inexpensive gifts for co-workers?

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    • #239808
      BiggerPiggyBank

      I’m wondering what other people do for inexpensive gifts for co-
      workers? The crafts I make at home with my kids really wouldn’t be
      appropriate for my co-workers/boss, I don’t want to spend more than
      $5/person, and I don’t want to give them junky stuff just so I can say
      I gave them something. Any ideas or suggestions?

      (I have 3 female co-
      workers ranging in age from early 20s to late 40s, my boss is male in
      his mid/late 40’s.)

      Also – do any of you ever have miscellaneous gifts on hand for people
      who “drop in”? If not, how do you handle the situation when someone has
      unexpectedly given you a gift and you have nothing to give them in
      return?

      Thanks,
      Rebecca 🙂

    • #398622
      JennyCup

      I always loved getting things like pretty pencil cups, fun pens (I once got a pen that the girl wrapped a cheap bic pen in green floral tape and glued a large fake flower to the top…I love using it and it looked great on my desk), lotions to keep at my desk, an extra large coffee mug filled with coffee/tea goodies (individual creamer cups, packets of Sugar in the raw, honey sticks, chocolate stir spoons, etc.), a candle jar warmer with a candle, plants, etc.

      The coffee cup thing is a great inexpensive idea as you can buy large mugs pretty cheap, buy boxes of those individual creamers, sugars, honey sticks, etc. to divide up between the mugs and you can make chocolate spoons at home using plastic cutlery.

      I keep a small box of items that I find on clearance as an emergency gift box. I keep bath stuff, baby gifts, candles, picture frames, etc. I try to keep the stuff pretty gender neutral so I have plenty of things to choose from.

      I get things at the dollar section at Target, Big Lots, dollar stores, clearance racks, etc.

    • #398661
      Pyxidragon

      I always make a fairly large assortment of Yule goodies. A few years back, being broke beyond belief, I put a nice selection of these in several baskets that I had hanging around with some tissue from the dollar store and gave those out. To my utter amazement, every last one has asked for this to be repeated since.
      This year’s assortment includes a half-dozen of each of the following cookies and about 1/4 cup of the last two:

      -Maraschino cherries dipped in melted milk chocolate
      -Shortbread rounds
      -Store-brand “Oreos” half-dipped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with…well..sprinkles
      -Mexican wedding cakes
      -Peppermint bark
      -Spiced Almonds

      Depending how fancy you want to get the cost can go up, but we spend about $3 per basket when all is said and done. This is also something the kids can help with.

    • #398697
      faxonfive

      I go to the dollar tree here and get an ornament for each person in my department. (I only have 6 people anyway) then I wrap it in paper I got on clearance from the year before and add a wrapped chocolate dipped pretzel that I make.

    • #398703
      flutterbye0419

      you could try what I do. I usually will go to the dollar stores and get like a nice candle and candle holder for the girls… I usually have my hubby shop for the men at work…

      I also like abc distributing ® – Home and Collections Etc.: Unique gifts, home and garden decor, and housewares. Almost everything $19.99 or less! for inexpensie gifts for people.

    • #398759
      queenpeggy29

      One of the gals where I work gets together with her sister and bakes loaves of lemon poppyseed bread and gives those out. Everyone here loves them!

      I buy Christmas themed items on clearance sale right after the holidays and put them away for the following year. Everyone likes something Christmasy! I got cookie jars one year that had sold for $19.99 for only ONE dollar each after Christmas!

      Bought several of course! Add a dozen or so homemade cookies for a great gift.

    • #398770
      rtebalt

      I agree with Pyxidragon. Homemade goodies like cookies, spiced nuts, pumpkin bread are always a great hit. And you can make a lot without spending a bundle.

      Something else I’ve done is make cookie mix in a jar (you can also do hot cocoa mix in a jar, coffee mix, brownie mix, etc.) Just google “mix in a jar” & you should find a bundle.
      Queenpeggy29 also has a great idea. I also buy things on clearance after Christmas & save them all year for gifts. Something else that I always do is whenever I go to a store I always check the clearance sections – no matter what store it is – Target, Walmart, Petsmart, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble, Old Navy – you get the point.

      I have found some great gifts for family and friends all year long & I store them for Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, etc. I almost always find t-shirst or boxers at Old Navy for my husband. I store up all year long & then my husband feels like he’s hit the motherload on Christmas morning!

    • #398812
      lcove2000

      How about a recipe in a jar mix? or if you don’t have that much time to put into it how about a Christmas pin or ornament? Maybe some cute earrings?

      Box of candy? nice pens or pins? nice hair barrette?

      Journals? Stationery? nice bag of coffee or box of tea with a couple of inexpensive mugs?

      Most of these items can be found at discount places. Don’t know where you live but dollar stores, Christmas tree shops, Job Lots … Good Luck!

    • #398813
      flutterbye0419

      great idea. i too need to keep in mind the recipe in a jar thing…

    • #398829
      kamknauss

      I have several teacher friends who have an abundance of the typical gifts and Christmas/Teacher mugs that they end up giving away and I have four girls so I had to think of something unique for their teacher gifts and drop-ins. Here is my trick, slightly higher than $5 per person, but usually no more than $10.
      I go to Blockbuster and buy 10 of the $5 gift cards. If you buy a set amount, they usually throw one or two in.

      I buy a 10-pack of popcorn and 10 large bags of m&m’s (usually on sale at Halloween/Christmas). I buy 10 cd-rw’s and 10 cheapie Christmas Bowls. I go home and burn 10 CD’s with Christmas songs (you can buy from Amazon-mp3 cheaply or use what you have) and then do an assembly line.

      Sometimes instead of the bowls and the popcorn, I will buy the ready-made popcorn buckets from Blockbuster instead and it’s about the same price.
      Voila- I have 10 gifts ready to hand out for a relatively low price. They are disposable and easily regifted if the recipient doesn’t care about a movie night. I have had teachers tell me that they listen to the CD’s for years and usually recieve plenty of compliments.

      It can be given year after year and instead of minding, the teachers usually look forward to them (or maybe they are just being polite). At any rate, even if they hate them, I am not out much and I always have extras for the crossing guard, secretary, etc.

    • #398835
      wilbe95

      What a wonderful suggestion! Yeah I have done this family but duhhhh never thought of it for the teachers. Thanks for waking me up!!!!!!
      Kim

    • #401077
      rtebalt

      @kamknauss 82689 wrote:

      I have several teacher friends who have an abundance of the typical gifts and Christmas/Teacher mugs that they end up giving away and I have four girls so I had to think of something unique for their teacher gifts and drop-ins. Here is my trick, slightly higher than $5 per person, but usually no more than $10.
      I go to Blockbuster and buy 10 of the $5 gift cards. If you buy a set amount, they usually throw one or two in.

      I buy a 10-pack of popcorn and 10 large bags of m&m’s (usually on sale at Halloween/Christmas). I buy 10 cd-rw’s and 10 cheapie Christmas Bowls. I go home and burn 10 CD’s with Christmas songs (you can buy from Amazon-mp3 cheaply or use what you have) and then do an assembly line.

      Sometimes instead of the bowls and the popcorn, I will buy the ready-made popcorn buckets from Blockbuster instead and it’s about the same price.
      Voila- I have 10 gifts ready to hand out for a relatively low price. They are disposable and easily regifted if the recipient doesn’t care about a movie night. I have had teachers tell me that they listen to the cd’s for years and usually recieve plenty of compliments.

      it can be given year after year and instead of minding, the teachers usually look forward to them (or maybe they are just being polite). at any rate, even if they hate them, i am not out much and i always have extras for the crossing guard, secretary, etc.

      i was a high school spanish teacher & i have to say, my favorite christmas gifts were either handmade (one girls mom took a crackled glass votive candle holder that was clear & painted on black eyes, an orange carrot nose & black mouth – it was a snowman’s face on the holder. she probably bought the cangle holders for a dollar or two each, but i still have it & put it out every christmas!!! i think she put a $5 Chick-fil-a gift card with it.

      I loved it!) The other thing I loved was gift cards. Most of them were $5 each for local fast food restaurants. That was great because then every once in a while I could treat myself to lunch at Chick-fil-a for aome other restaurant & not have to eat “school food” everyday.

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