7 Quirky Holiday Gifts for the Office Party

Those jingle bell sounds mean it's that time of year: time for the office Christmas party.

Most companies don't let the sluggish economy dampen the holiday spirit. Office workers still find ways to celebrate the season, and that includes holiday parties.

Many parties involve some type of gift exchange, from drawing names from a hat to playing anonymous Secret Santa games.

How can you find the right Christmas gift for someone you may only know by name? What is an appropriate gift that anyone can open in front of everyone from the office?

Here are some ideas to get you ready for your office Christmas party. With prices ranging from $7 to $87, give or take, these seven quirky gifts suit just about any need and salary level.

Does your coworker like retro collectibles or novelty items? These Bathing Beauty bookends are sure to please. 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 bookshelf, desk or filing cabinet. Whether you shop at book stores, specialty shops or online retailers, you can find an array of funky bookends to suit anyone's taste.

The $90 price tag puts Bathing Beauty out of range for some office parties, but savvy shoppers can find similar bookends for more affordable prices.

Is your coworker a cyclist or cross-country traveler? Give a desk clock made from old bicycle parts.

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

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

You can also find clocks made from other bicycle parts: aluminum wheels, sprockets and entire bicycles! The prices range from $30 to $90 and up.

Is your coworker a chocoholic? Do you want a gift that is more creative than a box of chocolates? A "chocolate" calculator is the perfect choice.

Designed to look like a candy bar, this calculator has a small LCD screen and silicone number pads that look like chocolate squares.

Your coworker will get a bonus, too. Not only does the calculator look like the real thing, but it smells like chocolate, too!

Chocolate bar calculators are available from gift shops and online retailers. Priced under $10 each, they make great stocking stuffers for the whole office.

Are you having trouble finding a Christmas gift for your music loving coworker? Finger Drums, an electronic tabletop drum set, is the perfect solution.

A tap on a tom tom or snare drum causes the set to flash crazy lights while drum sounds play from an internal speaker. Slapping the cymbal or pressing the bass drum foot pedal activates their sounds.

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

At around $20, Finger Drums are reasonably priced for a holiday office party.

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

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

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

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

Can you believe it? 2013 is just around the corner. Send your coworker into the new year with a new Pop-the-Dot wall calendar from Domberger.

Perforated punch-out dots reveal bright colors for each day of the week. Sundays have outlined numbers that show its relation to the rest of the week or month.

The Pop-the-Dot Domberger Wall Calendar is available in classic black or a funky retro pattern. The retro calendar dots punch out to reveal tiny retro images for each day of the year.

With a price tag under $20, you can get a Pop-the-Dot calendar for your coworker and your own office, too.

A sand picture is a mesmerizing work of art. The gentle flow of sand between the glass is soothing, and watching the changing landscape is a great way to relax during an office break.

Your colleague can display a sand picture on an office desk or mount it on a wall. Men enjoy sand art as much as women do, so it's an ideal Christmas present for the office party.

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

Copyright © 2011. Annette R. Smith. All rights reserved.

Published: December 4, 2011 / Modified: December 25, 2012.

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