14 Dec 5 GIFT IDEAS TO GET YOU ON YOUR BOSS’ GOOD SIDE
GIVING IN A MEMORABLE WAY
The thought of buying your boss a birthday or holiday present might elicit feelings that are equal parts anxiety and terror. Maybe you just started your job and don’t know your boss very well, or he seems exceptionally difficult to impress. Wanting to give someone a present that will say as much about you as it does about him is an honorable, albeit rocky, road to travel. We are full believers that if you put enough thought into it, anything has the potential to be wildly successful. So while you reach for your thinking cap, we’ve thrown out a few ideas for worthy presents that he definitely won’t re-gift:
A BOTTLE OF SPIRITS
This requires a little homework, of course. Saunter over to your boss’s office for a casual chit chat and figure out a way to bring up the topic. Maybe mention that you went to a restaurant the other night and enjoyed your favorite brandy after dessert. Be clever with your extraction tactics—don’t make it obvious that you’re sleuthing for information about his spirit cabinet collection. If you can’t figure out his favorite, do your best to buy something relatively rare that your boss will have fun trying for the first time. But make sure he doesn’t hate rye before you drop $100 on a bottle of High West.
BOOK HIM A “NIGHT OUT” LIMOUSINE
Your boss probably spends plenty of time in chauffeured cars—especially if his position requires him to travel often. Remember that the same black sedan can get boring—shoot for something that’s on the luxurious side. Maybe he’ll want to take his wife out to a nice dinner or maybe to a symphony—if your birthday gift gets them to their destination, well, then, you’re on her good side, too, aren’t you?
MASSAGE
Honestly, who can ever go wrong giving or receiving a massage for a present on any occasion? It’s like you open the envelope and instantly, you know you’re getting an hour-long relaxation session that will leave you feeling like a million bucks afterward. Giving your boss a massage also expresses your understanding that he’s probably pretty stressed out and needs to unwind, which is a sentiment that any executive appreciates.
SPORTS TICKETS
This also might take a little sleuthing, but remember, even if he’s not a sports aficionado, sporting events are still fun for virtually every human being alive. He’ll get to enjoy the lively crowd, be entertained for a few hours, and escape the rigid protocol of his executive life. Finding out his preference of sport—hockey, baseball, basketball, football—is the only hard part. Look for clues around his office and pay close attention to any conversations which might turn to sports. You’ll feel like a regular Sherlock, which is also kind of a fun time.
AN AWESOME, RELEVANT GIFT CERTIFICATE
For those of you who are absolutely struggling with the notion of what to get your boss, remember: gift certificates were created for you. But, in order not to look lazy or absent-minded, make sure you figure out what your boss eats or where he shops before you buy him a meal at a restaurant he hates. If he’s a movie buff, a gift certificate to the best local theatre might be right down his alley. Maybe he loves sushi—drop by the best sushi place in town and get him one of theirs. Whatever gift certificate you decide to pick up, be confident that it’s something he will like. Accomplishing the feat of giving your boss a great birthday present is right at your fingertips as long as you commit to the research and listening that goes into figuring out what he likes. Who knew?