Funny Gifts for Coworkers That Are Also Practical (and Safe for Work)

2. How much should you spend on a coworker gift?

About $20 is the usual answer, and $30 is a sensible ceiling. In an NBC report on office gifts, the recruiting firm Robert Half put it at around $20, and Burgette White of Adecco advised staying under $30.

• The office limit wins: if your Secret Santa says $15, spend $15.
• Match the room: spend about what everyone else spends. Going much higher makes people uncomfortable.
• Watch the timing: a lavish gift right before review season can look like you want something.
• Free counts: a handwritten card with one or two specific thank-yous often means more than the gift.

If your team is drawing names this year, our gift exchange ideas for work cover the games and the rules.

3. What funny gifts will a coworker actually use?

The ones they reach for on a normal workday. These five are hard to get wrong:

• A tumbler for the commute: keeps coffee hot on the drive in and through the first meeting.
• A mug for the desk: the classic, because it gets used every single morning.
• Snacks to share: good chocolate or a snack box disappears fast and makes them popular.
• A plant that's hard to kill: a snake plant or a small succulent. Add a note that says "even you can't kill this."
• A funny desk calendar or notepad: a new joke every day, and they'll use the paper anyway.

For the coworker who says the same thing at 4:55 every Friday, the It's Fine tumbler says it for them: "It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine." in white letters on black. It's a vacuum insulated tumbler with a lid, so it works for the drive and the desk. For more ideas, see our funny office mugs and these office gifts for the workspace.

4. Are gag gifts okay at work?

Yes, when the joke is about work and the whole room could laugh at it. The same NBC report warns against gifts with sexual, political or religious overtones, and says alcohol and gag gifts can be risky too.

• Joke about the job, not the person: nothing about age, weight, looks or anyone's dating life.
• Know your office: a joke that works on one team can fall flat on another.
• Skip the alcohol: unless you know for sure they drink and your workplace is fine with it.
• Save the snark for work friends: for someone you met last month, go mild.

Snarky can still be safe. The My People Skills Are Just Fine mug says that in big letters, then adds in small print: "It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work." It names nobody, so it's a good one for the work friend who rolls their eyes with you in meetings. A heads-up: some of our coworker mugs and tumblers have swear words on them, so read the print before you buy for a group exchange.

5. What do you give a coworker you don't know well?

Something anyone can use up or share. You don't need to know their taste for any of these.

• A coffee shop gift card: small, and it never ends up in a closet.
• Baked goods or a box of chocolates: they can share them with the team.
• A handwritten card: thank them for one real thing they did.
• A mug with a kind joke: friendly, not snarky.

Buying for the whole team in December? Our Christmas gifts for the office staff list has more picks that suit everyone.

6. What is a good funny gift for a coworker who is leaving?

Something that says "we'll miss you" without anyone having to give a speech. A warm joke works better here than a sharp one.

• A card everyone signs: this is the part they keep.
• One gift from the whole team: a few dollars each goes further than ten small gifts.
• Something for the next desk: they'll think of you every time they use it.

The I Used to Work With Absolute Legends tumbler is made for this. It says "I used to work with absolute legends" in white and red on black, which is a compliment to the whole team. It suits a new job or a retirement.

7. Do you have to give your coworkers or your boss a gift?

No. Office gifts are optional, and a kind word counts. Adecco's Burgette White says gifts are not a must.

• Nobody should feel pushed: money is tight for a lot of people, and that's reason enough to skip it.
• Do one team exchange: a Secret Santa or White Elephant with a low limit means one gift each.
• Keep it small for the boss: a card or a group gift is plenty. We have ideas for Christmas gifts for your boss, a short list of boss mugs, and gifts for a supervisor who can laugh at the chaos.
• Say thank you: out loud, or in a note. It costs nothing.

So pick something they'll use, keep the joke about work, and stay near $20. If it makes them laugh on a rough Tuesday, you chose well.