Office secret Santa: What to get

Lots of offices get their employees in the holiday spirit by hosting a secret Santa gift exchange. You might pull the name of someone whom you're very close with, but there's also a chance that you pull a very unfamiliar name. If you know nothing about a fellow co-worker, how are you supposed to know what gift to give them? The trick is to get a present that would satisfy anyone and everyone. Here are a few gift ideas for your secret Santa acquaintance:

Earbuds
Almost everyone listens to music, whether they're at home or in the office. I seem to lose earbuds left and right, so I would certainly appreciate this functional gift. If you want to get a little creative, look for earbuds in special colors or patterns.

A mug
This particular gift can make your office a bit more environmentally friendly. Instead of using disposable paper cups, your secret Santa recipient can reach for a reusable mug. Buy a mug from the store or use a sharpie to draw your own design onto a cup and bake it in an oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. You can even include a bag of coffee grounds in the mug.

If this particular person on your list already has a mug, get them a mug warmer. With this gift, they won't have to travel back and forth to the microwave in order to keep their beverage nice and hot.

Luggage tags
Does this employee travel frequently for work? If so, luggage tags would be an extremely functional gift and help them keep track of their bags during travel. Consider going the extra mile and have their luggage tags engraved.

Bottle opener
People may be popping champagne and wine a little more during the holidays, but this is a tool that would come in handy during any time of year. You can have the bottle opener engraved with their name or choose one with a theme that fits their interest, whether it's sports or the beach.

Theme desk calendar
Help your fellow co-worker keep track of dates and deadlines by giving them a desk calendar. There are always a variety of themed calendars to choose from, like Christmas calendars, breathtaking views of places around the world or pictures of cute puppies. As for me, all of those calendars would help me de-stress during any day of the week.