Halloween has come and gone, so you know what that means: we have entered the surprisingly swift slide towards the long holiday season. Before you know it, you'll be seeing turkeys and then Santas pop up everywhere. Instead of waiting until the last minute - again - to do your holiday gift shopping, start now, while you still have time to think up something creative.
Why not start your brainstorming with your boss? After all, he or she is one of the reasons you still have a job this holiday season, while so many less fortunate people out there will be spending their holiday sending out resumes and asking Santa for a new position. Take a look at these four great gift ideas for your boss.
1. Get the rest of the crew in on it
One thing you can do for your boss that he or she will be sure to appreciate is to get the rest of your workplace in on the fun. You can chip in together to offer your boss something particularly nice, such as an airplane ticket to your boss's favorite holiday destination, or even a cruise. If your boss is a sports fan, get him or her a couple tickets of premiere seats for the big game. Of course, this only works if you have a big enough office to afford such a gift.
For something less expensive that everyone can be involved in, offer your boss a framed poster with all of the team's signatures around it.
2. Gag gifts
Gag gifts are great fun - if your boss has a good sense of humor, and your relationship is such that you know your boss will enjoy a humorous or even raunchy gift.
Two words of caution about gag gifts, however. First, if you're not sure if your boss would find it funny - if you find yourself hesitating even a little bit, wondering if this is really such a good idea - don't do it. The last thing you want to do is offer something that you hoped would earn a laugh, and instead it earns a scowl. Second, if you're going to offer a gag gift to your boss, make sure it's something unique and personal, such as an item that is reminiscent of an office inside joke. What you don't want is something generically funny that will end up in the wastebasket by January 15.
3. Of-the-month Clubs
"Of-the-month" clubs are excellent gifts that keep on giving. From more traditional book-of-the-month clubs to more unique subscriptions, such as wine-of-the-month or pie-of-the-month clubs, the chances are you can find an of-the-month club that fits your boss's hobbies and lifestyle.
Does your boss dote on his or her dogs? Consider a dog-treat-of-the-month club, where your boss will receive custom-baked dog treats for Rover and Fido every month. Does your boss like gardening? A garden-of-the-month club will provide your boss with gardening tools and bulbs each month.
4. Get your boss to relax
Your boss probably needs a chance to relax and unwind as much as anyone else in the office. A great gift is a visit to a spa or massage studio, where your boss will be given a chance to deeply relax and let go of stress. From private massage therapists who will come right to the office to visit your boss in the middle of a busy day, to upscale day spas where your boss can spend a day or a whole weekend, spas and massages make great, unique gifts for your boss.
