What would you like your manager to buy you?

[EmmaStone]

Just thinking about what to get my team for Christmas. They work really hard, I've got 4 (soon to be 5) reports, so I don't think I want to spend more than about £20 a head (is that really stingy??).

Would you prefer to get say a voucher for a coffee shop, some chocolate, some booze, something else??

How many direct reports do you have?

Mine were all married, so I gave hem a meal in a nice restaurant with their spouses on me.

This was especially challenging for the ones who were not located in the UK, but unconscious bias and all that.

My line manager gets me a book token, as he knows I will love that (and I dont like alcohol or want chocolates which is what the rest of our small team like).

A voucher but not for coffee. A generic one like Amazon or Love to shop then everyone gets something they like.

Gosh some people are such grumps. I'd be genuinely thrilled to receive any of the ideas from my boss, having been in the nhs for 20 years and rarely received any gift. Even if you don't like the gift, surely you appreciate the thought and saves you when you re-gift it! I would love bulbs or fizz or choc or any of the above really.

Oh yes, I’d forgotten the shopping day!

Don’t remember getting my birthday off but I wasn’t there that long so it might have been normal practice.

There's nothing grumpy about thinking gifts should reflect the receiver's likes. Most people want their gift to be appreciated and used, not re-gifted.

Yankee candles
wax melt burner
coffee travel flasks

We used to get gift cards to spend at the local supermarket. It doesn't sound like much, but it's an enormous company, so it was nice to be able to buy ourselves a small treat once a year!

As for our manager... erm... things that are actually USEFUL for work (in the eyes of people that have to use the items that you think will be amazing, but are terrible in real life). Instead, we treat ourselves to a breakfast out for Christmas/New Year, when the manager isn't around to spoil our fun!

I've bought mine these - https://www.personalisedgiftsshop.co.uk/personalised-cookie-mug-blue-initial-name.html?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A22332625655%3A176304449957%3A738481103933&nb_adtype=pla&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=pla-2434669803561&nb_mi=420862462&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=M-15597&nb_ppi=2434669803561&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22332625655&gbraid=0AAAAAC9UiK0wgFNxeTAJqNE45upH7Mt9K&gclid=CjwKCAiAraXJBhBJEiwAjz7MZd463ZLdyDJ5LfjbOpS6XWMurXm7LpVjMvtYE-YJjI36R4zkXPDxCBoCsJwQAvD_BwE

Personalised with name and initial of course and each in their favourite colour. My own money but there's only 3 of them. They work hard and I value them, I also buy them a token birthday gift from my own money.

Work send everyone an Amazon voucher at Xmas.

I would like a John Lewis voucher please if I worked for you. I would put it towards our coffee and cake date with my 2 friends.

Our manager just tends to bring in a communal box of chocolates.

A previous manager gave everyone one of those small Lindt reindeer and a card with a really nice, personal message. That was very much appreciated (the card more than the reindeer).

I don’t want anything I have to take home - my work bag is already full enough.

Take them out for lunch or nothing.

I used to work in shell Centre and we got time off for Christmas shopping and on the afternoon of the Christmas party we could take time off to go to the hairdresser. We also got a free three course lunch with coffee! Those were the days.

I don't want anything from her - sounds cheesy but her support throughout the year is enough for me. We don't have a tradition of manager gifts but if we did, I'd prefer a voucher.

If you can’t give a half day of leave, can you give an hour or 2? An old manager of mine used to call a meeting at 2:30 a week or so before Christmas, spend 20 minutes saying thanks for our work etc and handing out cards and a small box of chocolates then send us all home.
I do similar for my team now, it goes down well.

Nothing. It’s embarrassing. Maybe some more sellotape or whiteboard pens.

I have a spreadsheet of my team members' favourite chocolate and get them that. I used to do mini poinsettia and Hotel Chocolat when my team was a lot smaller. They also get Advent calendars at the beginning of December. I get the M&S Where's Wally/Dinosaur ones for those who don't celebrate Christmas.

In total, Advent calendars and chocs work out at about £6 per person. The company gives very generous vouchers for Christmas. This is out of my own money and with nearly 40 people on my team, it adds up very quickly!

I have just sent my team (smallish) my yearly email asking what they’d like (suggestion list is wine/fizz (if so what), chocs (posh or quantity?), stationery (one of my team is obsessed, I wouldn’t ask if I were only buying for her!) or something else. They take it in good humour (several Dear Santa, as I’ve been good I’d like… type responses) and at least I know everyone’s getting something they’d like. They bought me a group present last year…I am attempting to discourage this (without suggesting I’m expecting it, argh!) although I was obviously extremely polite about it last time.

I've never had a present specific from a line manager, or my overall boss! Sure we might buy each other something chocolatey that we know we like, but there's no sense of hierarchy.

I and my colleagues all get a bottle of Prosecco every year from my boss. I have told her many, many times that I don't drink wine, and indeed these days I don't drink full stop. I'd honestly prefer to receive nothing.

Whatever you get your team colleagues, make sure it shows you pay attention to what they tell you about themselves, and have put a bit of thought into the gift.

@Dinoswearunderpants Yes, I think you’re right. Were you at Holborn Bars?

Can’t go wrong with an M&S voucher

Lots of tat being suggested: novelty mugs, biros, toxic yankee candles. Go for a voucher, if you do M&S or JL £20 would get them a lovely bottle of wine.

The company buys everyone a £50 JL voucher, so I wouldn’t want to go down that route. Company also puts £20 per head towards a team Xmas lunch, plus there’s a Xmas party (I will put some money towards the lunch too), so the gift is a token. Previously there has been a lot of team gift exchanges, so we’ve agreed as a team to stop that, but I think it’s a nice thing for a line manager to do to show appreciation with a small gift (and yes, a genuine card of thanks).

Over the years, my previous managers have given similar gifts to each member of the team, and I do think it’s simpler than trying to match each personality, and risk one feeling more correctly matched than another.

Lots of ideas here, thank you for the very helpful input!

Honestly-nothing. I would prefer not to have a personal gift from them at all.