For a colleague, a good gift keeps the relationship and the occasion in mind. A small thank-you is different from a team leaving present. Choose around an interest they have shared with you, and keep personal preferences or private circumstances out of the guessing.
Agree a budget for a team present. Avoid intimate gifts and check workplace rules. Not everyone wants something for their desk, so a hobby they mention can be a better lead.
Small gifts means size, not price.
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32 gift ideas
Field Notes are pocket notebooks for jotting ideas down before they disappear. Each is 3.5 by 5.5 inches with 48 pages, and the mixed 3-pack has one each of graph, ruled and plain paper.
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This basket turns a mug they already own into a loose-leaf brewer. Its etched stainless-steel mesh holds the leaves, and the lid doubles as a drip tray once the tea has steeped. On a desk, that means no wet strainer sitting beside the keyboard. It's a compact gift if they're starting out with loose-leaf tea. Check their favourite mug has room for the basket.
Read the tea lovers guide
IQ Puzzler Pro has 120 challenges in a pocket-sized case. They fit 12 colourful pieces onto the board to match each challenge, and some go 3D on a separate pyramid grid. The travel case has a clear lid, so it's handy on a train or plane.
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Give them a new way to brew without buying a machine. The white ceramic V60 sits over a mug or server and uses paper filters. If they like experimenting with coffee, adjusting the pour is part of the appeal.
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Bullet journal fans love the Leuchtturm1917 because it's set up for planning. The pages are numbered, there's a blank contents page at the front, two ribbon markers, a back pocket and stickers for labelling the spine. The dotted grid suits lists, sketches and writing alike.
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The AeroPress is a compact manual brewer that presses water through ground coffee and a filter. It works as an everyday brewer or as a second coffee kit for travel. The Original suits someone with little cupboard space who enjoys making coffee by hand. It’s a manual press, so don’t expect a pump espresso machine.
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A proper lunch in the staffroom beats a meal deal. Bentgo's glass box has three compartments, so food stays separate, and a leakproof locking lid. Glass doesn't stain or hold smells and can go in the microwave without the lid.
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A proper set of cheese knives means each cheese gets the right blade, from soft brie to hard parmesan. Boska's Mini Copenhagen set has four small knives made entirely of stainless steel, sized for a cheeseboard at the table. They go in the dishwasher and look smart enough to bring out when guests are round.
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Houseplants need the odd trim, and kitchen scissors are clumsy for it. Burgon & Ball's mini snips are 11cm long with short, razor-sharp blades for deadheading and snipping herbs.
Read the houseplant lovers guide
This rechargeable light sits around the neck, leaving both hands free to hold a book. Each flexible arm can be positioned separately, with three colour modes and adjustable brightness. It’s an alternative to clipping a light onto a paperback’s pages.
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Hanayama's cast metal puzzles look like small sculptures, and the Enigma is one of the hardest. It's a level 6 Grand Master puzzle designed by Eldon Vaughn, where they have to twist the swirled pieces apart and then put them back together.
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This compact Hario hand mill lets them grind their own beans. It has adjustable ceramic burrs and a 24 g grounds container for small batches. The plastic body keeps it portable, though turning the handle takes more effort than using an electric grinder.
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Teachers get through a lot of pens, so a smart case to keep them together is useful. Herschel's Settlement case is a simple zipped pouch with a side carry handle, about 8 inches long, in eight colours.
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This elasticated pouch slips over an A5 book or notebook and holds two pens or three pencils, so it goes well with a reading journal. The navy pouch has a faux-leather finish. It’s sold as the holder only, without any stationery.
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A storage gift saves you guessing which tea they like. This 1.5-litre KitchenCraft caddy has a grey iron body and a mango-wood lid with an airtight seal. It gives loose leaves or tea bags their own home beside the kettle. The engraved lid and curved shape make it a more considered kitchen present than another packet of supermarket tea. There's only one compartment, though, so it suits a single variety.
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Most bike bells are a dome bolted to the bar. The Knog Oi is a slim ring that wraps round the handlebar instead, with a channel in the mount to keep cables tidy. This is the small size, which weighs 17g and fits 22.2mm bars.
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Lechuza's Classico pots have a water reservoir built in that feeds the plant over time, with an indicator that shows how much water is left. The Classico 21 is 22cm across with a 0.8-litre reservoir, and it can go indoors or out.
Read the houseplant lovers guide
Moleskine's Classic notebook has a hard black cover, rounded corners and an elastic band to keep it shut. This is the large 13 by 21cm ruled version, with ivory acid-free paper, a ribbon bookmark and a pocket in the back.
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This journal gives them one place for books, quotations and reading notes. It’s a 400-page hardback with an alphabetical structure, which suits a reader who wants a record of everything they’ve read. It comes in a protective presentation box, so it’s easy to give.
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A good desk mat makes a kitchen table feel like a proper workspace. Orbitkey's is made from vegan leather and recycled felt, with a slot to hide loose papers and a magnetic holder that stops the charging cable sliding off the desk. It comes in medium and large.
Read the home workers guide
This quiz game suits a film night with friends or family. Teams answer 800 questions about films from several decades and genres, from classics to recent blockbusters, and whoever gets the most right wins. It's a small box with 100 double-sided cards, so it's easy to bring out after dinner.
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Flair pens are a marking favourite. The 0.7mm felt tips write bold, bright lines that won't bleed through paper, and a point guard stops the tips fraying. This pack has 12 assorted colours.
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Pitchfix makes switchblade-style pitch mark repairers, and the Hybrid has an aluminium body with a soft-touch grip. It comes with a magnetic ball marker. Fixing pitch marks is part of every round, so it gets used every time they play.
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The No.16 dot pad has 80 sheets of 80g acid-free paper with pale dots every 5mm, handy for notes, lists and planning. The sheets tear off cleanly along a micro-perforated top, and the cover folds right back.
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The Rubik's Cube has been around since 1980, with over 43 quintillion ways to scramble it and only one solution. The current cube has plastic tiles instead of stickers, so the colours won't peel, and a smoother mechanism that turns more easily. A beginner's guide can be downloaded for anyone starting out.
Read the puzzle lovers guide
Pigma Micron pens are a favourite for inking drawings and sketchbooks. The ink is pigment-based and archival, so it won't fade, and it's waterproof once dry, which means they can paint watercolour over the lines. This set has 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5mm tips.
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Stanley's vacuum-insulated steel mug has a handle and a press-fit lid for drinks at camp or in the garden. The matte-black 0.35-litre version holds a manageable coffee. It's made for sipping, so don't expect a sealed bottle they can put inside a rucksack.
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For tea on a commute or a walk, the Stainless King has vacuum-insulated steel and a closing DrinkLock lid. Its built-in tea hook holds a bag or a compatible infuser. This is the handled 470 ml cranberry-red mug. Don't mix it up with the handle-free tumbler in the same range.
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Memory cards are tiny and easy to lose. This Think Tank wallet holds nine SD cards and folds shut, with a removable lanyard and belt attachment so it can be tied to a bag. There's a window on the front for an ID label in case it goes missing.
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Fudenosuke pens are the favourite for modern brush lettering. The small, springy tips make it easy to switch from hairline upstrokes to thicker downstrokes, and this pack has one hard tip and one soft so they can find their style.
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The Kuru Toga solves the oldest pencil problem, a lead that wears flat on one side. A small gear turns the lead every time it touches the paper, so the point stays sharp and lines stay crisp. It uses strong 0.5mm leads and has a spare eraser under the button.
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Home workers make a coffee, get pulled into a call and find it stone cold an hour later. YETI's Rambler mug is vacuum insulated, so the drink stays hot right to the end, and the MagSlider lid stops splashes near the keyboard. It's dishwasher safe and has a proper handle.
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These products are selected from our researched interest guides. Open the guide beside a product for its selection notes, limitations and sources. A recipient tag is an editorial suggestion, so choose the interests that fit the person you are buying for.
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