The Ultimate Gift Guide for Your Favorite Coworkers

2020 offers another twist for those of us who have been working remotely for the past few months. What do we buy for the coworker who lives across the country, who recently became a parent, or who you may not have even met in-person?

It's been a weird year, which is why we have toilet paper on this gift list, but we're almost through it, y'all!  

Before you dive in, consider checking out all of our holiday gift guides (and don't forget to treat yourself.) 

THE office Bro (because we Actually Love 'em) 

You know the one. While waiting for your turn at the Keurig in pre-Covid times, you'd ask him how their weekend was, and they always went straight into their favorite teams' (that's plural) plays and scores. From there, they'd dive into how all their fantasy teams did, and you're wondering how much of their brain is used for sports. But you miss 'em—a lot! 

The Sports Sports Sports Coworker

But you're open-minded enough to not write off sports lovers especially when they've had a brutal year with fewer live sports to keep them entertained. Plus, in the end, he's really a nice guy who loves his dog. Gift this coworker an ugly Christmas sweater honoring his favorite football team, because football. 

The Sensitive Bro 

They remind you of your own brother—just without constant noogies because the workplace is professional, ok? We recommend Power Moves by Lauren McGoodwin, because you're 99.9 percent sure they're going to love this book, then buy it for their own sisters. Gotta love the office bro.  But let's get back to sports, sort of. Get that digital copy of the pilot episode of Friday Night Lights, because you've been telling them to watch it forever and because (let's face it) #ClearEyesFullHeartsCantLose. 

One More Random Gift

For Anyone On Endless Zoom Calls 

2020 is the year of the Zoom or Google Hangout—or whatever you're using to interface with your long-lost work buddies. Think about gifts that work from the elbows up—or comfy gifts to keep your coworkers' casual off-camera toes toasty. Here's the gift for anyone who is suffering from video call fatigue.  

Make the Call Look (+ Feel) Fabulous 

Nobody wants to be in meetings all day. By the way, if you are sick of endless meetings, we have a course to share with your boss. If your coworker is constantly on calls, give them a gift to zhuzh up their on-camera appearance. 

We love this t-shirt from Big Bud Press. Samantha Irby (buy her hilarious books) recently wore one of these shirts on an Instagram Live and they spark something that is beyond joy. This beach backdrop for the coworker who missed out on their honeymoon because, again, 2020. Finally, you can't look good unless you feel good. These Smartwool striped socks will keep your coworker's toes snug and warm. 

the Social Media Coordinator (Or Just the Socially Savvy)

They spend all their time liking, commenting, following, and retweeting and you're like: how do their heads not explode? Add the internet trolls into the mix and you have a whole new appreciation. Show it with a good gift that brings happiness. 

Show Them the Appreciation They Deserve

If you need to ask why you should over-appreciate your social media coordinator, just take a peek into the DMs they get every. dang. day. We love these stylish blue light glasses because a lot of screen time is part of their job. 

They also need the quintessential Emily in Paris phone case, but make sure they know it's a joke...sort of. (And if they're a super fan, they might enjoy this, too.) Make sure they're equipped with noise-canceling headphones, so they can listen to their favorite podcasts while composing next week's tweets. 

And finally, gift them a troll they'll actually like—to remind them they're doing a great job. 

THE snooty foodie

It's been a tough year for your snooty foodie coworker, so they've been bringing the food prep game home. Here's how to help them out. 

A Few Food and Food-Adjacent Items 

When you're not close enough to break your bank account with a $200 gift card to the hottest restaurant ever, we have a few foodie ideas. This hot sauce set, because they *say* they love the spiciest food. To that, we say, "Prove it!" We also found this cheese-making kit, for the cheese-obsessed. And finally, for the super-organized this "What to Eat" pad is perfect for planning their weeks around meals. 

THE "I've Been Waiting for Remote Work My Entire Life" Coworker 

This was your coworker who never joined for happy hour, but you love 'em anyway. 

To Get Them Through the Winter 

How is winter knocking at the door already? How has this year been the longest and the shortest at the same time? Here are some gift ideas for your cozy-at-home coworker battling the winter months. For the winter months, this weighted blanket is perfect for keeping warm and proven to help calm anxiety. Or, our personal favorite, this blanket where you'll be the only person who knows that your coworker is an actual mermaid. 

To keep their bodies warm, we recommend all of these joggers and sweatpants. All of them. Especially these suuuuuuper soft ones. 

To Get Their At-Home Desk + Work-Life Organized 

Even though they've been waiting for this moment practically their entire career, your homebody coworker might not have the ideal WFH setup yet. Here's where you come to save the day with the greatest gifts. This desk pad and table protector (which, yes, comes in Millennial pink!) will protect their desk from spills and scratches. It's also pretty attractive.  

Remote work can be tough to navigate, so it's best to know your strengths. We recommend the Clifton Strengths Assessment so they can tap into their peak performance potential. 

THE big boss

Time to impress. No pressure or anything...

To Make Them Feel Important 

Is the "corner office" thing...still a thing? If so, give your boss the taste of the big life with some stylish items, like the Stendig 2021 calendar because your boss is just as ready as you are for next year (It also looks fresh in the background of Zoom calls.) You can also treat your boss with a gel seat cushion for the less-than-comfortable home office chair. 

Some Creature Comforts 

Yes, your boss is a human, even if they don't show it as much. You can gift your boss the gift of a never-ending massage along with this Ember temperature-controlled mug (so your boss' coffee doesn't go cold through the endless meetings.)

If you have a pretty good relationship with your boss, gift this glass—because clients, indeed!

the bravo Enthusiast

You know the one—the coworker who is always trying to get you to watch Below Deck and who insists that Potomac is the best franchise ever (it is.) Here's what to get for the Bravoholic at work.

For the Bravoholic + Bibliophile 

Love her or despise her, Carole Radziwill's What Remains is a great book about love and loss. If your coworker prefers a more light-hearted book, how about the RHONY Coloring Book because, Bravo + Coloring Books = Total Stress Relief. "Yes, I'm coloring, Luann!" 

Bravo-Themed Foodstuff

Since the dawn of Skinnygirl margaritas, Housewife foods and goods have become pretty commonplace. For midday snacking purposes, we actually love the Skinnygirl popcorn—even if we hate the "Skinnygirl" moniker. Speaking of Skinnygirl, you don't have to flip your coworker's desk over to impress them. Teresa Giudice's Skinny Italian cookbook is supposed to be a legitimately great cookbook.

When They're Feeling You-Know-What

If your coworker is feeling Jovani, consider gifting a sparkly Jovani dress for a New Year's Eve at home. If you're not spending several hundreds of dollars on Housewives apparel, this Queen. Icon. Legend shirt from the Everything Iconic store is classic. Also, listen to Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino for a lighthearted (and not mean!!) podcast about all things pop culture. 

and FOR THE WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY...

Because you're competitive as hell, and you want yours to be the gift everyone fights over. 

Very 2020 Gifts

Yes, this is the year where toilet paper is on the top of everyone's lists—and we're stuffing our stocking with hand sanitizer? That's right, gift a bunch of hand sanitizer—and watch their eyes sparkle with gratitude. Even better?  Get some toilet paper because 2020 means that toilet paper is the most crucial gift ever. 

A Few Light-Hearted Gifts 

As we said, 2020 was a weird one, so delight at your (virtual) white elephant with this Bob Ross Chia Pet. You might try to keep this for yourself, though. Maybe buy two? We also recommend this Danny Devito pillow (again, you'll want to keep it.) Finally, get your coworkers' brains going with a classic Rubik's cube. Even if they can't do it, it looks cute (and impressive) on a desk?