4 Gift Ideas for Colleagues

Yep, we’re knee deep into the holiday season and that means (1) trying to figure out if you should give gifts to your clients/colleagues/etc. and then (2) deciding what to give.

I’m totally convinced that gift giving is an art form.  And, something at which a lot of people do not excel.  Mostly because people don’t take time to really think about the person they’re buying for.

Obviously, gifts are easier when you know the person.  For example, I wouldn’t purchase liquor as a gift for someone I didn’t know well.  They might not drink.  And, if they do drink, the gift might not be something they like.  Early in my career, I worked for someone who loved Champagne.  Not just any Champagne…Moët and Chandon White Star.  So every year, we would get together and buy him a case of Moët.  He always knew it was coming but it was something he really liked and enjoyed.

But let’s say you don’t know the person very well.  Maybe they’re a new member of the team or a client you don’t have too much personal convo with.  It’s still possible to get them a gift they will enjoy.  When I’m in this situation, here are a few things that I give as gifts – they don’t cost a lot and the recipients always rave about them.

  1. Magazine Subscriptions – This is a great gift for clients or office environments.  Find a leading edge publication and send a gift subscription.  Some of my favorites are Fast Company and Harvard Business Review.  Many publishers offer discounts this time of year if you purchase multiple gifts.
  2. Coffee Mugs – Scoff if you must, but I don’t mean the traditional ceramic container.  There are some cool heated travel mugs out there right now – called smart mugs – that allow you to keep the beverages of your choice hot in your car (or in your office).  Simply put, they rock!
  3. Jump Drives (or Flash Drives) – Who can’t use a memory storage device?  I’ve got several and always find a use for them.  They come in so many shapes and colors.  I really like the combo pen with jump drive – looks and feels like a spy pen.  And, if you need to ship it…this gift is easy to mail.
  4. Lastly, if you have to grab something on the fly like a gift card…think in terms of places like Amazon which has books, music, games, etc.  Someone is sure to find something they like there.

Just remember, it’s not the price of the gift that matters.  A well thought item that the recipient can use is the very best gift of all.

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