How much to spend on a coworker's gift
Keep a coworker's gift simple and moderately priced, and when the team chips in for a manager's gift, go lower than you think: Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute suggests that if $50 a person feels easy, make it $25. Gratos finds a gift from a real store within the amount you name, and shows the exact total, tax and shipping included, before you approve.
Updated
How much should you spend on a coworker's gift?
Less than you'd spend on a friend. The Emily Post Institute's advice is to "Keep the gift simple and moderately priced", and to give gifts to close colleagues "discreetly—preferably outside of the office" (Emily Post Institute, read October 29, 2026).
We couldn't find a current, independent survey of what people spend per coworker gift, so we don't quote one. If you see a confident figure, check who ran the survey and when.
How much should each person put into a group gift?
Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute, put it plainly when talking about a team's gift to a boss: "And I would make it lower than you're thinking. If your brain goes, 'Oh, $50 bucks would be easy,' make it $25 per person." (Salon, 2024-12-09)
Two more rules from the same sources:
- Make it voluntary. It's "okay to suggest an amount", but "participation is entirely up to the individual" (Emily Post Institute).
- Include everyone or no one. "It's important to be all in, or none." (Salon)
Do you have to give coworkers a gift?
No. A gift at work is never required, and a specific thank-you often does more than a present. In a study published in Psychological Science in 2018, people who wrote thank-you letters underestimated how surprised and positive the recipients would feel, and overestimated how awkward they'd find it (ScienceDaily, 2018-08-28).
If you do give, give to the people you're close to, and keep it out of sight of those you're not.
What if the company is paying?
Then the budget is the company's, and the same amount should go to everyone for the same occasion. See how much to spend on employee gifts.
IRS Publication 15-B says gift cards from an employer, "no matter how little, are never excludable as a de minimis benefit" (IRS Publication 15-B). We can't tell you how it applies to you; ask your accountant.
How does Gratos keep to your amount?
- Name the amount when you ask: "a thank-you gift for Sam, who loves tea, under $25". Gratos finds a gift from a real store, or you choose one, and you confirm it.
- The exact total before approval. Each approval covers the store's price, tax and shipping.
- If your company runs its gifts in Gratos, a campaign has one total budget, and Gratos warns before approval if the estimate goes over it. See Gratos for teams.
Questions
- Is $50 too much for a coworker gift?
It can be, if it puts pressure on others to match it. A simple, moderately priced gift is the safer choice, and a group gift lets everyone put in a smaller amount.
- Should I give a gift to everyone on my team?
Only if you can do it for everyone. Otherwise give to the colleagues you are close to, discreetly, or send each person a note.
- Is a gift card okay for a coworker?
Between colleagues, yes, if you know where they shop. If the company is paying, check how gift cards are taxed: the IRS treats them like cash. Ask your accountant.
- Can I use Gratos for one gift for one colleague?
Yes. Name the person and the budget, confirm the gift, and approve the exact total. Gratos then places the order and the store ships it to them.