Updated for Christmas 2026 · Sep 24, 2026

Christmas Gifts for Coworkers

Gifts between coworkers should be small, easy and slightly personal. Nobody wants to feel they owe an expensive gift back. These 15 ideas are mostly under $25 and work for the colleague you share a desk with as well as the one you only see on calls. There’s also a section of personalized gifts and a quick guide to office Secret Santa.

Quick answer

Good Christmas gifts for coworkers are small and slightly personal, usually $10–25: good coffee beans, a funny mug with a team joke, a small desk plant, their favorite snack, cozy socks, or a book you’ve talked about. Keep it modest so nobody feels they owe you a bigger gift back.

By Andrei Zhizdra, Founder of Santa AI and Santa for Teams · How we make money

Secret Santa for coworkers: how it works

Everyone draws one name, usually through a free online draw so nobody sees who has whom, and buys a gift for that person within a set budget. A $15–25 limit is common. Gifts are handed out at the holiday party or on the last day before the break, and the giver can stay secret or be guessed.

Good Secret Santa gifts for coworkers are small and a little personal: something from the list below, or one of the personalized gifts at the end. If your team would rather open gifts and steal them from each other, that’s a white elephant exchange: most of these funny gifts for coworkers for Christmas double as white elephant gifts.

On a tight budget? The cheapest ideas have their own pages: office gift ideas under $10 → and Christmas gifts for employees under $25 →.

1Most memorableOne to pass to HR

A call from Santa for every employee, or their kids

Not a gift from one coworker to another: suggest it to HR or your manager. Santa calls every employee’s kids, or the employees themselves, by video, phone or personalized video. Nothing to ship.

✓ For kids or grown-ups
✓ Video call, phone call or video
✓ 29 languages, pay by invoice
✓ Order by Dec 15

Watch out: the grown-up version is playful, so preview it before sending to a very formal team.

Team size→$99.90Get an invoice for 10 employees →

Made by us · How we make money

Type a name and hear Santa say it

The Bean Organic Coffee Co. Island Blend, 16 oz

Best overall

Good coffee beans

$12–25📦 Needs shipping

A bag from a roaster they don’t already buy. Coffee drinkers use it up, and it’s a safe choice.

Our pick: The Bean Organic Coffee Co. Island Blend, 16 oz

Organic whole-bean medium roast, 1 lb bag.

★ 4.7 from 113 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 4 of 113 are 1–2★, from buyers who expected a stronger, more specialty flavor.

Watch out: Whole beans need a grinder, and not every coffee drinker has one.

$22.91 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A small desk plant

$10–20📦 Needs shipping

It brightens the desk and doesn’t need to fit anyone’s taste exactly.

Watch out: Office plants die over the holiday break. Choose something that survives two weeks without water.

See options on Amazon ↗

Their favorite snack, in bulk

$10–15📦 Needs shipping

You know what they eat at 3 pm. A big box of exactly that shows you pay attention.

Watch out: It feels lazy if you pick the wrong snack. Only do it if you’re sure.

A cozy pair of socks

$8–15📦 Needs shipping

Safe, cheap and actually used, especially for the colleague who’s always cold.

Our pick: Loritta Fuzzy Socks, 7 pairs

Polyester and spandex, women’s shoe size 6–10.

★ 4.3 from 143 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 20 of 143 reviews are 1–2★: they run small (one buyer says they fit a 7-year-old) and some found them thin.

Watch out: It’s the most predictable gift on this list, and this pick is women’s sizes 6–10 only. Pick a unisex pack for everyone else.

$10.99 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A book you enjoyed

$12–20📦 Needs shipping

Something you talked about at lunch, with a short note inside the cover.

Watch out: Your taste isn’t theirs. Pick a book you’ve discussed together.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, Fragrance-Free, 2 oz

Unscented hand cream and lip balm

$6–15📦 Needs shipping

It’s useful all winter and suits almost anyone.

Our pick: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, Fragrance-Free, 2 oz

A 2 oz tube of the fragrance-free Norwegian Formula; add a plain lip balm and it becomes a set.

★ 4.7 from 3,870 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: About 4% of its 3,870 ratings are 1–2★, mostly longtime buyers who feel the formula changed; a few call it thick.

Watch out: Skip anything perfumed: in a shared office, scent always bothers someone.

$5.97 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A handmade treat

$3–8💚 Free or almost free

Homemade cookies or fudge in a jar. It’s cheap and personal, and it’s always welcome.

Watch out: Some people won’t eat homemade food from colleagues. Label the ingredients.

A lunch or coffee on you

$10–20🎟️ Experience

Take them out in the last week before the break. Time together can be the gift.

Watch out: In the December rush it’s hard to schedule. Put a date in the calendar when you give it.

SUNEE 18-Month Desk Pad Calendar, Oct 2026–Mar 2028

A desk calendar they’d pick

$9–18📦 Needs shipping

A big desk pad calendar for people who still plan on paper. It sits on their desk for the whole year.

Our pick: SUNEE 18-Month Desk Pad Calendar, Oct 2026–Mar 2028

17 × 12 in desk pad covering 18 months.

★ 4.6 from 155 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 6 of 155 are 1–2★: a couple of copies were missing months, and one buyer expected it to be bigger.

Watch out: Many people now use digital calendars only.

$8.99 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

A small board or card game

$10–20📦 Needs shipping

A quick card game for the holidays at home with family.

Our pick: Spot It! Classic

55 round cards, 5 mini-games, 2+ players, ages 6+. Learned in a minute.

★ 4.8 from 426 Walmart reviews

What 1–2★ reviewers say: 15 of 426 are 1–2★; a couple note the new eco pack has smaller cards than the original tin.

Watch out: It’s only fun with people to play with. Great for parents, less so for people who live alone.

$10.47 at Walmart ↗Compare on Amazon ↗Price checked Sep 24, 2026. Prices change often.

Personalized gifts for coworkers

A personalized mug

$12–20📦 Needs shipping

Their name, a team inside joke or the office’s favorite phrase, printed on the mug they’ll use every morning. Not a generic slogan.

Watch out: Most people already have too many mugs. It only works if the text is really theirs, and custom orders take a week or two.

See options on Etsy ↗

An ornament with their name

$10–20📦 Needs shipping

It goes on their tree at home and comes back out every December. Few cheap gifts last that long.

Watch out: Personalization takes 1–2 weeks and a typo ruins it. Copy the spelling from the company directory.

See options on Etsy ↗

A notebook with their initials

$12–20📦 Needs shipping

For the coworker who takes notes in every meeting: a good notebook that’s clearly theirs.

Watch out: People who take notes on a laptop won’t use it.

See options on Etsy ↗

A desk name plate

$15–25📦 Needs shipping

A proper name plate, with a funny job title if the team has one. It sits on the desk every day.

Watch out: In hot-desking offices there’s no desk to put it on.

See options on Etsy ↗

♡ Your shortlist

Tap the heart on any idea, then send the list to your manager for approval.

Physical vs digital gift

Between coworkers, a small physical gift you hand over at the desk usually works best. Digital gifts are the answer for colleagues you only work with remotely.

Criterion	📦 Physical	📧 Digital
No shipping or packing	✗	✓
No home addresses to collect	✗for remote staff	✓
Works for remote and international teams	✗customs, delays	✓
Can still order in mid-December	✗order by mid-Nov	✓
Something to unwrap	✓	✗depends on the gift

Why you should trust us

Who writes this. Andrei Zhizdra builds Santa AI, which made more than 14,000 Santa greetings for families last Christmas. HR teams asked us what to give instead of another mug, and this guide is the answer.

How we choose. We favor gifts people use every day, gifts that reach families, and gifts that don’t create shipping headaches. Prices are typical ranges at major US retailers. Our six tests

What we skip. Logo merchandise, scented products and anything that ends up in a drawer by January. Idea #1 is our own product, and we say so. How we make money

Common questions

How much should you spend on a coworker’s Christmas gift?

Usually $10–25. Keep it small so nobody feels obliged to match it. If you’re buying for several coworkers, give them all the same kind of thing.

Do I have to buy Christmas gifts for my coworkers?

No. Many teams do Secret Santa instead, or give nothing at all. A card is always enough.

How does Secret Santa work at the office?

Everyone draws one coworker’s name, usually through a free online draw, and buys that person a gift within a set limit, often $15–25. Gifts are exchanged at the holiday party or on the last day before the break. Keep it optional so nobody feels forced to join.

What are good personalized gifts for coworkers?

A mug with their name or a team joke, an ornament with their name, a notebook with their initials or a desk name plate. Order 1–2 weeks ahead and copy names from the company directory to avoid typos.

What’s a good cheap gift for a coworker?

Their favorite snack, good coffee, a small plant or a funny mug with a team joke. Personal beats expensive.

More gift guides

Funny coworker giftsGifts that get a laughRead the guide →Boss / managerGifting up, done rightRead the guide →Under $25The sweet spot for most teamsRead the guide →Your work teamGifts from a manager to the teamRead the guide →

Or browse all our christmas gift ideas for employees.