Give at the office: Out-of-the-box holiday gift ideas for co-workers

November 18, 2011

Give at the office: Out-of-the-box holiday gift ideas for co-workers

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Unlike the ones you may work with, these pinheads actually do a job: holding up the calendar in your cube, for example. (CB2)

By Bree Coven Brown / Special to NWjobs

When making your gift list this holiday season, don’t forget the folks who keep you going from 9 to 5. Put these gift ideas to work for the boss, the assistant and everyone in between.

For the boss
Send the boss on a tropical vacation with the Executive Sandbox Day at the Beach — for when a desktop Zen garden isn’t enough. The mini-kit includes a hardwood sandbox with a tiny beach chair, sun umbrella and beach toys. Grab the grooming rake, and presto — it’s another day in paradise. $28 at officeplayground.com.

For the assistant
Anne Taintor’s Modern Office sticky notes ease administrative tedium and tell it like it is, with cheeky gems such as, “She was comforted by the knowledge that they were helpless without her” and “Stop me before I volunteer again.” $5 at annetaintor.com or Portage Bay Goods in Fremont.

For the green thumb
Upgrade any office environment with a desktop terrarium. Design your own or buy a ready-to-go fig in a bottle, freshwater Japanese Marimo algae balls or an enclosed tropical plant terrarium with charcoal in the bottom to create its own mini ecosystem. These long-lasting, low-maintenance plants thrive in low light, require only tap water and make a great conversation piece. $16-$38 at The Palm Room in Ballard.

For the style-savvy
Kirkland-based Plaid Doctrine combines fashion and function in eco-chic messenger bags ($129) and iPad sleeves ($59) made from recycled plastic water bottles. Handcrafted in the U.S., these totes are as easy on the eyes as they are on the environment. Choose from chevron, argyle and plaid designs. Available at Veridis Clothier on Capitol Hill and plaiddoctrine.com.

For the gadget-happy
Tame the clutter of electronic devices and hide their bulky cords with this attractive, calming desktop charging station that looks like a patch of grass. $25 at perpetualkid.com or amazon.com.

For the coffee lover
Help your favorite coffee fiend stay wired all day — without getting up from the desk. This drink warmer with a four-port USB hub plugs into a computer and keeps any beverage a piping-hot 122-144 degrees. $17 at vat19.com.

For the dog lover
Make every day Take Your Dog to Work Day with this cute, modern handheld stapler shaped like man’s best friend. $7 at amazon.com.

For the nature lover
Go metronatural with the eco-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, fatigue-relieving bamboo mouse and matching keyboard by Vivitar, made from natural and recycled materials. Mouse $34, keyboard $80 at Urban Outfitters.

For the corporate drone
Pinhead Pushpins’ miniature power suits stick it to the man — and provide endless fodder for amusement and a relatively safe way to work out workplace aggression. $11 for 10 pushpins at Annie’s Art and Frame in Ballard or CB2.com.

For the fidgeter
Some folks need to fidget to focus. Bucky Balls (named in honor of inventor Buckminster Fuller), an addictive desk toy of 216 “rare earth metal” magnetic balls, can be squeezed like a stress ball and manipulated into an unlimited variety of shapes and structures. $39 at Camelion Design in Ballard or getbuckyballs.com. [Editor's note: Several retailers have stopped selling this product as a result of a Consumer Product Safety Commission lawsuit filed against the manufacturer in July 2012.]

For the clock watcher
Spruce up any office space with a magnetic oversized desktop pocket watch that sticks on file cabinets and cube partitions. Rich colors and a distressed wood design will make the time fly by in style. $26 at Camelion Design.

For the young at heart
All work and no play? Lighten up the workload with the playful Robot USB hub, with connector, four ports and red, glowing LED eyes. Because everyone needs a robot. $22 at Gifted in Ballard.

For the office hero
Every workplace has a hero — you know, the one who comes to your rescue when your printer is jammed. Say thank you with a limited-edition vintage Batman 2 GB flash drive. Modeled after the icon’s first comic book appearance in 1939, this superhero storage device comes preloaded with exclusive Batman screen savers, wallpaper and more. $42 at Fireworks (various locations).