Hey all, I need help!  I am BROKE this year, but I still need to buy at least a small gift for each of my 9 bosses, and a few of the secretaries I work with.  Can anyone help me with some ideas?  I thought about baking something for everyone, but I don't trust my kitchen skills.  So what else is there?

Here are some ideas.

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/money/63giftsunder10dollars.htm

Another thing the link doesn't mention are candles. They are usually inexpensive and are always nice.

I don't know if you have a thrift store in your area-sometimes you can find little things that aren't too expensive. Craft fairs, flea markets, rummage sales, yard sales (which I'm afraid is not in season right now) etc, are great places to find small but nice stuff that won't break your bank.

With me, I usually create slideshows out of my photos. For the past couple of years, there has been someone in the family who received one. This year, we bought a couple of the grandkids some Dr. Seuss books and Charlie & I are going to read them on video. This is especially for the kids we don't see too often (like the ones out in California.) I know you can't do that for your bosses-but it is something to keep in mind if you need to get some gifts for kids.


Cat

Hey all, I need help!  I am BROKE this year, but I still need to buy at least a small gift for each of my 9 bosses, and a few of the secretaries I work with.  Can anyone help me with some ideas?  I thought about baking something for everyone, but I don't trust my kitchen skills.  So what else is there?
Lindor truffles are always sublime, and we buy them on sale for a bag 1.99 and then the girls go to Dollar tree and pick out a container, candle holder, coffee cup, glass and give them the chocolate in it...  Travel mugs are always great for teachers and office as we always need refreshments, not sure how much you want to spend???   I also have a great recipe for "instant cappuccino" with powdered milk, powdered sugar, and instant coffee - in a cute Christmas bag in a cute coffee mug = awesomeness (with a cheap ornament or spoon tied to the wrapper)...  Puppy chow, and  oreo balls/truffles are all easy to make.

For gardner's - or anyone who wants a bit of beauty in this time of year...  Amaryllus and Paperwhite bulbs are abundant in the stores (walmart, lowes, menards, etc...) and they are usually less than $10... (we find them for 3)  They add some beauty to the office, and the teachers in elementary use them as learning projects for classroom. 

Give me some info about them and I am sure I can find you a gift!

Ever shop at QVC?  They sell gourmet candy apples...

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.M25807.desc.Ship-Wk-1212-Mrs-Prindables-12-Santas-Helpers-Gourmet.cm_scid.zone

This particular item has 12 apples each individually wrapped and it costs $49.32 with standard shipping included.

I'm w/ Sami.  Get Xmas themed coffee mugs at the thrift store or dollar store and fill em with the lindor chocolates!

I have also received (a favorite of mine) a plain dollar tree soap/lotion  dispenser...  decorate with some paints, or dangling ornament (doesn't have to be Christmas, can be interest, or multiple to change)  and buy a gallon of purell.  Helps avoid office/school flu!

I'm w/ Sami.  Get Xmas themed coffee mugs at the thrift store or dollar store and fill em with the lindor chocolates!
Who doesn't love a lindor...  or make oreo balls, no cooking there, just have a food processor, can make nutter butter ones, mint ones, alcoholic ones, lemon, whatever flavor of sandwich cookie you can find!

I'm w/ Sami.  Get Xmas themed coffee mugs at the thrift store or dollar store and fill em with the lindor chocolates!


Go to Honk's on a Tuesday.  Not sure if it is still this way but all their stuff is discounted to .88 instead of $1.

Go to Honk's on a Tuesday.  Not sure if it is still this way but all their stuff is discounted to .88 instead of $1.


OH MY - I wanna go! :D

OH MY - I wanna go! :D


Honks rocks. :D

More ideas....  Dog lovers (make homemade dog biscuits - I have made them before, easy and ingredients are cheap and basic, and if you are worried about your baking skills - no one is going to taste them)

Coasters, for the desk - go to home improvement store find close out tiles, buy tiles, glue felt on back - YAY

Granola for the fitness/health food nut - another thing cheap and easy to make

Pleaseexplainthese cookie balls more indepthly!  Pictures would be welcome


:D

Maybe you can get them some gift cards to their favorite restaurant.

Maybe you can get them some gift cards to their favorite restaurant.


She said she's broke so unless she gives them each a card for a buck I don't think that's an option.  ::)

She said she's broke so unless she gives them each a card for a buck I don't think that's an option.   ::)



Dollar menu at McD's here we come!!!  ;D

"A donation has been made in your name to the Human Fund"

Pleaseexplainthese cookie balls more indepthly!   Pictures would be welcome


:D

OMG - YOU NEVER?  They are little balls of awesomeness ( similar to cake balls) Chop up sandwich cookies in a food processor, throw in a block of cream cheese (I cannot taste the cream cheese because of all the sweetness of cookie, cream center, and chocolate on top) - but I am not sure about you...  :-\\  Dipp in chocolate, white, dark, mint, butterscotch, it doesn't matter - the sky is the limit.  You can add rum, creme d'menthe, kahlua, or any other flavoring liquor for a kick to them.  They are delish...

http://beautifulcakedesigns.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/oreo_cookie_balls_display.124172145_large.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/2208123558_ea80711584.jpg Nutter Butter Ball

Dollar menu at McD's here we come!!!  ;D
Mc D's still sell those coupon books at Halloween for the trick or treater's for free product, etc...  but I think they now cost 2.00  :P  I wonder if they still sell the ones for stocking stuffers??? 

"A donation has been made in your name to the Human Fund"


Classic!  ;D

OMG - YOU NEVER?  They are little balls of awesomeness ( similar to cake balls) Chop up sandwich cookies in a food processor, throw in a block of cream cheese (I cannot taste the cream cheese because of all the sweetness of cookie, cream center, and chocolate on top) - but I am not sure about you...  :-\\   Dipp in chocolate, white, dark, mint, butterscotch, it doesn't matter - the sky is the limit.  You can add rum, creme d'menthe, kahlua, or any other flavoring liquor for a kick to them.  They are delish...

http://beautifulcakedesigns.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/oreo_cookie_balls_display.124172145_large.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/2208123558_ea80711584.jpg Nutter Butter Ball



I looked em up cuz I couldn't wait.  The cream cheese scares me a bit.  I'd probably try 1 if it were Oreo or nutter butter.  I'd never make em tho
A) can't phathom buying anything with that word in it  :D
but more importantly
B) I don't have a food processor, blender or anything similar.

Mc D's still sell those coupon books at Halloween for the trick or treater's for free product, etc...  but I think they now cost 2.00  :P  I wonder if they still sell the ones for stocking stuffers??? 



They have gift cards....gift cards to mcd are always welcome  ;)

I looked em up cuz I couldn't wait.  The cream cheese scares me a bit.  I'd probably try 1 if it were Oreo or nutter butter.  I'd never make em tho
A) can't phathom buying anything with that word in it  :D
but more importantly
B) I don't have a food processor, blender or anything similar.
there really isn't much cream cheese, as 1 block to a whole pack of cookies and that makes about 40 balls...  It is more of a binder.  Like I said, I do not taste it, but that is me...  Try them if you get the opportunity. The nutter butter ones are tremendous with milk chocolate on them. 

OMG - YOU NEVER?  They are little balls of awesomeness ( similar to cake balls) Chop up sandwich cookies in a food processor, throw in a block of cream cheese (I cannot taste the cream cheese because of all the sweetness of cookie, cream center, and chocolate on top) - but I am not sure about you...  :-\\  Dipp in chocolate, white, dark, mint, butterscotch, it doesn't matter - the sky is the limit.  You can add rum, creme d'menthe, kahlua, or any other flavoring liquor for a kick to them.  They are delish...

http://beautifulcakedesigns.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/oreo_cookie_balls_display.124172145_large.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/2208123558_ea80711584.jpg Nutter Butter Ball


I've had the Oreo ones, but the Nutter Butter ones have peaked my interest.  They look way yummy.

OMG - YOU NEVER?  They are little balls of awesomeness ( similar to cake balls) Chop up sandwich cookies in a food processor, throw in a block of cream cheese (I cannot taste the cream cheese because of all the sweetness of cookie, cream center, and chocolate on top) - but I am not sure about you...  :-\\   Dipp in chocolate, white, dark, mint, butterscotch, it doesn't matter - the sky is the limit.  You can add rum, creme d'menthe, kahlua, or any other flavoring liquor for a kick to them.  They are delish...


http://memedepot.com/uploads/1000/1269_Raccoon_Really_Really_Want.jpg

I'll vouch for cream cheese.  Ever eaten cheesecake?  It's the "cheese" in cheesecake.  (And cheesecake recipes have about as much sugar as these cookies do...)  

It's just a binder, and there's enough sugar in any cookie (especially a sandwich cookie, where the creme filling is essentially a mix of sugar and fat!) that you'll barely notice it.  If you're really worried about the cream cheese, try just one cookie, a proportional smidgeon of creme cheese (1/40 of a block if there are 40 cookies in a box of cookies).  Wrap cookie and cream cheese tightly in plastic wrap, pick up a mallet, and do what comes naturally.

After your ten-second therapy session, unwrap the resulting packet of crunchy goo, mix into a ball, and taste-test.  Adjust proportions until you've got it right, or are in a sugar coma, whichever comes first.  Either way, you win.

Ya know....any one with a food processor and a tin box can happily send some my way.....  ;)

It's Festivus!  The only time of the year that you can get away with telling your boss to suck on your chocolate salty balls!  (I wasn't expecting to see Vanilla Ice in the recipe :)

(It's close enough to Thanksgivin'.  You can still sing it with feeling.  In harmony.  When it comes around on the saxophone again.  I'm not proud.  Or tired.)

Why not have a traditional Christmas from the late 1880's, for one magazine at the time describes a little boy's stocking as having 2 bags of sweets, pocket knife, oranges, almonds, raisin and 2 jockey’s caps.

Dollar menu at McD's here we come!!!  ;D


;D Food coupons? HA HA HA

Ya know....any one with a food processor and a tin box can happily send some my way.....   ;)
I guess if she does not like them, she could always take them into dispatch and share (and be the most popular kid on the block)  8)

I will see what I get around to making this year for Christmas goodies...

cookie in a jar mix

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cookie-in-a-jar/

(and google can find tons more)

Pretty wrapper and a small wooden spoon on the side.

Christmas Tree Shops (are they nationwide?) do lots of small bits and bobs that you could make into goodie bags.  For example when I organised the teacher appreciation week we made breakfast bags for the support staff.  Each one had an instant oatmeal sachet, a small bottle of long-life orange juice, a jar of jam/jelly and one other item I can't recall, maybe instant hot chocolate sachet or a teabag!

When I was dating Carlos and was flat broke, what I gave him for Christmas were a bunch of coupons.  ;)  With that idea, you can make the coupon for ANYTHING: "Good for one night of babysitting." "Good for one lawn mowing" etc, etc.



Cat

What a bunch of WONDERFUL ideas!  I am having a difficult time choosing between them!  But I want to make the cookie balls regardless.  :)

WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!

 

Since when is a worker obligated to by something for any boss, let alone 9 of them!  What kind of a place is this and when did this get started?  I have to tell you htere are many places that don't allow this kind of thing because it is akin to extortion in order to keep ones job. It is wrong on so many levels.

Well, Ash this is the luck of being part of a helpful community. I hope you sort out wonderfully  ;)

As for me...

We yearly do for Christmas the invisible friend, I ignore if you do something alike in US, the deal is that all the family join in a secret drawing lots to decide who presents who with a small gift. This time I'll have the chance to surprise my own wife  8). So I think some motley coupons could be an astonishing choice.
Depending on the things I have to do to fulfill her , I could be to touch heaven :-* or hell 8-P.

I currently mop floors, wash dishes, cook and more, and even iron. So what could I do out of buying or traveling ?.  

I need an idea only you LADIES have in mind, so please give me a tip it's nearly Christmas time !!




When I was dating Carlos and was flat broke, what I gave him for Christmas were a bunch of coupons.  ;)  With that idea, you can make the coupon for ANYTHING: "Good for one night of babysitting." "Good for one lawn mowing" etc, etc.



Cat


BTW do you still keep the paid off tickets ?   :)


Thanks ladies  ;)

Well, Ash this is the luck of being part of a helpful community. I hope you sort out wonderfully  ;)

As for me...

We yearly do for Christmas the invisible friend, I ignore if you do something alike in US, the deal is that all the family join in a secret drawing lots to decide who presents who with a small gift. This time I'll have the chance to surprise my own wife  8). So I think some motley coupons could be an astonishing choice.
Depending on the things I have to do to fulfill her , I could be to touch heaven :-* or hell 8-P.

I currently mop floors, wash dishes, cook and more, and even iron. So what could I do out of buying or traveling ?.  

I need an idea only you LADIES have in mind, so please give me a tip it's nearly Christmas time !!



Over here we call it "Secret Santa" but it works the same way.






BTW do you still keep the paid off tickets ?   :)


Thanks ladies  ;)



I'll never tell.  ;)  ;D ;D



Cat

WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!

 

Since when is a worker obligated to by something for any boss, let alone 9 of them!  What kind of a place is this and when did this get started?  I have to tell you htere are many places that don't allow this kind of thing because it is akin to extortion in order to keep ones job. It is wrong on so many levels.


Could it be also the same thing as "brown-nosing"? 

WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!

 

Since when is a worker obligated to by something for any boss, let alone 9 of them!  What kind of a place is this and when did this get started?  I have to tell you htere are many places that don't allow this kind of thing because it is akin to extortion in order to keep ones job. It is wrong on so many levels.


I am under NO obligation to buy gifts for anybody!  I am just sort of doing it as a nice gesture.  Plus, they always buy me really nice gifts, so I just feel like I need to aknowledge that somehow.  Even if it's something small.  But there is no pressure whatsoever to buy them something - just something I want to do.

I am under NO obligation to buy gifts for anybody!  I am just sort of doing it as a nice gesture.  Plus, they always buy me really nice gifts, so I just feel like I need to aknowledge that somehow.  Even if it's something small.  But there is no pressure whatsoever to buy them something - just something I want to do.



I hear ya.... I've had bosses I hated who got crap from me.  And bosses I liked who I got something for because I wanted to.

One year, back when I was kinder and gentler and liked my job, I bought something for everyone in the  then I just did it for dispatch..  Then I downgraded to just people I engaged socially with. Now I'm all jaded, bitchty and hateful so they ain't gettin' shyt.  :D

I hear ya.... I've had bosses I hated who got crap from me.  And bosses I liked who I got something for because I wanted to.

One year, back when I was kinder and gentler and liked my job, I bought something for everyone in the  then I just did it for dispatch..  Then I downgraded to just people I engaged socially with. Now I'm all jaded, bitchty and hateful so they ain't gettin' shyt.  :D


LOL!  You're so funny.  The fact that your work sucks is not funny though.  :(

LOL!  You're so funny.  The fact that your work sucks is not funny though.   :(


well as long as I'm funny that's all that really matters.  ;)

well as long as I'm funny that's all that really matters.   ;)


Funny and cute.  You're on top of schitt!

Funny and cute.  You're on top of schitt!




:-*

Then I downgraded to just people I engaged socially with. Now I'm all jaded, bitchty and hateful so they ain't gettin' shyt.  :D


Birth of a meme: 8 years ago, 2003 gave us the Hot Cocoa Sampler Box!

(aka, "how to tell which of your cow orkers are farkers" :)

I like to give my coworkers something from my desk for Christmas.  That way, they have a little piece of me with them always.  A paper clip, a sticky note, some of my work, last year's calendar, white out... they love it, it helps keep my desk clean and neat, and it's so very thoughtful!  My coworkers lurve me.

So yesterday, one of our specialists instituted "Elfing."  It's sort of like a secret santa.  So now, I only have to buy one gift for one person.  And what's even nicer, is that there is a $5.00 limit.  Which I think is sooooo awesome.  But I'm still loving the ideas in this thread and I think I'll use some of them anyway!

So yesterday, one of our specialists instituted "Elfing."  It's sort of like a secret santa.  So now, I only have to buy one gift for one person.  And what's even nicer, is that there is a $5.00 limit.  Which I think is sooooo awesome.  But I'm still loving the ideas in this thread and I think I'll use some of them anyway!
YAY!

So apparently all of the other secretaries are buying gifts for their bosses in spite of the Elf thing.  And I'm pissed!

So apparently all of the other secretaries are buying gifts for their bosses in spite of the Elf thing.  And I'm pissed!


sux

So apparently all of the other secretaries are buying gifts for their bosses in spite of the Elf thing.  And I'm pissed!
:\'( sorry dear, this does not mean you have to and I will say, our school only allows gifting of the amount of $3...  you have to be very creative to gift only $3