Christmas Gifts for Coworkers: Cozy, Edible and Office-Friendly

By the Gift DeskUpdated October 19, 202618 hand-picked ideas

The ideas at a glance

Rechargeable Hand Warmer~$25
Loose-Leaf Masala Chai Gift Tin~$20
Ski Lodge Hot Cocoa Gift Set~$20
Scented Soy Candle Trio~$30
Holiday Cookie Tin Assortment~$25
Gourmet Popcorn Variety Tin~$28

The short answer

Keep it small, edible or cozy: a Harney & Sons masala chai tin for the coworker who’s always cold, a Hampton popcorn tin to leave by the coffee machine, and a Christmas cactus or a jigsaw puzzle for the colleague you’re closest to.

December at work has its own weather. Half the team is out by the 20th, the kitchen counter fills with tins of cookies nobody admits to bringing, and the inbox goes quiet in a way that feels almost suspicious. It’s a good moment for a small gift, as long as it fits the mood: warm, a bit festive and easy to carry home on the last day before the break.

This guide is built around how the office holidays actually go. There are gifts for keeping warm in a drafty building, treats to leave by the coffee machine, a short note on keeping things right for colleagues who don’t celebrate Christmas, a few nicer picks for the coworker you’re closest to, and some extras for the party and the gift table.

If your office does a name draw, see Secret Santa gifts for coworkers; if it’s the stealing kind, white elephant gifts is the one you want. Buying for the whole team as a manager? Try gifts for employees.

Giftruly is reader-supported. When you buy through our links we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we pick

For the coworker who’s always cold

Every office has a thermostat war and someone who loses it. Usually it’s the person by the window wearing a scarf indoors from November to March. Warm things are the easiest Christmas gift for a colleague because they’re seasonal, useful and not the least bit personal.

None of these need to match their taste in anything. They just need to be cold, which, in most offices, is a safe assumption.

1
Rechargeable Hand Warmer
A pocket heater that charges by USB and doubles as a small phone battery. It’s the gift for the coworker who types in fingerless gloves or warms their hands on the radiator before a meeting. It also helps on cold commutes and waiting for the train, so it earns its place well beyond the office.
On Amazonabout $25
2
Loose-Leaf Masala Chai Gift Tin
Harney & Sons Heartland Masala Chai
Black tea with whole spices, made for simmering with milk. It’s a warming, seasonal drink without any one holiday attached, which makes it a nice fit for a mixed team. Best for the colleague who already orders chai lattes; a tea strainer tucked in the bag makes it usable at the office.
On Amazonabout $20
3
Ski Lodge Hot Cocoa Gift Set
Thoughtfully Gourmet Hot Chocolate Gift Set
A cocoa set with mix and toppings, packed for gifting. A cheerful pick for the coworker who keeps a stash of cocoa packets in their drawer from December onward. Check the label for nuts or dairy if your colleague has a known allergy; plenty of cocoa sets contain both.
On Amazonabout $20
4
Scented Soy Candle Trio
Three candles in winter scents for their home, not their desk; plenty of offices ban open flames. It’s a cozy gift for the coworker who talks about weekends on the sofa. Choose gentle scents like pine or vanilla over anything heavy, since you’re guessing at someone else’s nose.
On Amazonabout $30

Know exactly who it’s for?

Open the Christmas gift finder

Treats to leave by the coffee machine

Food is the classic office Christmas gift because it disappears. Nobody has to find room for it, and a tin on the shared counter is a gift to the whole team at once. These also work individually for coworkers you’d like to thank without fuss.

5
Holiday Cookie Tin Assortment
Solvang Danish Butter Cookie Tub
Butter cookies in a reusable tin. Put it out on Monday and watch it empty by Wednesday. The tin goes home with whoever wants it.
On Amazonabout $25
6
Gourmet Popcorn Variety Tin
The Hampton Popcorn Company 3-Flavor Tin
Three flavors of popcorn in one big tin, built for sharing. A savory option for teams that are tired of sugar by mid-December.
On Amazonabout $28
7
Hot Cocoa Bombs Gift Box
Chocolate shells that burst open in hot milk. Fun to try in the office kitchen together, if your microwave can handle the queue.
On Amazonabout $25
8
Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Gift Box
Fran's Chocolates Gray and Smoked Salt Caramels
Salted caramel chocolates for one colleague, or a box to pass around after a long team meeting. Rich enough that a box lasts.
On Amazonabout $28
9
Mulling Spice Gift Set for Apple Cider
Olde Tradition Mulling Spices, 24 Tea Bags
Spices for simmering with apple cider, so it works for everyone, drinkers or not. An inexpensive gift that makes a coworker’s whole house smell like the season.
On Amazonabout $15
10
Pure Maple Syrup Gift Tin
Bourdon Maple Organic Vermont Maple Syrup Tin
A tin of real maple syrup for their holiday breakfast. A pantry gift that feels generous for the price and suits anyone who cooks.
On Amazonabout $25

Keeping it right for a mixed office

Not everyone you work with celebrates Christmas, and plenty of people who do would rather keep religion out of the office. The simple fix is to give winter gifts rather than religious ones: cocoa, tea, cookies and warm things work for everyone, whatever they celebrate. Say "happy holidays" on the tag if you’re unsure, and save nativity ornaments and anything with scripture for friends and family who share your tradition.

Food has its own etiquette. Colleagues may keep kosher or halal, be vegan, avoid gluten or have a nut allergy, and few of them will mention it while thanking you for a box of truffles. Packaged treats with a full ingredient list are safer than homemade ones, and a savory option alongside the sweet gives people a choice. Leave alcohol out unless you know the person well; a bottle of wine is a lovely gift for some coworkers and an awkward one for others, and from the outside you can’t tell which is which.

A little more for the colleague you’re closest to

Most people have one or two coworkers who’ve become actual friends: the person you eat lunch with, or the one who got you through a hard project. For them, it’s fine to spend a bit more and reach a little further into their life outside work, while still staying on the safe side of personal.

11
Christmas Cactus Plant
A houseplant that flowers around the holidays and comes back year after year with very little care. It’s a gift that keeps returning every December, which is a nice thing to give a work friend. A good choice for the colleague whose desk or windowsill is already full of plants.
On Amazonabout $30
12
1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
A long, quiet project for the days between Christmas and New Year, when the office is closed and nobody quite knows what day it is. This one is four painted scenes of historic trains, a good fit for anyone with a soft spot for railways. Best for the coworker who’s mentioned doing puzzles, not the one who’d rather be skiing.
On Amazonabout $20
13
Glass Teapot with Removable Infuser
Bodum Assam Tea Press with Stainless Filter
A heat-safe glass teapot with a lift-out basket for loose tea. It’s a step up for the tea drinker who’s been dunking bags at their desk for years, and it works just as well at home. Pair it with the chai tin above if you want to make it a set.
On Amazonabout $28
14
Variable-Temperature Electric Kettle
A kettle with settings for different teas and for pour-over coffee. It’s the bigger gift here and a better fit for a close work friend or a small group gift than for a casual exchange. If they already have a decent kettle, this is a want, not a need, so make sure they’re the enthusiast type.
On Amazonabout $65

For the party and the gift table

Festive extras for the office party, team lunches and the coworker who loves the season more than anyone.

15.
Ugly Christmas Sweater
Tipsy Elves Men's Santa Unicorn Christmas Sweater
For the colleague who would wear one to the party if only someone else went first. Check their size with a casual question about winter coats.
On Amazonabout $35
16.
Gingerbread House Kit
Pre-baked walls and plenty of icing. Bring one in for a lunchtime team build and you’ve solved the holiday party activity.
On Amazonabout $25
17.
Codenames Party Game
Codenames by Czech Games Edition
A word game that works for big groups and takes two minutes to explain. Leave it in the break room for slow December afternoons.
On Amazonabout $20
18.
Personalized Christmas Ornament
Only for a coworker you know celebrates. A first ornament for their new house or a year-marking one for a work friend lands well.
On Amazonabout $18

How much to spendUsually $10–$25 for your coworkerSplit your whole Christmas budget in a minute, with your coworker already on the list.

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Before you wrap anything

Decide on everyone or no one. If you’re giving to your immediate team, give the same small thing to each person so nobody counts.
Hand gifts out before the last week. People take vacation early, and a tin of cookies is less fun in an empty office.
Keep it winter rather than religious unless you know the person shares your tradition. "Happy holidays" covers everyone.
Choose packaged food with ingredients on the label, and include a savory option for colleagues who avoid sugar or have allergies.
Short on ideas for one specific colleague? Tell our gift finder what they’re like at work and get a shortlist in seconds.

Office holiday gift FAQ

Do I have to buy Christmas gifts for my coworkers?

No. Many offices do a Secret Santa or a group card instead, and joining that is plenty. If you’d like to give something, a shared tin of treats for the team is a friendly gesture that doesn’t put anyone on the spot.

What’s a good Christmas gift for a coworker under $20?

Mulling spices, a chai tin, a cocoa set or Codenames for a team lunch. Food and warm drinks are the easiest wins at this price.

Is it OK to give a coworker wine for Christmas?

Only if you know they drink and enjoy it. Plenty of people don’t drink, and some workplaces discourage alcohol as a gift. Cocoa, tea or mulling spices for cider are safer festive choices.

What should I give coworkers who don’t celebrate Christmas?

Give the same kind of gift you’d give anyone, minus the religious imagery: winter treats, tea, a plant or something for their desk, with a "happy holidays" or "happy new year" tag.

One last thought. The office gifts people remember from December are rarely the expensive ones. They’re the tin of cookies that showed up on a brutal Monday, the hand warmer from the person who noticed you were freezing, the card with a line about the project you survived together. Pick something small, write two honest sentences on the tag, and hand it over before everyone scatters for the holidays.

Running the Secret Santa?

Draw names in a minute, everyone on their own phone, no sign-up.

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Gifts for Coworkers Thank You Gifts for Coworkers

For the coworker who’s always cold

Know exactly who it’s for?

Treats to leave by the coffee machine

Keeping it right for a mixed office

A little more for the colleague you’re closest to

For the party and the gift table

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$50–$100

Before you wrap anything

Office holiday gift FAQ

Running the Secret Santa?

More Christmas guides

Related gift guides

For the coworker who’s always cold

Know exactly who it’s for?

Treats to leave by the coffee machine

Keeping it right for a mixed office

A little more for the colleague you’re closest to

For the party and the gift table

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$50–$100