Ask the Corporate Sis_Should I Get My Boss A Christmas Gift?

The holidays are here, and the question on everyone’s mind (and wallet) is: What should I get to whom?  At the office even more than anywhere else, the question poses itself as stubbornly as an annoying paper cut at the corner printer.

And when it comes to your boss, what is the right thing to do? Are you expected to get her/him a gift, or can you skip the whole gift office thing and go straight the “cookies and eggnog” phase?

My $0.05: If we’re going to go by the gift etiquette rules, technically-speaking, gifts at work should be distributed downwards as opposed to upwards. In other words, they should go from managers to employees. This is so employees may not feel obligated to purchase gifts they don’t want to purchase or can’t afford, not to mention the power dynamic this may create for managers.

What if you just want to offer a nice token of your appreciation to your beloved boss though? If your office allows for “upwards” gifts,  a nice alternative may be to collect some money from your entire team and offer a “team gift”. Or to invest in a nice card and some inexpensive homemade treats.

And if you’re still running out of ideas, here are a few suggestions here, here (if you want to get promoted), and here.

Have you or will you be getting your boss a Christmas gift this year?

With Love,

The Corporate Sis.