Seven Quirky Christmas Gifts For The Holiday Office Party

Those familiar jingle bell sounds mean it's that time of year again -- time for the annual holiday office party. While the sluggish economy has dampened the holiday spirit for some businesses, many are still finding ways to celebrate the season. And that includes company Christmas parties.

Most holiday parties include some type of gift exchange, from drawing names from a hat to playing an anonymous Secret Santa game. But how can you find the right gift for a coworker you may only know by name? What is an acceptable, appropriate gift that anyone can open in front of everyone at the party?

Here are a few ideas to help you find just the right gift for your holiday office party. Ranging in price from $7 to $87 (give-or-take), these seven quirky Christmas gifts should fit the bill for just about any need and salary level.

Have you given or received a memorable gift at a holiday office party? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Anyone who likes vintage-inspired collectibles and retro novelty items will love these Bathing Beauty Bookends. Polka dots, stripes, and a black-and-white color scheme add a touch of whimsy to the office.

Quirky bookends are perfect for holding books, magazines, and office files on a desk or bookshelf. Whether you shop online, at book stores, or in specialty shops, you can find an array of funky bookends in designs to suit anyone's taste.

The nearly $90 price tag puts Bathing Beauty out of range for some office parties, but savvy shoppers can find these and similar bookends for half-price online.

Is your coworker a bicyclist or cross-country traveler? How about giving a desk clock made out of old bicycle parts?

This funky desk clock is handmade by a team of gifted Oregon artisans. Made from old bicycle chains and cogs, the unique pendulum clock would look great in any office.

Not only does it keep time as it ticks into the future, but this clock represents many miles of history, too.

Christmas shoppers can find numerous clocks made from other bicycle parts, as well: aluminum wheels, sprockets, and even entire bicycles. Prices range from $30 to $90 and up.

Is your gift recipient is a chocoholic? Are you looking for something more creative than a box of chocolates? Give your coworker a "chocolate" calculator. It's the ideal choice for chocolate lovers.

Designed to look like a chocolate candy bar, this working calculator has a small LCD screen. Made of flexible silicone, the number pads are the "chocolate" squares.

Your gift recipient will get a bonus, too. Not only does this calculator look like chocolate, but it also smells like it.

You can find chocolate bar calculators online or at in-store gift shops. Priced between $4 and $10, they would make great stocking-stuffers for everyone in the office.

Do you need a Christmas present for a music-loving coworker? Finger Drums, a fun electronic tabletop drum set, is just the ticket.

Tapping a tom tom or snare causes the drums to flash crazy lights, while drum sounds play from an internal speaker. Slapping the cymbal and pressing the bass drum's foot pedal activates their sounds.

Your coworker will instantly become a superstar drummer without ever leaving the desk. Skilled musicians can record their creative ditties and play them back to wow their fans.

Finger Drums are a reasonably-priced gift for the holiday office party. Tabletop drums and other musical desk accessories start at around $20.

For a versatile gift that is fun and practical, go for magnetic Desk Dots.

This sleek and shiny ball magnets have several uses: file organizers, business card holders, picture holders, and sculpture art. They also make great stress relievers.

Desk Dots are strong, durable ceramic magnets that go from function to fun and back again. Your coworker will enjoy fiddling with this quirky Christmas gift.

And at less than $20 a set, you can afford to treat yourself to Desk Dots, too.

2012 is just around the corner. Send your coworker into the new year with a Pop The Dot wall calendar.

This funky calendar features perforated punch-out dots that reveal bright colors for each day of the week. Sundays are tracked with outlined numbers within the calendar. Your coworker will always know a day's relation to the rest of the week or month.

Pop The Dot wall calendars are available in a classic black design or a retro pattern. The retro calendar has punch-out dots that reveal tiny retro images for each day of the year.

With a price tag under $20 -- nearly half that, if you buy online -- you can get a Pop The Dot calendar for your own office, too.

Sand pictures are mesmerizing works of art. The flow of sand between the glass is soothing, and the interactive piece is a great way to relax during a break.

Office workers can display sand pictures on a desk or mount them on a wall. Men enjoy them as much as women do, so they're an ideal Christmas present for the office.

Sand pictures come in various shapes and sizes, and in a wide range of prices. Choose sand art for your office party gift, and you can't go wrong.

© Annette Smith. All rights reserved.

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