Gifts for developers and the office: 12 ideas that will not end up in a drawer
What to give a developer, a colleague or a boss so the gift stays on the desk instead of in a drawer. 12 ideas from small things to keepers, with indicative prices.
Why most office gifts fail
A mug with a joke on it, a stress ball, a power bank with a logo. Office gifts have in common that we buy them at the last minute for “someone who works at a computer”. The recipient accepts them politely and a week later they are in a drawer.
A gift that stays on the desk meets three conditions: the person uses it daily, it is better than what they already have, and it does not look out of place next to their other things. The twelve ideas below were chosen by those three rules, from small things to keepers. Each comes with an indicative price and who it suits.
12 ideas
1. A leather desk mat with initials
Used eight hours a day, better-looking with time, and made to measure with initials. The 80 × 45 cm desk mat pulls the whole desk together; the 25 × 25 cm mouse pad fits a small desk or a backpack. Initials are engraved for free. €79 to €129. For a developer, a boss or a colleague working from home. Details on the leather gift with initials page.
2. A mechanical keyboard or a keycap set
Developers like talking about keyboards, at length. If they already have a mechanical one, give a keycap set in a colour that suits their desk; if not, a compact keyboard without the number pad is a safe choice. €35 to €170. For developers and gamers.
3. A lamp with adjustable colour temperature
Most offices have one fluorescent light and most home offices none. A desk lamp or a monitor light bar with a warm evening mode is a gift for anyone who works after dark. €40 to €130. For anyone working from home.
4. A good notebook and pen
Even in a digital company, people sketch and write by hand. A dot-grid notebook that lies flat and a pen that does not bleed are a gift for the whole year. €15 to €60. For a boss, a project manager, a designer.
5. A laptop stand
It lifts the screen to eye level, frees desk space and improves posture; more in our post on workspace ergonomics. An aluminium stand lasts for years. €25 to €80. For anyone working on a laptop.
6. A headphone stand or hook
A headset belongs to anyone who spends the day in meetings. A stand keeps it out of the way and the desk looks tidy. €12 to €40. For developers and anyone with many calls.
7. Cable organisers or a docking station
The cheapest way to make a desk look a class better is to hide the cables. A set of cable clips is a small pleasure; a docking station with one cable into the laptop is a big one. €8 to €200. For perfectionists and owners of laptops with few ports.
8. Coffee gear for the desk
A hand grinder, a dripper or a double-walled mug that keeps coffee warm through a long meeting. Avoid mugs with slogans; plain, well-made ceramics stay on a desk for years. €15 to €100. For the coffee enthusiasts on the team.
9. A plant that survives an office
A ZZ plant, a snake plant or a pothos survive a week without water and make a desk feel alive. Give it in a simple ceramic pot. €12 to €35. For anyone with nothing green on the desk.
10. A book they would not buy themselves
For a developer a book on writing clearly, for a manager a book on focus, for a designer a book on typography. A book is a personal gift if you add a line on why you chose it. €12 to €40. For readers of every kind.
11. A mouse pad for gaming
If the person plays after work, a low-friction gaming pad is a practical gift. Whether leather or cloth makes more sense for them is the subject of Is a leather mouse pad good for gaming? €15 to €50. For gamers.
12. A gift voucher with a clear brief
When you do not know what is on their desk, give a voucher, but for a specific shop and with a note on what you had in mind for them. An anonymous department-store voucher is the surest way to say “I do not know what you like”. Any amount.
Choosing in a minute
If twelve items are too many, narrow it down with two questions: what is the person’s desk like, and how much sits on it. A big desk with a laptop and keyboard asks for something that pulls it together; a small desk or café work asks for something compact.
Two questions and you are done. Colour and initials are chosen in the configurator; we dispatch within 2–3 business days.
A gift for the whole team
If you are choosing for several people at once, the same rules apply, multiplied. We make pads with each recipient’s initials, with a company invoice and free shipping, for companies too; details are on the corporate gifts page. And if you want to add a text of your own, ideas are in What to engrave on a leather desk mat.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on an office gift?
For colleagues and group collections, €15 to €40; for a close colleague, a boss or a partner, €60 to €130. More important than the price is that the gift relates to how the person actually works.
What do I give a colleague who is leaving?
Something for the new desk that reminds them of the team: a leather pad with their initials or the project code, a good notebook or a lamp. Avoid anything with the logo of the company they are leaving.
Will a personalised gift arrive before Christmas?
Pads with initials are made within 2–3 business days and Packeta delivers in 3–7 business days. Before Christmas we recommend ordering by the first week of December.