What Office Workers Really Want as a Thank-You Gift (We Asked Our Team)

(Featuring real interviews from the Cubic Promote crew + Australia-wide gifting trends)

Every December, companies across Australia face the same question:

“What do our staff actually want as a Christmas gift?”

So this year, instead of guessing, I grabbed a microphone, walked through the office, and asked our team. I have documented four of the conversations I have had with our team members. What they would want — and what our customers have been ordering. The result? A mix of surprising picks, hilarious honesty, and some very real insights into what office workers across Australia actually appreciate at the end of a big year. And yes — we turned their answers into charts. (You know we love a good chart.) Grab a coffee, and let’s dive in.

Meet the Team & Their Christmas Picks

Here are the final results, including the specific answers of Swami, Catherine, Wendy and Anil. Below is what they said — unfiltered, genuine, and very, very relatable.

1. The Big Question: “Which Gift Would You Choose First?”

Their options:

• Pickleball set
• Notebook
• Basketball
• Food hamper
• Powerbank + charging kit
• Expensive coffee mug
• Really expensive Pen
• Picnic blanket
• BBQ set

   
Here’s how the votes landed:

Why hampers won?

Food. Wine. Treats. Enough said. As Swami put it beautifully:

“Depending on what’s inside… if there’s good wine, I’ll take the hamper.”

Relatable.

2. “Which Gift Would You Secretly Regift?”

The honesty here was next level.

• Pickleball set got two votes
• Pen got one vote
• “Maybe both…” said one brave team member

This is what we call useful gifting intelligence.

3. “What Does EVERY Office Worker Appreciate?”

Here were the answers:

• Mugs – “You can’t go wrong with mugs.”
• BBQ Set – perfect for summer
• Gift Hamper – universal crowd-pleaser
• Notebook + Pen – basic but always needed

Universal Gift Likelihood Table

4. “What Would You Never Buy for Yourself, But You’d Love to Receive?”

This question gave us the fun stuff:

• Notebook (Moleskine-level nice)
• Picnic set
• Noise-cancelling Skullcandy headphones
• A new car (Thanks, Anil.)

   
Notes from the floor: Sometimes the best gifts are the things people want but won’t justify buying for themselves. File that under premium surprise moments.

5. “What Are Clients Ordering the Most This Christmas?”

Our team has processed thousands of Christmas orders from companies across Australia. Here’s what they’re seeing.

Top-Selling Categories (Australia-Wide)

6. “What’s Trending Right Now?”

Our team called out some very consistent trends:

Catherine:   

“Umbrellas, caps and socks — heaps of them!”

Swami:

“Hampers. So many hampers.”

Wendy:

“Tech — but higher quality tech. Premium speakers. Retail-brand gear. Not the budget stuff.”

Anil:

“Clients are leaning into experiences, lunches, good merch, good apparel.”

Here’s how that data looks visually:

7. Items With the Highest Reorder Rates

From our national client base:

Insight: The more useful the product, the more often companies reorder it.

Bonus: Gift Ideas Our Team Says Will Blow Up Next Year

Pulling from your staff + market trends, here are the items offices will love in 2025:

• Mini massage guns
• Premium insulated tumblers
• Desk plant kits
• Luxury soy candles
• Foldable beach chairs
• Bluetooth speakers
• Gourmet hot chocolate kits
• Plush travel pillows
• Reusable bento lunch kits
• Multi-tool sets
• Summer picnic chairs
• Waffle makers

   
Office workers? They’re craving a mix of fun, comfort, and practicality.

Thank You Gift Results

If there’s one lesson from our little office survey, it’s this: People want gifts that feel thoughtful, useful, and good quality. Not random stuff. Not cheap fillers. Just things they’ll actually use. From hampers to premium tech to the humble mug — end-of-year gifting is all about choosing items that spark delight, not dust. And if you want to build your own Christmas gifting program? The team at Cubic Promote has your back.