25 Cheap Gifts for Coworkers (Most Under $10)

Office gift exchanges are common, and so is the money stress that comes with them. In a December 2025 Harris Poll survey for Express Employment Professionals, 64% of hiring managers said employees at their company regularly exchange gifts, and 46% of job seekers said they feel pressured to spend a specific amount. If you want to show up with something nice without blowing the holiday budget, you’re in the right place.

This list is built around cheap gifts for coworkers that still look like you put thought into them. The ideas are sorted by rough price, starting with treats you can make in bulk for a few dollars each. Next come small desk upgrades and Secret Santa picks that suit almost anyone. At the end, you’ll find a short guide to office gift etiquette, including what to do about the boss.

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Table of Contents

Cheap Gifts for Coworkers Under $5

These work when you want to give something to the whole team, or when the office limit is tiny. Most of them cost about as much as a vending machine snack.

1. Hot Cocoa Treat Bags

Three clear treat bags of hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows tied with red twine and topped with candy canes on an office desk. — Cocoa mix, marshmallows and a candy cane in a clear bag cost very little per bag when you buy the supplies in bulk.

A canister of hot cocoa mix, a bag of mini marshmallows and a box of candy canes will fill a dozen small bags. Grocery stores and dollar stores sell all three, and cellophane treat bags come in packs of 50 or more.

Set up an assembly line. Scoop two or three spoonfuls of mix into each bag, add a handful of marshmallows and tie it shut with twine. Hook the candy cane through the knot so it doubles as a stirrer.

These suit a big team, a shared floor or the coworker you only know from the elevator. For a personal touch, write each name on the tag in white pen on kraft paper.

To stretch the budget further, buy store-brand cocoa. Nobody can tell once it’s in the bag.

Tip: Write “add 8 oz hot water or milk” on the tag so nobody has to guess the amount.

2. Homemade Cookies in a Clear Bag

Decorated Christmas tree cookies with green icing packed one by one in clear bags. — One decorated cookie in its own bag looks like it came from a bakery. Photo: Lara / Pexels

Baked goods are the gift the Emily Post Institute calls “usually a safe bet” when you draw the name of a coworker you don’t know well. One batch of sugar cookies or gingerbread can cover a whole department.

Bake on the weekend, ice the cookies on Sunday night and let the icing dry overnight before you bag them. A plain cookie with one or two colors looks cleaner than an overloaded one.

Bag each cookie on its own so it stays fresh on a desk. A small sticker or a strip of washi tape across the top looks neat and costs next to nothing.

If you’re short on time, a box of cookie mix works fine. The bag and tag do most of the work.

Tip: Add a small label listing the main ingredients. People with nut, dairy or gluten allergies will be glad you did.

3. A Smooth Gel Pen and a Sticky Note Pad

A black gel pen tied with green ribbon on a stack of pastel sticky notes with a blank kraft tag. — A good pen is the one office supply people never seem to have when they need it.

Everybody has a pen. Few people have a pen they like. A smooth gel pen is a small upgrade that gets used every single day at work.

Office supply stores, Target and Walmart sell multipacks of good gel pens, so the cost per pen drops to a dollar or two. Pair each one with a small pad of sticky notes.

Tip: Tie the pen to the pad with a bit of ribbon and skip the wrapping paper entirely.

4. Lip Balm With a Cute Tag

Two plain lip balm tubes tied with a red ribbon and a blank white tag on a cream knit scarf. — Two lip balms and a ribbon make a quick winter gift for a desk neighbor.

Office air gets dry in winter, and lip balm is one of those things people run out of at the worst time. Multipacks bring the price per tube down a lot.

Choose an unscented or mild flavor so it suits anyone. Two tubes tied together feel more like a gift than one.

Tip: A tag that says “For the dry season” or “Stay cozy” keeps it light and friendly.

5. A Tea Sampler Envelope

A kraft envelope holding several individually wrapped tea bags next to a white mug of hot tea on a desk. — Five tea bags in a kraft envelope make a calm little gift for the tea drinker on your team.

Buy two or three boxes of different teas, such as peppermint, chai and chamomile. Then split them into small envelopes so every coworker gets a mix.

This gift works well for the person who already has more mugs than cabinet space. It gets used up, so nothing ends up in a drawer.

Tip: Pick at least one caffeine-free tea so the gift works for afternoon breaks too.

6. Peppermint Bark in a Small Tin

Homemade peppermint bark with dark and white chocolate and crushed candy cane in a small round tin. — Peppermint bark takes about 20 minutes to make and looks like it came from a candy shop.

Melt dark chocolate, spread it on a parchment-lined sheet pan, then add a layer of white chocolate and a handful of crushed candy canes. Chill it until firm and break it into rough pieces.

Crush the candy canes in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Press the pieces into the white chocolate while it’s still soft, or they’ll slide off later.

One sheet pan fills several small tins. Craft stores and dollar stores sell tins in multipacks, and coworkers can reuse them for paper clips or earbuds once the bark is gone.

This one suits the coworker with a sweet tooth. It also travels well, since a tin keeps the pieces from breaking in a work bag.

Tip: Store the tins somewhere cool until you hand them out, since a warm car can melt the chocolate.

7. A Real Thank-You Card

A hand sliding a cream card into an envelope on a wooden desk beside a cup of coffee and a pine branch. — A few honest lines in a card can mean more than anything you could buy.

A card costs a few dollars, or less in a boxed set. What makes it a gift is what you write. Name one specific thing the person did this year that helped you.

This is a good choice for a manager or a mentor. It thanks them without the awkwardness of a solo gift to the boss.

Tip: Keep it to three or four sentences. Short and specific reads as sincere.

8. A Tiny Succulent

A small succulent in a dark pot on a wooden table beside an open book in warm light. — A small succulent brings some green to a gray office and needs very little care. Photo: Lisa Fotios / Pexels

Garden centers and big box hardware stores often sell small succulents for a few dollars each. They need light and very little water, so they suit a busy desk.

Put each one in a simple pot or a paper cup wrapped in kraft paper. If you buy a tray of them, you have gifts for a small team.

Tip: Add a note that says “water every two weeks” so the plant has a chance to survive January.

Related: Dollar Store Gift Ideas That Don’t Look Cheap

Coworker Gifts Under $10

These suit a desk mate or a work friend you know fairly well. Each of these looks like you put thought into it, not just money.

9. A Coffee Mug Stuffed With Treats

A white ceramic mug filled with wrapped chocolates and candy, wrapped in cellophane with a red bow on an office desk. — A plain mug filled with candy looks like a gift basket at a fraction of the price.

Plain white mugs cost a few dollars at a dollar store or a big box store. Fill each one with wrapped chocolates, a coffee pouch or a hot cocoa packet.

Start with a crumpled square of tissue paper at the bottom so the treats sit higher and the mug looks full. Then stand a candy cane or a tea bag upright so something peeks over the rim.

Match the filling to the person. A coffee drinker gets a single-serve coffee pouch, a tea fan gets a few tea bags, and anyone else gets chocolate.

For a group, buy a bag of mixed wrapped candy and split it across all the mugs. The mug stays at work long after the candy is gone.

Tip: Wrap the whole mug in a cellophane bag and tie it at the top. It looks finished without any paper.

10. Fuzzy Holiday Socks

Three people sitting together wearing red Christmas socks on a patterned rug. — Fun holiday socks are an easy pick when you have to buy for someone you barely know. Photo: Thirdman / Pexels

Holiday socks are cheap in November and December. Many stores sell them in multipacks, so the price per pair drops a lot.

Socks are a little personal, but they are a classic gift exchange item that nobody minds getting. Choose a fun pattern rather than anything too silly.

Tip: Roll a pair and tie it with ribbon so it looks like a candy cane.

11. A Planner for the New Year

A sage green notebook with an elastic band and ribbon bookmark next to a black pen and eucalyptus. — An undated planner lets them start whenever they like, even in February.

A new planner makes sense in December, when people are already thinking about next year. Undated ones are handy because the first page can start any week.

Target, Walmart and office supply stores carry small planners and notebooks at budget prices. A simple cover suits more people than a busy pattern.

Tip: Choose a pocket-size one. It fits in a work bag and is more likely to get carried every day.

12. A Phone Stand for the Desk

A light wood phone stand holding a smartphone on a white desk beside a keyboard and a red bow. — A phone stand keeps the screen in view during calls and clears space on a crowded desk.

Most people prop their phone against a mug or a monitor. A simple phone stand keeps it upright so they can see messages and join video calls without holding it.

Plastic and wood stands both cost very little, especially in multipacks. Choose a neutral color so it fits any desk.

Tip: Tuck a little candy inside the gift box so it feels like a treat as well as a tool.

13. A Small Candle

A small lit candle in an amber jar tied with twine and a kraft tag on a wooden desk with a coffee cup behind it. — A small jar candle is a gift to enjoy at home, since many offices do not allow open flames.

Small jar candles are easy to find at discount stores like TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, and even at dollar stores. A clean scent like vanilla, pine or cotton is safer than a strong one.

Many offices do not allow open flames, so think of this as a gift to take home. It is one of the easiest picks for a gift exchange.

Tip: Tie a small box of matches to the jar with twine. Now it is ready to use.

14. Hand Cream for Winter

A cream colored tube of hand cream next to a folded gray knit glove and a pine sprig. — Hand cream is a gift people use every day once the cold weather hits.

Hand washing, cold air and office heating dry out skin fast. A travel-size tube of hand cream fits in a desk drawer and gets used daily.

Drugstores and Target sell small tubes for a few dollars. Pick an unscented or lightly scented one, since a strong smell bothers people in shared spaces.

Tip: Buy a three-pack for a holiday gift set and split it among three coworkers.

15. A Movie Night Kit

A small basket with a striped popcorn box, a paper bag of popcorn and two boxes of candy on a cozy blanket. — A popcorn box, a bag of popcorn and two candies make a cozy movie night at home.

Put a bag of microwave popcorn, a box of movie candy and a paper popcorn box in a small basket or bag. That is a whole night in for about the cost of a snack at the theater.

This works for coworkers with kids, roommates or partners, because it is something they can share at home.

Tip: Dollar stores sell popcorn boxes and movie candy, so you can build several kits in one trip.

16. A Coffee Shop Gift Card

A paper coffee cup next to a kraft card holder with a blank white gift card and a red ribbon. — A $5 or $10 card to the coffee shop near the office is a gift almost nobody returns.

Gift cards do not feel cheap when they match the person. Emily Post lists coffee or tea shop gift certificates as “perennial favorites” for coworkers.

Pick the shop closest to your office, so the card gets used on a normal workday. If you don’t know the person’s order, a local cafe card is safer than a big chain they may never visit.

Make a simple sleeve from a folded square of kraft paper or cardstock. Write a short line on the front, such as “Next coffee run is on me.”

Buying several? Some chains run holiday promotions on gift cards, so check before you buy for the whole team.

Tip: Tuck the sleeve into a holiday card. The card gives you room to write a real thank-you.

Secret Santa Gifts for Coworkers Under $20

If your office sets a limit, stick to it. These gifts suit almost anyone, which matters when you draw the name of someone you barely know.

17. An Insulated Tumbler

A matte sage green insulated tumbler with a straw on a white desk beside a laptop and a small wrapped gift. — A tumbler keeps coffee hot through a long meeting and water cold all day.

Few Secret Santa gifts get more daily use than an insulated tumbler. Store brands at Target, Walmart and Costco keep drinks hot or cold for hours.

It is a safe pick when you draw a name you barely know, since nearly everyone drinks coffee, tea or water at work.

Check two things before you buy: a lid that seals and a size that fits a car cup holder. A tumbler that leaks in a work bag won’t get used twice.

To make it feel more personal, fill it with a few tea bags or a coffee pouch and add a gift tag tied around the handle. Many stores sell tumblers in two-packs, so a pair can cover two Secret Santa gifts if your office runs more than one exchange.

Tip: Pick a neutral color like sage, black or cream. Bright colors are more personal and harder to guess.

18. A Cozy Throw for a Cold Office

A cream sherpa throw tied with a red ribbon draped over the back of an office chair. — Every office has someone who wears a sweater in July. This one is for them.

Some offices run cold all year. A small fleece or sherpa throw that stays on the chair is a gift the person will thank you for every morning.

Throws go on sale often in November and December. Look for a lap-size one, since it takes up less space at a desk.

Tip: Roll it tight and tie it with ribbon. It needs no box or paper.

19. A Desk Puzzle or Game

A wooden tangram set and a small wooden maze puzzle on a white office desk next to a coffee mug. — A small wooden puzzle gives people something to do with their hands on a long call.

Emily Post lists desk games among the go-to office gifts. A wooden tangram, a small maze or a puzzle cube gives people a short break from the screen.

Bookstores, toy stores and big box stores all carry them, and many small ones fit a Secret Santa budget.

Tip: Choose one with no small loose pieces if the person shares a desk or hot desks.

20. A Paperback Book

A paperback with a plain cover wrapped in a band of kraft paper, twine and a pine sprig on a wooden desk. — A paperback with a short note about why you picked it feels personal without being too personal.

Books work well when you know a little about the person. Choose a popular novel, a cookbook or a light read in their field.

Paperbacks cost less than hardcovers, and used bookstores often sell them for much less. Emily Post lists books among good work gifts.

Tip: Put a short sticky note inside the cover saying why you chose it.

21. A Lunch Bag or Bento Box

An oatmeal insulated lunch bag next to a two-tier bento box tied with a red ribbon on a break room counter. — A good lunch box helps a coworker bring food from home, which saves them money all year.

This is a frugal gift in the best sense: it helps the person save money long after the holidays. A good lunch bag or bento box makes packing lunch easier.

Target, Walmart and Amazon carry plenty of budget lunch bags and bento boxes.

Tip: Add a favorite snack inside so the first packed lunch is ready to go.

Related: Cheap Gift Ideas for Friends

Cheap Gifts for the Whole Office

When you want to include everyone, one shared gift often costs less than ten small ones. It also means nobody gets left out.

22. A Cookie Tray for the Break Room

A box of assorted gingerbread cookies being opened under a Christmas tree. — One big batch of cookies in a box covers the whole team at once. Photo: Katrin Bolovtsova / Pexels

If you have twenty coworkers, twenty separate gifts add up fast. A big tray or box of cookies in the break room includes everyone for the cost of one batch.

Put out a card that says who brought them, so it still feels personal.

Tip: Bring them on a Monday morning. That is when people need a treat most.

23. A Hot Cocoa Bar

A hot cocoa station on an office table with a thermal carafe, paper cups and jars of marshmallows, peppermint and chocolate chips. — A carafe of cocoa and a few jars of toppings turn a normal afternoon into a small party.

Set up a hot cocoa bar for one afternoon in December. You need a carafe of hot cocoa, cups and a few toppings like marshmallows, peppermint and chocolate chips.

It is a fun group gift because people gather around it and talk. That counts for a lot on a busy team.

Tip: Ask your manager first and pick a quiet afternoon, so people actually have time to stop by.

24. Name Ornaments for the Team

Six clear glass ornaments with hand lettered gold names lined up on white tissue paper with twine. — Clear ornaments with names written in gold paint pen make a matching gift for a small team.

Clear plastic or glass ornaments come in boxes at craft stores and dollar stores. Write each coworker’s name in gold or white paint pen.

It is a small gift that stays with them, and they will see it every year when they decorate.

Tip: Practice the names on paper first, and choose plastic ornaments if you are worried about breakage.

25. A Group Gift for the Boss

A signed group greeting card open on an office desk next to a wrapped box with a gold ribbon and a small plant. — A group card with everyone’s signatures and one shared gift is the polite way to thank a boss.

Etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute advise against giving your boss a gift that’s just from you. A solo gift can look like an attempt to win favor.

A group gift is the better way to do it. Pass around a card, set up an envelope for anonymous contributions, and make it clear that joining is optional. Then buy one nice item with what you collect.

Name one person to collect and shop, and set a deadline a week before the last workday. Good picks are things the boss would use at the office, like a desk plant, a nice notebook or a coffee shop card.

The card matters as much as the gift. Ask each person to write one line, so the boss reads real thanks instead of a page of signatures.

Tip: If you suggest an amount, keep it low and say clearly that any amount is fine.

Office Gift Etiquette: What to Give and What to Skip

Three coworkers in Santa hats holding wrapped Christmas gifts in a bright office. — A group exchange keeps everyone on the same budget. Photo: Utopix Pictures / Pexels

The Emily Post Institute calls baked goods “usually a safe bet” for the office and lists coffee and tea gift cards as “perennial favorites.” It also suggests skipping anything personal, like perfume or clothing, at work.

For the boss, Emily Post advises against a solo gift. A group gift from the team is the better route, and contributions should stay anonymous so nobody feels judged for chipping in less.

If buying for every person feels like too much, suggest a Secret Santa, Yankee Swap or grab bag. Emily Post notes that these formats keep costs down. A set dollar limit also puts everyone on the same footing. That matters: in the same Harris Poll survey, 71% of job seekers said gift pressure hits lower earners hardest.

Food gifts need one extra step. Put a small ingredient label on anything homemade, and flag nuts, dairy and gluten so coworkers with allergies can decide for themselves.

The research supports keeping it simple. A 2009 study by Francis Flynn and Gabrielle Adams found that gift givers expect pricier gifts to be appreciated more, but recipients don’t actually value them more. A $5 treat bag can land just as well as a $25 gadget.

For wrapping that costs next to nothing, see Cheap Gift Wrapping Ideas, and for more do-it-yourself options, try Handmade Gift Ideas. To plan the whole season’s spending, use our gift budget guide.

Cheap Gifts for Coworkers FAQs

How much should you spend on a coworker gift?

Follow your office’s set limit if there is one. If there isn’t one, choose an amount you’d be comfortable with if everyone matched it. Many cheap gifts for coworkers on this list cost under $10, and Emily Post says homemade gifts are fine. Try not to outspend the group, since that can make others feel awkward.

Should you give your boss a gift?

Emily Post advises against a solo gift to your boss. A group gift from the team, with anonymous contributions, is the safer choice. A sincere card is also enough.

Do I have to buy gifts for all my coworkers?

No. Most people only give to their close teammates, or join a Secret Santa or grab bag. If you want to include everyone, a batch of under-$5 treats like cocoa bags or cookies keeps it affordable.

What is a good Secret Santa gift for someone you don’t know?

Pick something most people use: a tumbler, good chocolate, a coffee shop gift card or a desk plant. Skip perfume, clothes and jokes that could be taken the wrong way.

Sources

Express Employment Professionals / Harris Poll, “Behind the Holiday Glow” (Dec. 2025): expresspros.com
Emily Post Institute, “Seven Holiday Gift Giving Tips for the Office”: emilypost.com
Emily Post Institute, “The Workplace and the Holidays”: emilypost.com
Flynn, F. J. & Adams, G. S. (2009), “Money can’t buy love,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology: doi.org

Price ranges in this post are rough estimates, not quotes from a specific store. Check current prices before you shop, since they vary by store and region.

Photo credits: Lara, Lisa Fotios, Thirdman, Katrin Bolovtsova and Utopix Pictures via Pexels. Other images were created for Frugal Journal.

25 Cheap Gifts for Coworkers That Feel Thoughtful (Most Under $10)