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Holidays are almost here, and you must have bought or made gifts for everyone important in your life. But did you get something for your boss and manager who lead and guide you every day, year after year?
They are the ones who made it easy for you when you first became a part of your current organization. So appreciating them in a creative but thoughtful way is justified.
No worries if you lack inspiration on how to surprise your boss and manager this holiday season.
We have come up with 25 creative and interesting ideas to save the day for you!
25 Creative ideas: How to surprise your bosses and managers this holiday season
Since Christmas is right around the corner, waste no time and appreciate your boss and manager with one of the below-mentioned ideas:
1. A special lunch or dinner
Take your team lead to their favorite restaurant for lunch or dinner and treat them to a special meal. You can also include your entire team in this plan and make it even more memorable for your boss.
2. Bake a cake or cupcakes
You can never go wrong with baked goodies when trying to cheer someone, especially when it's your boss. This holiday season, bake your boss some delicious cupcakes to make him feel special and appreciated.
You can also bake them a Christmas-themed gourmet cake instead if you've got some more time on your hands to spare.
3. Send a handwritten thank-you note
No gift could beat a sentimental, handwritten thank-you note. Before you take off for holidays, write your boss a thank-you note, pouring out your honest emotions. Tell them how their mentorship helped you sail through tough times and how grateful you are to have them as your boss.
4. Heartfelt Christmas and New Year’s wish
If you want to do something simple yet sweet for your boss this holiday season, make them a holiday card and write a heartfelt Christmas and new year message.
5. Great leadership books
Garrison Keillor once said, "A book is a gift you can open again and again." If you're confused about what to get your boss or manager this Christmas, go for a great leadership book.
Here's a list of amazing books you can choose from:
- Nine Lies About Work by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall
- A Promised Land by Barack Obama
- Summary of The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
- Crossing the Chasm by Kent Hodge
- Measure What Matters by John Doerr
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
- Elon Musk by Andrew Reed
6. Chance to meet their favorite author
Meeting your favorite author who inspired your work or life can be life-changing. If there’s an author meet and greet event coming up in your town, it is a great opportunity for you to get your boss a ticket to meet their favorite author as a Christmas surprise gift.
7. Vintage maritime desk clock
Another great gift to get your boss or manager is a vintage maritime desk clock. It would definitely add some class to your boss's office space. Make the desk clock even more special by including a custom engraving.
8. Grooming kit
Get your boss a classic grooming kit they can take along on their upcoming holiday. You can also customize the kit if you know about their preferences or include basic unisex items such as:
- Shampoo
- Facewash
- Face towels
- Deodorant
- Electrical trimmer
- Nail clipper
9. Wine decanter set
If your boss or manager is a wine lover, there is no better holiday gift than a wine decanter set. Get them a crystal set they can add to their bar and use to unwind with their better half after a busy day at work.
10. Unique collectibles
Many people like to collect antiques, postcards, stamps, coins, vintage books, clothes, watches, etc. Is your boss one of them? If so, surprise them this Christmas with a set of unique collectibles based on their likes. They would greatly appreciate this beautiful gesture of yours.
11. Novelty pen set
Novelty pens are a great gift option for someone you adore and respect or for someone who loves to collect pens. Get your boss a novelty pen set as a surprise Christmas gift. You can even get it custom-made, and it will be a great addition to their office desk.
12. MacBook Air sleeve
Another functional gift you can get your boss or manager this holiday is a MacBook Air sleeve. A quality sleeve would give a good snug to their MacBook and protect it from dust and scratches. You can also get it customized or hand-made to give it a personal touch.
13. Blast motion golf swing analyzer
If your boss or manager is a big golf fan, get them a blast motion golf swing analyzer. This gadget is attached to the end of the golf club and is used to track performance. It is a great gift to help your boss observe their performance and improve their game over time.
14. Pickleball paddle deluxe combo set
Get your boss a pickleball paddle deluxe combo set that is durable and has a comfortable grip. It is a thoughtful Christmas gift for a pickleball sports lover who enjoys a good game.
15. Favorite wine bottle and tumbler gift set
Another great holiday gift to get a wine lover is a fine wine bottle and a tumbler gift set. If you want to make your boss feel special and at the same time impress them with your thoughtfulness, go ahead with this gift. You can never go wrong with a fine-aged red wine and a personalized and insulated tumbler set.
16. Personalized executive padfolio
A typical boss or manager is always busy and on the go, and your boss must be too. Get them a personalized executive padfolio that will hold all their writing instruments (even fit a tablet), business notes, credit cards, and more. It is a very functional yet thoughtful gift you can get your boss on Christmas.
17. Leather bag or wallet
Another great Christmas gift for your boss or team lead, is a premium leather bag or wallet. It's one of the best functional gifts your boss will surely appreciate and use to keep all their business cards, credit and debit cards, and money organized.
18. Tickets to their favorite sporting event
There is no better gift for a sports fan than a ticket to an event of their favorite sport. Lots of sports events are going to be hosted around the world in the upcoming days. So, grab a ticket fast to your boss's favorite sports event and surprise them this Christmas.
19. Subscription to their favorite OTT or gaming platform
Does your boss like to chill during the weekends by watching movies or TV series or playing video games? If yes, buy a year's subscription plan to any of the OTT platforms they love or the new PlayStation and win their heart this Christmas.
20. Gift cards
Gift cards are great options when you want to play safe. Get your boss or manager a gift certificate from their favorite shopping site or restaurant this Christmas to appreciate them for always guiding you.
21. Calendar having pictures of the entire team
Calendar is not a unique gift option, but you can always make it by customizing them. Gift your boss this Christmas a customized calendar with pictures of your entire team to showcase on their office desk. This will surely hit the right emotional chord.
22. Personalized stationery
Just like a vintage clock or a custom calendar, you can also gift your boss a set of personalized stationery for their office desk. Include items like pens, pencils, notepads, highlighters, bookmarks, etc.
23. Prepare a short speech
Instead of giving a holiday card with a heartfelt Christmas wish, you can opt to give a short but sincere speech to your boss. Tell them how much you value them and their guidance, and appreciate them for always having your back in times of need.
24. Volunteer together
Since Christmas is a great time for sharing and giving, take your boss for an outing to volunteer together at a local NGO shelter for the underprivileged. You can even rope in your entire team in this plan and celebrate a memorable day with all.
25. Memories book
A hand-made scrapbook cum memory book is also a great gifting option to consider for your boss this holiday season. You can include all your teammates to make this book even more memorable.
Ask all of them to write in the scrapbook how thankful they are to their boss or their favorite memory of them. You can even stick pictures.
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Final words
We hope these 25 ideas prove great options to surprise your boss or manager this holiday season and melt their hearts. You can choose to pick any of these ideas or even multiple ones by asking all your teammates to chip in and get an expensive gift hamper.
