Office B-Day Coming up? 8 Original Gift Ideas Your Colleague will Love

We’re all looking forward to an upcoming office party – finally some time to relax, enjoy some yummy snacks, a delicious piece of cake, and a couple of drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. However, it often happens that not enough attention is being paid when it comes to selecting gifts – some people are simply lousy at it. It may be difficult to find a good present; I saw some offensive ones and some seriously inappropriate ones.

If you know that you’re not good at selecting gifts or you don’t know a certain colleague that well, then you should definitely invest some time to browse through ideas. The bottom line is that you’re participating in someone’s special day – you should do your finest to make that day even better than it is. And, as long as you’re spending money, it’s better to put it to good use and get a present your colleague will actually like.

A Nice Watch

If you want to get a seriously quality gift that your colleague will use for a while, this is a nice suggestion. However, watches are usually a present for some kind of special occasion. So, if that colleague is celebrating their five or ten years of working, or perhaps if they are going to retirement, this is a great present idea.

It may be difficult for you to pick out a watch that’s in accordance with your colleague’s taste. If that’s the case, my piece of advice to go with the simplest one. You can never make a mistake with a classic piece in neutral colors and you it will look great with any outfit.

A Professional Messenger Bag

On the other hand, if you want to get something useful for your colleague, you should have practicality in mind. Every colleague can benefit from a quality messenger bag; they can usually fit a laptop, a couple of pens, a notebook, and several more personal items like a smartphone and a wallet, which is exactly what most people bring to their office every day.

However, getting the right one can be potentially problematic. You should pay attention to the colors your colleague usually wears for a week, no more. This should give you a pretty good idea about what their messenger bag should look like.

An Office Plant

Making the office a greener place won’t be beneficial just for your colleague, but for the whole team. If this is a trend you just started following, chances are that there are a couple of green items in the whole office. So, if that colleague, with the upcoming birthday, is an environmental activist, or perhaps if they are new to the team and they don’t have any desk ornaments, this is a great pick.

The only thing you need to have in mind when you’re getting the plant is if it will be capable to survive the office condition. Just make sure to mention this to your florist, they will know which species are the most appropriate for that surrounding.

A Little Zen Garden

We all know that the office can be a loud  and stressful place at some points. This is the moment when you want to shut yourself out from everything that’s going on and try to work on your focus and concentration in order to be maximally productive.

A little Zen garden can be quite helpful with this cause. They come with a couple of tools so you can decorate it and reshape it whenever you’re under stress. Refocusing on this instead of making yourself concentrate on work will most definitely help anyone calm down and achieve some clarity. So, if that colleague in question doesn’t handle stress well, this is a gift that they can really use.

A Spa Day

No matter how well you know that colleague of yours with the upcoming birthday, or how close you are, you can’t make a mistake with getting them a whole spa day. A little break from everything is something we’re all in need of every now and then, so who wouldn’t want to spend the whole day enjoying massages and relaxing treatments?

If you’re not a regular visitor of these venues, you should do your research before booking anything. Some Spa centers can be very unpleasant, so make sure to check with someone who has experience in this area and ask for a recommendation.

NBA Tickets

Being an aspiring professional doesn’t leave much room for entertainment. Therefore, you should consider getting NBA tickets for your colleague, and especially so if you know they are a fan – the season has just started.

If these tickets are out of your price range, you shouldn’t give up on the idea – you can get them for a lower price. This is an event that even someone who isn’t a sports fan would enjoy; games are dynamic and exciting throughout.

A Quality Pen

Similar to a watch, this isn’t at all an unusual gift for someone in your office. A quality pen is an item your colleague will use during their lifetime. Besides, they will always have a nice memory of your whole team and you in particular.

A Gift Card

If none of these ideas are appealing to you, then you should play it safe. If selecting a gift wakes up anxiety in you, you can simply choose from the line of stores – yes, at least one choice needs to be made – and get a gift card for a colleague of yours which has a reasonable money limit. This way, your colleague can simply go to the store or visit it online and get whatever they like.

This list has something for everyone. Give it some thought, sleep on it, and I’m sure you’ll be able to make the right decision. If not, there’s always the final option, and although it can be perceived as an impersonal choice, it’s still better than to get them something inappropriate.