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How To Give Your Boss A Gift (With Examples)

By Ryan Morris
Aug. 28, 2023
Articles In Life At Work Guide

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Giving your boss a gift can feel like a complicated task. From balancing sentiment with professionalism to figuring out what to say when presenting a gift to your boss, this whole gift-giving process can feel like a minefield.

If you’re an employee in this pickle, keep reading. In this article, we will go over what to consider in selecting a gift for your boss, guidelines for professional gift-giving, and some examples of great gifts for your boss.

Key Takeaways:

  • Before getting a gift you need to consider company policy, your relationship with your boss, and the occasion.

  • Present your gift to your boss in a way that doesn’t interrupt their work or make them or your coworkers uncomfortable.

  • When giving a gift to your boss, the best options to get are consumables, a donation in their name, or a gift card to their favorite restaurant.

How to Give Your Boss a Gift With Examples

What to consider before selecting a gift

Before selecting a gift for your boss, consider company policy, your boss’s personality, and the occasion.

The fact of the matter is that every boss is different, and you should be very aware of your relationship with your own boss — as well as their personality — before you put yourself in the position of buying a present for them.

Here are some things to consider before buying a present for your boss:

  • Company policy. What is your company policy on gift-giving? It can be easy enough to overlook, but if your company has an official policy prohibiting or limiting gift-giving for any reason, you definitely want to avoid doing so.

  • Your relationship with your boss. What’s your relationship with your boss like? There are a lot of power dynamics at play sometimes when it comes to gift-giving.

    If you think that giving a gift would get a strange or unpleasant reaction due to your existing relationship with your boss, avoid it. Especially if you’re not getting a gift for anyone else in the office.

  • Your boss’s personality. Does your boss even like presents? Some people aren’t huge fans of receiving gifts, and sometimes they can be militantly against them.

    Whether it’s due to their sense of principle or feelings of anxiety, find out ahead of time whether your boss is the kind of person who likes getting gifts before you grab one for them.

  • The occasion. The occasion is the most important thing here. Why are you buying the gift in the first place? This can have a big impact on the type of gift you give them.

    For example, if the gift is for an office Christmas gift exchange, there are probably some set expectations to follow for the price or type of gift so that it’s similar to what everyone else is giving.

    On the other hand, if it’s a “just because” gift, you should probably keep it low-key so it doesn’t look like you’re trying to earn favor with your boss.

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Tips for giving a gift to your boss

Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding what kind of gift to get your boss, and how much you should spend:

  • Your salary. With all gifts, keep in mind how much money you make and how public that knowledge is. Getting a $20 gift while you’re bringing home $200k a year will make you look like a jerk.

    At the same time, no one expects someone who’s making $25k a year to pitch in more than $10 or so bucks for a group gift or spend more than $20 or so on a personal one.

  • Be personal, but professional. If you know your boss plays sports, a new golf club or a team jersey is a great gift. A jockstrap, not so much.

  • Gift cards. Gift cards can be good, but it depends on the kind of gift card — after all, gifts are supposed to be personal. Don’t give your boss a Chili’s gift card, for example, unless you know that Chili’s is their favorite restaurant of all time.

  • Group presents. If you want to get your boss a big expensive gift, even if you can afford it yourself, consider going in on it as a group with a few other employees. It’ll make it easier on your wallet, it’ll look less weird to give your boss such an expensive gift, and it’ll make everyone else in the office look good too. Wins all around.

  • Not giving anything. If you can’t give a good gift, consider just writing them a card. This will convey the message you’re trying to send with your gift without the presence of a bad gift.

    Just make sure you aren’t the only one in the office not giving your boss a gift.

  • Time the giving of the gift well. This is almost as important as the gift you choose. You don’t want to make your boss or coworkers uncomfortable with how you give the gift, so make sure you put some thought into how you’re going to present it. Here are some examples for different occasions:

    • A birthday. In this case, you should have no problem walking into your boss’s office to give them their gift at any point in the day -— unless you’re the only one in the office who remembered or cared. In that case, maybe keep it in your bag and hand it in at the end of the day, or get to work early and present it to them before anyone else arrives.

    • A random gift. If the present you got your boss was work-related or otherwise not tied to any major event (maybe you just felt generous?) then suddenly you’re in a weird situation.

      Pick a time of day when your coworkers aren’t milling around watching. Hand your boss the present when and where there’s the least foot traffic around you as possible.

Examples of gift ideas for your boss

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing, thoughtful-but-not-too-personal gift for your boss, here are some ideas:

  1. Gift card. If you know your boss frequents a local coffee shop or restaurant, consider getting them a gift card to that establishment. If you’re going for a restaurant gift card, $50 or more is a safe bet to cover a nice meal. You can also just go with an Amazon gift card, but if you can think of a more personalized idea, do that instead.

  2. Food. Whether it’s homemade baked goods, a sampler box of chocolates, or a fruit basket, consumables make a great gift. Consider what foods you’ve heard your boss say they like when coming up with a good food-based gift idea.

  3. A donation in their name. If you know your boss is involved in a charity or cares greatly about a certain social cause, donating money in their name can be a thoughtful and generous gift.

  4. A mug. This one’s a classic for a reason. Most folks drink some form of hot beverage in the morning and/or throughout the day, so a cool and unique mug can be a both functional and stylish gift.

  5. Coffee or tea. This is a great gift to pair with the mug. Specialty coffees and teas work best, or buying the grounds/beans from a local coffee shop that your boss loves. Consider your boss’s habits, though — if they’re a Keurig person, go for K-cups instead of coffee grounds or beans.

  6. Desk toy. If your boss loves to showcase a bit of personality with their desk decor, you can opt for a fun desk toy that will brighten up their day. Consider what pop culture references your boss might enjoy or inside jokes you could nod to with a desk toy.

  7. Alcohol. Speciality alcohol or sampler sets can be a great gift depending on your boss. Obviously, make sure your boss drinks alcohol before you give them this gift. If they don’t, you can give them specialty sodas or lemonades instead.

  8. Tickets. This one might take a bit more research to figure out — after all, you don’t want to give tickets to an event that your boss won’t be able to attend. But if you know your boss’s interests, whether that be sports, bands, plays, or museums, tickets can be a really exciting gift that gives your boss something fun to look forward to.

  9. Office accessories. For a purely functional gift, consider what kinds of office accessories your boss might need or enjoy. An organizer, notebooks, calendars, and fancy pens all fit into this category. Just make sure you don’t get items that your company provides for you.

  10. Plant or flowers. Whether you know your boss has a green thumb and enjoys plants or you just think your boss’s office could use a bit of greenery, an office plant or a vase of flowers can brighten up their work environment.

  11. Mini zen garden. Mini zen gardens look neat and provide a relaxing activity for your boss to enjoy when they need a second away from work. The great thing is that, if your boss is so inclined, they can add trinkets to the mini zen garden and personalize it.

  12. Gift basket. Companies make gift baskets for just about every hobby and interest out there. The standard gift basket is food, but you can find ones for gardening, travel gear, and everything in between. Gift baskets are great because they provide a bunch of mini gifts at once, and your boss is sure to get excited about all their new toys.

  13. Artisan seasonings or cooking oils. If your boss loves to cook, giving them some fancy seasoning blends, olive oil, or vinegar is a sure win. You can either put together a gift basket with a variety of items for them to try or, if you’re confident in your selection, purchase one big bottle and wrap it up nicely.

  14. Personalized stationery. While handwritten cards and letters may not be as commonplace as they once were, almost everyone needs nice note cards and envelopes on hand for thank-you notes, condolence messages, and birthday greetings. A personalized stationery set can be a thoughtful and practical boss birthday gift.

How to give your boss a gift FAQ

  1. How do I physically give the gift to my boss?

    If they’ve got their own office, it can be easy enough to leave it in there. But oftentimes you’ll have a hard time sneaking it past all your nosy coworkers.

    If you aren’t the only one giving a gift to your boss, it may not be a big deal to just give it to them out in the open. If you are the only one giving a gift try to be discreet when giving your gift and get your boss alone if you can.

  2. Is it appropriate to give my boss a birthday gift?

    In most cases, it is appropriate to give your boss a birthday gift. Always check company policies before buying any gift because some companies might not allow gift-giving.

    In most cases giving a birthday gift to your boss shows that you respect and care for them as a professional role model. It could also change how they feel about you as an individual and not just an employee.

  3. How much should I spend on a gift for my boss?

    Employees shouldn’t spend more than $20 on a gift for their boss. When buying your gift you can also consider how much you make and your relationship with your boss. If you don’t make much at your job, $10-$20 is acceptable to spend on your gift. If you make a lot at your job, spending a little more might be more acceptable.

  4. What to write when giving a gift to my boss?

    When giving a gift to your boss, you should write a brief note to explain or go along with the gift. It shouldn’t be long — just a sentence or two will share all that you need to without getting too mushy.

    Here are some examples of what you could say in your note:

    • “Happy holidays! Thank you for all you do for our team.”

    • “Happy birthday! We wanted to give you a little something to show how much we appreciate you.”

    • “Congrats on 30 years at the company!”

Final thoughts

That’s all for this one! Just keep in mind: However you give your boss the gift, and whatever you give them, try not to make a big thing of it.

The fact of the matter is that if they’re your boss, they probably make more than you.

What you’re doing for them is nice, but if you can afford to get it as a gift, they could probably have gotten it for themselves if they’d really wanted it.

So once you give your gift, don’t hang around all day congratulating yourself.

Hand it over, say “You’re welcome,” and get back to work.

References

  1. Greater Good Magazine at the University of California Berkley – 5 Ways Giving Is Good for You

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Author

Ryan Morris

Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.

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