What is a good gift to get for an office party?

I need to think of a good gift to bring to my office party. We each have a limit of $20 and it's a "steal a gift" exchange. I would like to bring something that everyone will want to steal! It's a group of mostly women with 2 or 3 men. Thanks!

What is a good gift to get for an office party?
Oooh, the dreaded office gift exchange!





The trick is to pick something fun and special, without being so specific that no one is interested in the gift. Start with a “basic”, and then add a few twists with clever packaging.





Basics





Movie passes


Movie rental card


Scratch tickets


Starbucks card


Pound of really good coffee


Itunes gift card


Mag light (That light that you shake and never needs batteries.)


Gift card from Old Navy, bookstore, coffee shop, popular store.


(Try to pick a store that has extra “perks” with the card, one time I got an Old Navy card that said that if it was used in the week after Christmas buys also got a chance to win extra money to spend. )


Beautiful cake from a nearby bakery. (We did an Italian cream cake… was very popular)


Variety box of funky/fun greeting cards








Theme gifts - take a basic, and make it fun by bundling it with some inexpensive related items.





Old fashioned fun box:


Wind up toys, Matchbox cars, “Parachute men”, slingshot, Super bounce ball, Suction bouncy toys, Silly putty….





Movie night:


Popcorn, candy, bowl, Movie rental card





Gourmet Java Jolt:


Coffee, Flavored syrup, and “Frother” (it is an inexpensive “whipper” to create foam, last one I bought was $7 bucks)





Summer fun:


Snorkle and fin set





Inside Joke:


Box of Diet Caffeine-free Dr. pepper. One of the girls in our office was crazy for it, so someone found 2 big packs of it, and wrapped it up for the swap. When it was wrapped it looked huge – after it was opened, everyone knew who it was for. But of course, she had something they wanted.. and so the negotiating began!





Maybe someone in your office has a quirky habit or interest that you can play off of!











Ideas for success:





Wrap the gift!


- Use an oversized box, people tend to go for the big boxes first


- Be creative. Wrap the present in a mysterious/fun way. Egg Carton (who would pick a "dozen eggs") ? Coffee can? Brown paper bag with a rubber band? Box from something else.


-Wrap smaller items (scratch tickets, gift cards etc.) in a larger box or with a larger item. For example:


-- a CD Case


-- Box of Candy canes (Protect the tickets in a plastic bag and tape to front of box). Looks like candy canes as they unwrap, until they see the tickets on the front.


-- Inside a pickle jar (I have a friend that does this one a lot... and it gets a good response, go figure!)


-- Use an Altoids tin for gift cards. If you are crafty, you can "remake" the tin into a one-of-a-kind box.





"Break the rules"





- Bring an extra ‘White Elephant” gift, wrap it, and put it in the middle of the pile. Something crazy, ugly, laughable, and totally different…. (Whoever gets that one, can always pick again after the joking is done.) You never know, someone might actually want it!


-- Dog chewed shoe


-- Old child-size portable record player (was fought over.)


-- Look around, you probably have something that will work...





Have fun with it!





Things to avoid (unless you really, really, know that people in the office will like it.)


- Obvious "gift with purchase items"


- Practical joke items


- Dreaded holiday Combo packages.


- Edible underwear, or other adult items that might just go "oh so wrong"


- Gourmet Hot cocoa set with a mug


- Scented candles (if it was all women maybe....)
Reply:a set of movie gift cerificates
Reply:Best Buy gift card if looking for a unisex gift card. As for an actual item, I'd say a gift basket of some sort. I think it's more fun to get a lot of little things than one big thing. So you could do a gift basket with crackers, cheeses, and meats (pepperidge farm has tons of them pre made), or even like someone else said, do a gift basket with diff. kinds of chocolates and sweets.
Reply:A big box of chocolates. Nice candles. Unisex but appealing. Gift cards are always popular too (coffee shop, target, movies).
Reply:Cross-dresser Barbie (Ken wearing one of Barbie's outfits)
Reply:Basket of toiletries/bath items. I always love those. You can spend whatever you like on that, and some very nice ones can be had for under $20.
Reply:One of those single cup coffee makers. I think that I got one a couple of years ago for like $10 - $15 %26amp; everyone wanted it at my office party. Another idea is a movie night basket. Get an inexpensive popcorn bowl, a pack or two of microwave popcorn, a $5 - $10 Blockbuster gift card %26amp; a some movie theater type candy (maybe 1-2 boxes). Wrap it up in some clear paper with a bow.





Whatever you choose, don't do fondue! Oh my gosh, that's what I ended up with (a fondue set) at the office "steal a gift exchange". I was so upset %26amp; my kids didn't even want it!
Reply:maybe a coffee mug ,some flavored coffees,and maybe a box of chocalates..????
Reply:beer
Reply:travel mugs....a all in one tool or tool kit.....or a great one A GAS CARD!!!!!
Reply:Crockpots, Quesadilla makers, blenders, Wal-Mart gift cards!
Reply:being that you don't know who's it for complicates , flowers can be good or plants alcohol can be given if your group, drinks that would be you knowing the group wouldn't want to lose a fellow worker though.
Reply:For $20.00 - you could buy some really special, elegant Christmas ornaments - wrap them in a beautiful box - and people will want to steal this. (I did this last year at my party)





A gift card is always nice.





How about getting a really pretty gift box and just wrapping a brand new $20.00 bill? I bet everyone would laugh and really want to steal that.
Reply:pick something that is not gender specific to be fair. how about a starbucks gift certificate?