The Rules

2007-07-25T22:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to this blog about office gift giving - this isn't about intra-office gifts (i.e., "what should I give my secretary for Christmas?"), but rather about inter-office gifts (i.e. "hey, we should really send those guys over in the copy shop a fruit basket to thank them for working so hard all year"). So we're talking about those Harry & David gift baskets, the boxes of Mrs. Fields Cookies, the thoughtful assortment of spa treatments, even the occasional hand-delivered dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. I'll discuss what gifts are a hit with my office, which ones are a flop, why food never goes uneaten, even when no one likes it, and how to pick the perfect office gift.

So, where to start? Well, since gift receiving season hasn't quite started yet here (that begins in August for our busy season, and picks up again around December for obvious reasons), and we have nothing to evaluate, I thought I'd start with three basic rules for office gift giving. (Probably to be updated by my coworkers, for whom this is a subject of intense debate).

1. Know your audience - how many people are in the office? what is the general age range? gender breakdown, if possible, type of atmosphere (jeans or suits). Why should I know this much? Well think about it, an office of 25 women is more likely to appreciate a gift basket of little travel sized goodies from a local spa, which they can divvy up as they see fit. Men might be less inclined to ooh and aah over such a gift. Similarly, a box of 10 chocolates sent to an office of 30 would make someone sad, and you really don't want to be doing that, do you?

2. Give something individually wrapped - I got this tip from the Japanese, who are the ultimate office gift givers (spend some time in the ground floor of a Japanese department store to see the heights that office gifts can attain). While big tubs of popcorn with "THANK YOU" written in bright colors on the outside are a cute idea (who doesn't like popcorn?), no one really wants to eat popcorn that's been touched by EVERY SINGLE ONE of their coworkers. Instead, opt for something that people can enjoy while maintaining a healthy germ-o-phobia. If you are opting for a non-food gift (brave soul that you are), also think about giving something individually wrapped or at least easily divided. One luxury leather suitcase is a very thoughtful gift to an individual, but it doesn't go over well when presented to an entire office - do people have to coordinate vacation schedules in order to use "the" suitcase? Better to go for umbrellas, totebags, or the above-mentioned spa basket (this was a popular one on my floor).

3. Don't give anything that requires tools to enjoy - Salami, cheese, mustard, jam? Who has knives to cut and spread these things at work (or, if there is a knife, who knows when it was last cleaned)? And who really wants to stand around slicing salami and spreading it with mustard in a communal office space? See also #2 about individual wrapping.

OK, now you know where I'm coming from - let's hear from you!

The Eternal Allure of Free Food

2007-07-25T13:50:00.000-04:00

What is it about free food that makes even the boss come running out of her office to the food table? (You'd think she pays herself well enough to buy some popcorn of her own, wouldn't you?). Even cheap things like M&Ms taste better when they are a gift (especially M&Ms, which are one of those things that you've always loved but you never think to buy for yourself. Isn't is a joy when someone gives you a handful unsolicited?). And that's why food makes one of the best office gifts ever. You can be pretty sure that it will be eaten, and your name will forever be associated with full tummies and happy tastebuds (ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but people will appreciate the gesture).

The calorie conscious among us may talk about staying away from the office food table, and people may say they are not "into" snacking, but they aren't fooling anyone. When food is put out, it gets eaten. Even food that people profess to not like gets packed away into our ever expanding gullets (I can think of a particularly "interesting" can of flavored nuts that no one liked but everyone ate).

Except, of course, if you give something like a jar of mustard and a pack of salami that doesn't need to be refrigerated (see "The Rules" below) - what are those things made out of anyway? And even those eventually disappear. (I've often wondered which of my coworkers is sneaking in at night and polishing off the Harry & David jams and mustards that sit out on our food table for weeks - speak up now if this is you!).

There are favorites, of course. Chocolate being a perennial hit (did I mention my love of M&Ms? or what about truffles? or dark chocolate - which has the added benefit of being heart healthy), cookies also go over well, as do brownies and cupcakes, but this is where you get into the perishable foods arena, which may have to be the subject of a whole 'nother post. (When we can weigh in on the pros and cons of the "Ice Cream Party" that was sent to my office once).

Let me know - what food gift would leave your office chair spinning as you sprinted for the food table?

Office Gifts Blog

The Rules

The Eternal Allure of Free Food