We've given you some dos and don'ts for exchanging gifts at the office.
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34 of the most bizarre holiday gifts employees have ever received from a coworker
You're better off avoiding gifts that are inappropriate, offensive, or that might leave your coworkers scratching their heads.
Maybe just stick to homemade cookies or a really nice pen.
But if you're still undecided on what you should get your coworkers this year, perhaps knowing what not to give is a good place to start.
According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, conducted online by Harris Poll among 3,907 employees and 2,257 HR professionals, about a fifth (22%) of employees say they plan to buy holiday gifts for coworkers, and 22% plan to buy a gift for their boss.
As a general rule, it's the thought that counts when it comes to gift-giving, which means gifting something thoughtless doesn't leave a very good impression. You're better off avoiding gifts that are inappropriate, offensive, or that might leave your coworkers scratching their heads.
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To help you avoid these gift-giving faux-pas, here are 34 gifts real employees have received from someone in the office during the holiday season, according to CareerBuilder, CooperKatz, and Business Insider survey respondents:
Thoughtless gifts
Thoughtless gifts
BusinessInsider
• A bunch of stationery from the stationery cupboard
• A broken ornament
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• Expired canned food
• Too-small, company-branded apparel
• A pad of paper
• Saran wrap
Second-hand gifts
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Second-hand gifts
BusinessInsider
• A used Yankee candle
• Used plaid tennis shoe
• Old backpack full of old shoes
• Piece of cake that was already being eaten at the party
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Mean gifts
Mean gifts
BusinessInsider
• A bottle of axe and a card that said, "Take a shower."
• Lump of coal
DIY disasters
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DIY disasters
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• Handmade quilted chicken
• Lampshade made out of egg cartons
• Music CD of a coworker
Living things
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Living things
BusinessInsider
• Live fish
• Live lizard
Unfunny joke gifts
Unfunny joke gifts
BusinessInsider
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• Farting Santa
• White elephant, literally
• A pen holder that looks like a crime scene victim
• Oversized pencil (1 1/2 inches in diameter, 12 inches in length)
• A fake lottery ticket
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Inappropriate gifts
Inappropriate gifts
BusinessInsider
• Jewelry
• Coconut bra
• A whip
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Head-scratchers
Head-scratchers
BusinessInsider
• A book about using playing cards to predict the future
• Rain stick
• Shoe box with a ping pong ball inside
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• Two left-handed gloves
• Meat injector
• A real stuffed duck
• A jar of gravy
• A jar of glitter
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• Chicken earrings
Jacquelyn Smith contributed to an earlier version of this article.
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