Gifts for your boss in Canada

The rules

A gift to a boss carries more weight than other work gifts. Keep it modest and impersonal, and give as a team if you can. Check the company policy; some workplaces cap gift values or ban gifts to managers.

If your boss has asked for nothing, a charity gift is the clean way through. The Plan Canada goat and the Compassion Canada clean water gift both send money to a cause with a card in their name. The tax receipt goes to whoever paid.

Pick from their working day

A boss who plans on paper will use a Leuchtturm notebook. Choose ruled or dotted to match what they carry into meetings. A boss who gets tension headaches and keeps something in the desk drawer may like the Saje roll-on, though the mint is strong in a shared office.

Coffee and chocolate are the safe fallback. Kicking Horse is easy to give from one person. Purdys hedgehogs are recognisable, and Rogers' box is a classic from Victoria. For a team gift, the Ethical Bean bundle or the Jakeman's maple basket covers more ground.

Budgets

From one person, stay small: a bag of coffee, a box of chocolate, a notebook. From a team, the middle band covers the maple basket, a Headspace year or a dozen Pro V1s for a golfer. The Roasters Pack coffee advent calendar is the bigger team gift for a boss who likes trying roasters, and it must arrive before December 1.

Timing and delivery

Order chocolate and food from smaller shops early; Canada Post and couriers slow down in December, and delivery to remote regions costs more. Headspace is emailed on the date you choose, which makes it the last-minute option. If you work remotely, ship to the office or ask HR for an address rather than asking the boss directly. Include a gift receipt with anything sized.

Questions people ask

Is it appropriate to give your boss a gift?

It is fine in most workplaces as long as the gift is modest and impersonal. Gifts usually flow down, not up, so a group gift from the team is the safest form. Check if your company has a policy on gift values. If your boss has asked for no presents, a charity gift in their name with a team card is a good compromise.

How much should you spend on a gift for your boss?

From one person, keep it under about $30: a good pen, a notebook or a box of chocolate. From a team, $50 to $150 is normal, which covers a desk organiser, a keyboard or a coffee bundle. For a retirement or farewell, a bigger group can spend more on something lasting like a grinder or a work bag.

What do you get a boss who has everything?

Something consumable or something that helps someone else. Single-origin chocolate, a coffee bundle or a magazine subscription gets used up rather than adding clutter. A charity gift, such as paying for a goat through Plan International Canada, suits a boss who would rather not get more things. A metal desk puzzle also works for someone who likes a quiet challenge.

What is a good group gift for a boss?

Pick one useful item the whole team can afford together. A maple basket, a heated travel mug, a mechanical keyboard or a work tote are all solid choices. For a boss leaving or retiring, a coffee grinder or a set of salt and pepper mills will last. Collect the money early and get everyone to sign one card.