"Secret Santa" - Thank You? No, Thank You?

It's the most wonderful time of the year.  Or not.

I'm not a Scrooge. Really, I'm not.  But sometimes I could just do without all the office parties and "Secret Santa gift exchanges."  

And whoever thought "re-gifting" was appropriate?  And what about that stupid game where someone gets to "steal" the gift from the other person who just got the reindeer cork screw?

Honestly, it's enough to make me overdose on egg nog.

There are still some gift ideas that are "politically correct," and not such a piece of junk that they're downright insulting.  

Here are my top five ideas (in no particular order) for gifts under $10.

1.  Coffee gift card

2.  Panera gift card

3.  Desk Calendar (preferably not one with dirty jokes)

4.  Ink Pen

5. Mug (a decent mug - not the 99 cent store variety)

Here are my top five ideas (in no particular order) for gifts under $25

1.  Coffee gift card

2.  Movie tix (2)

3.  Bookstore Gift Card

4.  Nice stationery

5.  Collectible ornament

What are some of the favorite/least favorite gifts you've received at the office over the years?

I'd love to know.  

Fa-la-la-la-la!

Have a Seat. How About a New Chair for Christmas?

While sitting in my comfortable SOMA Ergo chair the other day at work, I started thinking about whether I would want a holiday bonus or a new chair, if given the choice.

While sitting in my office chair at home this morning, which is so NOT a SOMA Ergo chair, I was prompted to write this post.

We spend a lot of time in our chairs at work.  Especially if your boss is like mine who prefers his secretary be close-by at all times.  It's not an unreasonable request.  He's a busy guy and doesn't have time to field calls from salespeople who pretend they're close friends.  Not to mention the fact that I'm on company time.

That said, I realized just how much more comfortable I am at work now than when I had just a "standard-issue" secretary's chair.

I'm not so sure that companies give enough thought to the importance of a good chair.  The wrong chair can lead to serious consequences, including back and neck pain, which can result in less productivity and loss of time at work.

Now, here is a shameless plug for SOMA Ergo.  

Not only does SOMA offer a variety of chairs, including the "court reporter" chair, which I actually use, every chair is customized to suit your needs (height, weight, etc.).

This year, you might want to casually "hint" to the office manager that you'd love a new chair for the New Year.  In fact, it wouldn't hurt to casually send your boss the link below and while she's at it, she might want to get one for herself.

Life is short - we need to be comfortable in the chair we're in.

www.somaergo.com

(oh and the answer to the question - a bonus or a new chair?  I think if I had to pick one, I'd say the chair - it's the gift that keeps on giving)