Gift Ideas for a Female Boss

[rduell]

Does anyone have any good gift ideas for a female boss? I am stumped each year at Christmas and her birthday. We've been giving her Cutco items that my husband gets at a HUGE discount since he works for them. We're running out of items to give her though.

She's not the type of person that you would get jewelry, perfume, etc. for. She's a vegetarian so that's why the Cutco choices are so limited. A vegetarian has no need for steak knives! She's not a knick knack collector.

I try to keep a list of things in my purse as I think of them or hear her mention things that she likes, but that list is getting low.

Any brainstorms out there?

[tinapbeana]

bookstore gift card ... relaxation gift basket ... vegetarian cookbook ... gift certificate for whole foods/health food store ...

[fairy74]

gc to a spa, gc for smoothies (i.e. Jamba Juice or something similar), subscription to a vegatarian life or cooking magazine

[rusty@saving]

a mastercard gift certificate...if they still do them. you basically put $ into a mastercard gift card, and they can spend it at any place that accepts mastercard...which is pretty much anywhere.

[aurielle]

A gift card or gift cert. for a day spa or massage, or a vegetarian restaurant or restaurant that has alot of vegetarian options on their menu, or health food store.

[kealina]

wow... that's so cool that you give her cutco... i wish people would buy us cutco as a gift... i like the ideas previous posters gave... i like the ideas of previous posters... especially the magazine subscription if you think she will enjoy it. i heard there are good deals on E-bay for those... if not then i think the restaurant or other gift card ideas would work.

[rob62521]

I'm guess I'm jumping on the bandwagon, but I was going to say a gift card to someplace where she shops. I buy my boss one from Panera because that's her favorite place to go when her boys come home. Last Christmas we all chipped in and bought her a gift certificate to a spa for Christmas and she loved that as well.

[tinapbeana]

last year we all chipped in and got my manager a gift card to chico's, one of her favorite stores.

[lrjohnson]

A nice Christmas tree ornament, or more than one arranged nicely in a basket. After Christmas this year, use the sales in January to get next years.

Picture frames. (I don't like knick knacks and I do like frames, but she may be different.)

Does she have an office with walls? A nice calendar, theme of something she likes.

A coffee or tea basket: specialty teas or coffees, maybe a couple cookies, a nice mug for work (that way you aren't decorating her house!), fancy sugar (turbinado, raw), honey, dried lemon or orange peel. With this them a lot can be very frugal/home made - for the coffees just google for recipes using ground coffee or instant coffee.

Stationery...great for some. (I never use it, I know people who love to use notecards and fancy paper all the time.)

Food basket...can be smaller...three to seven tasty little items.....nice crackers, maybe two kinds, shelf stable jarred dips/spreads, such as tapenade or pesto or garlic aioli, capers, nuts, marinated artichoke hearts or marinated mushrooms. Anything you know of that she would especially think is a treat; cashews, fancy olive oil, whatever. Can be done frugally.

Does she have a pet? Dog toys or treats, cat toys or treats. Can be arranged in a basket.

Depending on your work staffing/vibe: a framed picture of "the team."

[rduell]

Originally Posted by lrjohnson

A nice Christmas tree ornament, or more than one arranged nicely in a basket. After Christmas this year, use the sales in January to get next years.

Picture frames. (I don't like knick knacks and I do like frames, but she may be different.)

Does she have an office with walls? A nice calendar, theme of something she likes.

A coffee or tea basket: specialty teas or coffees, maybe a couple cookies, a nice mug for work (that way you aren't decorating her house!), fancy sugar (turbinado, raw), honey, dried lemon or orange peel. With this them a lot can be very frugal/home made - for the coffees just google for recipes using ground coffee or instant coffee.

Stationery...great for some. (I never use it, I know people who love to use notecards and fancy paper all the time.)

Food basket...can be smaller...three to seven tasty little items.....nice crackers, maybe two kinds, shelf stable jarred dips/spreads, such as tapenade or pesto or garlic aioli, capers, nuts, marinated artichoke hearts or marinated mushrooms. Anything you know of that she would especially think is a treat; cashews, fancy olive oil, whatever. Can be done frugally.

Does she have a pet? Dog toys or treats, cat toys or treats. Can be arranged in a basket.

Depending on your work staffing/vibe: a framed picture of "the team."

"The team" would just be me. LOL!

Pet ideas are good. She has both dogs and cats. Our office has very little wall space. 2 sides of it are made by book shelves, so there are only 2 'real' walls.

Stationery is a good idea for her. I think she would like that.

Thanks for all of the ideas everyone. I'm jotting them down so I can have them for later too.

[pretty cheap jewelry]

Have you tried handmade or really nice soap?

It is such a treat one does not usually buy for themself.

Bath and Bodyworks has some nicer mass produced stuff. But I strongly encourage you to try some REAL handmade stuff. There are some that are vegan (NO animal product). Try daisycakessoap.com or youstinksoap.etsy.com.

Also Dr. Bronners soap (made in San Diego). It is one of the greatest products. It is a liquid castile (vegetable based) soap. You only use a few drops and it is extremely refreshing and wonderful. Get her one bottle with a scrubby for the shower. She'll never forget. They also have a website if you cannot get it in your area.

When I received a nice pack of soap last year it was such a good idea.