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“Given the current economy, office gift giving may be toned down this year, but there still will be those who want to spread holiday cheer by giving colleagues tokens of appreciation,” said Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group. “Although presents don’t have to be expensive, they do need to be thoughtful and appropriate to the work environment. A gift that works in one setting may not be well received in another.”
Following are some questionable gifts cited by survey respondents:
· “Someone gave a coworker a voodoo doll of the boss. The boss found out and wasn’t very happy about it.”
· “One employee liked to give out portraits of himself. I’m glad I never received one.”
· “A wrapped six-pack of beer. There was no time spent on selection or thought.”
· “I received the ugliest lamp. I packed it away and never looked at it again.”
By contrast, these next presents showed considerable thought:
· “My favorite and most memorable gift was a membership to a local art gallery.”
· “Someone gave his coworker a ride on a parade float with Santa.”
· “We got Ohio State football helmets because we are all Ohio football fans State.”
· “Each employee received a bobblehead that was a replica of him- or herself.”
· “An employee made a photo collage of an art director’s children.”
· “Someone received a customized Disney toy.”
· “My staff gave me 2 pounds of stone crab last year. They were delicious.”
Although some thought might have gone into these offerings, it’s hard to say what that thought was:
· “Someone gave his assistant a case of tuna. It was really strange.”
· “A colleague gave me orange hair extensions. I wasn’t sure what they were for.”
· “My staff gave me an industrial-size can of chicken loaf. I never ate it.”
· “A person gave a colleague a fully stocked 125-pound aquarium.”
· “One person received a plastic pizza with a face on it. She thought it was frightening.”
· “Someone gave an employee a box of meat.”
Then there were those whose gifts may not have been heartfelt but did get a laugh:
· “Someone gave a coworker The Clapper – that device that turns things on when you clap. Everyone got a kick out of it.”
· “I got a punching bag that emits curses when you hit it. I enjoyed the gift.”
· “One year someone gave a coworker who was always getting speeding tickets a radar detector. The whole office found it funny.”
And, finally, there were gifts that keep on giving:
· “We gave a certificate to a charity in the person’s name.”
· “We elect, as a staff, to distribute gifts to families that are needy.”
Slabinski noted that donating to a charity during the holiday season is a nice way to give back to the community. “This year, especially, many nonprofits could use the help, whether it’s a gift in an individual’s name to a cause he or she believes in, or a group outing to provide assistance to those in need,” she said. | 
