that I could bring in my lunch each day.

  75. Retired Vulcan Raises 1 Grey Eyebrow*

    Thankfully I’ve never worked anywhere that had gifts or swaps, so I was spared this stress.
    As the “winter holiday” celebrations in the US usually seem to involve gifting, this is yet another reason to move them to January, a month for which there is no tradition of gifts.

    1. allathian*

      At my current job, I’ve only attended one event where we had a gift swap. It went a bit wrong because although it was completely voluntary, some people who didn’t bring any gifts took them, and some who did bring a gift were left empty-handed. The problem was compounded by the fact that the organizers had lost the printout of the list of attendees, and the party was at a restaurant that too far from the office to go and get another printout. Some people who took gifts without bringing any brought them to the office the next Monday and tried to find the people whose gifts they’d “stolen.”

      The budget was very limited, something like 5 to 10 euros some 10 years ago. Lots of people brought chocolate, but even more brought unwanted company swag they’d received for free!

      This was a blind gift swap where the gifts were put in a big sack, and an employee dressed as Santa asked people to queue up and get the gifts in turn. Oh well, at least the Santa didn’t ask me to sit on his lap, as he did some of our younger, slimmer, and prettier employees, right in front of our HR director!

      I never saw “Santa” again. He had a reputation of being a bit handsy, so I’m surprised he was allowed to dress up as Santa at all. But apparently that Christmas party was the last straw. I have no idea if he quit or was fired, nor is it my business to know that, but at least he was gone.

      That was the last time we’ve had either a Santa or a gifts swap at our Christmas parties, not that I’ve attended any since 2019. 2020 was canceled for obvious reasons, 2021 I wasn’t yet comfortable eating with others indoors, 2022 was on a cruise ship and I no longer even consider going on those, last year I had a schedule conflict and couldn’t go. This year it’s once again on a cruise ship… Let’s hope next year’s party is one I want to and am able to attend.

  76. JFC*

    You have more options if it’s something where other people can steal a gift or swap if they don’t like it.

    Scratch-off lottery tickets are always fun, and you can choose how much you want to spend on them.

    Products that showcase your city/state/region can also be good — mugs, maybe a small piece of artwork, locally-made products at farmers markets.

    If your office has a lot of people that root for a certain sports team, you can do things like pennants, hats or flags.

  77. Tea Monk*

    Wow. this just reminded me I’m supposed to do secret Santa. It’ll be harder if I get someone on the other team ( we have teams of 4 to 5 employees that are managed by a single manager. This secret santa will involve two teams and I don’t meet with the other team as much as mine)

  78. pagooey*

    I’ve worked for two different companies that jumbled the concepts of Yankee Swap *and* White Elephant gift exchanges every year. So there would be a handful of thoughtful, fought-over gifts, and then a variety of hilarious disappointments, many of which came back and reentered the gift stream year after year; I remember a Celtic Woman Christmas CD, and a “paint your own chicken” craft kit, that emerged from the wrapping paper time after time. But my fondest work holiday memory is when I was leaving one of those teams, and a boss I detested (the feeling was mutual). The gift party was my last day, and I too brought in a re-re-regift I got the previous year: a wine-bottle holder in the shape of a cartoonish, Eye-talian-stereotype chef, in white coat and toque. He sort of…squatted, and balanced a bottle on his back/behind. Hideous. Anyway, Detested Boss chose and opened the squatting chef…AND NO ONE WOULD SWAP WITH HER. Sorry, it’s your turn, you old harridan!

  79. ILoveLlamas*

    At a recent Yankee Swap, there was a bitter fight over a dancing Santa. Hilarious. For my group, alcohol, scratch-off lottery tix, Bath & Bodyworks gift sets, chocolate are always popular. The Santa was an outlier…

  80. HigherEdEscapee*

    One thing NOT to do – live animals. Specifically invertebrates. It doesn’t matter if they’re in the proper carrying container, someone is going to open it and scream. Ask me how I know.

    2. Strive to Excel*

      Who in the name of God’s green earth would think that was a good idea in the first place. Just. Who. Why. WHOMST.

    3. allathian*

      They don’t even have to be live animals. At one call center job (call centers, amirite?) one of my sweetest coworkers was extremely arachnophobic. One of the worst pranksters there brought her a gift for April Fool’s day. When she opened the package, out jumped a *very* realistic-looking toy tarantula like a jack-in-the-box. She screamed the place down. I was on a call at the time, and the customer at the other end wondered what was going on. The prankster was fired, effective immediately. The victim quit on the spot. She had a day job with decent benefits and worked evenings for some extra cash, but she decided that even if the worst prankster was fired, she was done. (This is the only job I’ve ever worked without a contract, everyone quit without notice.)

      I suspect that the prankster got himself fired on purpose. He absolutely hated working there and did the absolute minimum and wasted everyone’s time to the point that if anyone else’d done it, they’d been fired long since. His dad was one of the company bigwigs and apparently had his son start at the bottom of the org chart, and the only out he saw was to do something so bad that he’d be fired with a “do not rehire” note in his file. His dad was a bigwig, but not big enough to delete a note like that.

      Things got a bit better when he left, those two fought almost every time the son bothered to show up at work, and it was horrible to be forced to listen to the family argument. The bigwig dad (my great-grandboss) became a lot more pleasant to deal with once the son was gone. He was high enough in the org chart that I rarely had to deal with him directly, but he liked walking the call center floor on the days he worked late. My shift started at 4 pm and ended whenever the last call ended, we were supposed to keep calling until 9 pm.

      But yeah, no live animals of any kind.

  81. KB*

    I was never so happy at the holidays than when the leadership changed and the office gift-swap went away.

  82. Ginger Cat Lady*

    The things I’ve seen people fight over the most:
    “That was Easy!” button from Staples
    Power pack for phones
    Framed “free pass to bring this to next year’s swap instead of buying a gift” feat. photo of the boss

    1. Scout Finch*

      I got a That Was Easy button one year at the Christmas party. I love it. I hit it when I complete a task that is definitely NOT easy.

    2. Dek*

      That last one reminds me of when my family used to do Dirty Santa with DVDs. There was one copy of Kangaroo Jack that just kept getting passed around every year. I don’t think the cellophane was ever opened.

  83. KatherineJ*

    Two years ago and coworker brought a flashlight and new batteries, apparently a good to in their family. I think its brilliant because its useful and you never a flashlight when you need one. And its gender neutral.

  85. Scout Finch*

    The most popular gift at the last Dirty Santa (that I participated in at my old job) was a pair of new women’s flannel footie pajamas. Stolen the maximum 3 times immediately.

    The second most popular was the 2 new double rolls of wallpaper that I brought. Apparently, people wanted to paper an accent wall or line kitchen shelves.

  87. Luna (the other one)*

    When I don’t know who’s going to get the gift, I usually get a nice scarf, in a neutral color and natural fibers. You can usually find designer brand scarves at places like Ross, TJ Maxx, etc. for a decent price.

  88. RetiredAcademicLibrarian*

    Our best gift exchange was wall calendars. It was the usual open or steal rules, and lots of cute calendars with puppies, kitties, wildlife, nature and other themes. The most stolen calendar had photos of old outhouses!

  89. FrenchFrog*

    Socks! My job requires field work and a good pair of socks was always the most sought after. Lottery tickets came in second.

    1. Santasays*

      Personally, I’m a huge fan of gag gifts. I am all about the fun of the game (people fighting over gifts) rather than the actual present.

      Don’t put too much thought into it, and don’t get invested in whether anyone likes the gifts. Things that get stolen a lot are chocolates, lottery tickets, gift cards.

      As other commenters have said, it’s a social bonding exercise so try to focus on that, and not the gift.

  90. Unkempt Flatware*

    I’m surprised at the frequency of comments suggesting something toilet related. I would never want to open a gift in front of my coworkers and find a bottle of poo-pourie or watch them open the same.

    1. DJ Abbott*

      I’ve read about poo-pourri here, but never used it. One day a year or two ago I went into my office building’s shared restroom and there was a horrible smell of fake chemical perfume. I assume it was poo-pourri. I’d rather have the actual natural smell. It passes faster, and is harmless to the body.

  92. Christine*

    Flavored cooking oil or a high-quality EVOO is a good option. And while clothing in general isn’t great, a beautiful scarf might be welcome. Handcrafted mugs are another option, perhaps with a bag of good coffee or tea or cocoa.

  93. Andromeda*

    – A mug (the artisan Etsy type for extra cool points)
    – A mini desk fan, if you live in a place where that would be sensible
    – Gift vouchers for food
    – A mid-range chocolate box, if you have the kind of culture where someone who couldn’t eat it would just swap it
    – A blanket or throw, in a neutral colour
    – A pair of those fluffy socks that seemingly expand to fit any size feet
    – Scent-free (or mildly scented) but very good quality hand cream + lip balm

  94. DJ Abbott*

    #2, I worked for a woman who would give small boxes of candy to her staff. Like a little box with four chocolates. This was a good gift because the recipient could enjoy it if they like candy, or share it with friends or family if they didn’t. :)

    1. Roland*

      I had a VP who would always leave a 2- or 3-pack of fancy chocolates from a local fancy chocolate store. Small and easily regiftable are 2 winning qualities (though personally I always ate them immediately).

  95. Firefinch*

    I’m an environment team lead, and I got all my staff decomposition notebooks. I get a bunch of them and let them pick the ones they like best. I use the rest at home, for me or my kids, eventually. But they’re a nice size, useful and work related, and everyone can use them. My staff seemed pretty happy with this.

  96. Dek*

    Honestly, I love Yankee Swap/Dirty Santa (for the office, and for one side of my family. It gets…competitive on the other side), because the pressure is OFF. You don’t have to try to figure out what a specific person would like.

    Nice plush blankets are popular. Also cute or tacky Christmas decor (though I avoid that since not everyone in our office celebrates Christmas). We’ve had nice bird feeders, hammocks, kitchenware, mug-and-cocoa sets. Pick something that you wouldn’t mind going home with yourself, and odds are good someone would like it too, or at least not be too disappointed to wind up with it.

  97. Pam Poovey*

    I’m going to disagree on one of the suggestions — I’d avoid wine/other booze. It seems like a recipe for disaster if someone gets it who can’t or shouldn’t. If you want to do a consumable I’d get some nice teas or coffees instead.

  98. Retail Dragon*

    We used to do this in my former church’s choir. It was a known gag that the more elaborately wrapped the present was, the more likely it was to be something utterly banal. People brought things like puzzle books, coffee cups, fruit trays, and the like, plus sillier items like rubber ducks and pictures of Elvis in dollar-store frames. Invariably there would be one gift that ended up the coveted item to be stolen and it would turn into a little war (all in good fun). I remember one year the pastor’s wife triumphantly opened the object of everyone’s desire to reveal… a pair of dish towels.

  99. Sparkly Librarian*

    My library system does an opt-in gift exchange where you’re assigned a name to bring a gift for (not quite at random; there is a facilitator — once when I got the same recipient three times in four or five years, I asked for a swap). To increase the likelihood of compatible gifts, there’s a brief survey beforehand where you can states likes and dislikes, allergies, hobbies, etc. This year I got my assignment via email and squawked aloud, because it was the library director! (who made a point to include “no pressure, I like most things” in their survey) I feel oddly like I’ve leveled up somehow. :D

  100. Raida*

    I go with one of the following:

    Super Practical
    Drinkable
    Edible
    Bizarre

    Practical – fire blanket, first aid kit, USB desk fan, USB mug warmer
    Drinkable – four pack of mixed alcoholic ginger beers, IPAs, cheapest sweetest vodka premix, bubbly
    Edible – box of buttery shortbread, batch of homemade brownies, mixed nuts, jam, chutney
    Bizarre – if I see something and go ‘wtf is this and who would want it’

    Never not had a gift I bought get stolen at least twice :]

  101. Yikes Stripes*

    My favorite Yankee Swap gift is a mini waffle maker! It’s 4 or 5 inches across and I use it two or three times a week to make protein waffles and fruit for breakfast. I love it dearly and was lucky enough to be the second to last person picking that year – with the last being my boss, a sixty something year old guy – so I got to steal it with a clear conscience.

    I highly recommend it!

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