How You Can Afford Gifts For All Your Officemates

Giving presents is one way to show that we are grateful to our recipients and that we care for them. those dearest to us that we care. The presents you get them don’t have to break the bank, but it’s always nice to show them that they’re worth that extra penny. So, how do we go about giving everyone we love – from close friends to office mates – a nice present without going over budget, you ask? But how to produce affordable yet thoughtful pressies for co-workers? 

If you’re a kitchen whiz, bake cookies or muffins and individually pack them for the best bang for buck. Kitchen klutz? Repack store-bought tea bags, candies, etc. and add a thoughtful quote.

Time-poor? No worries. Let not the stresses of the holidays overwhelm us by outsourcing the hassles of traffic and wrapping to technology. 

Here are some our affordable, sustainable and cause-driven picks you might like:

P50 and below 

Tea bags, supermarket, about ₱6.50/teabag. Pack one or a few in a pretty pouch or envelope. Personalize with a meaningful quote.

Plantable Pencils, shopee, ₱17. Made by students and mothers from CamanavaCaMaNaVa, these pencils have a gelatin capsule with seeds at the end. Choose from: sili, kamatis, talong, mint, basil, citronella, bell pepper, cabbage, pechay, and onion.

Bamboo Regular Straw, simula.ph, ₱40. Walk the zero-waste talk armed with this baby.

Bamboo Milk Tea Straw, simula.ph, ₱50. Lessen the guilt scratching that milk tea itch. 

Tablea chocolate, shopee/supermarket, ₱50. Nothing says Christmas more than some tsokolate eh 

P100 and below 

Sanitizer, Human Nature, ₱69.75. Keep hands and surfaces clean, triclosan-free.

Scented Cleansing Bar 120g, Human Nature, ₱84.75. Made with natural essential oils and glycerin from locally-sourced Philippine coconut oil, free from BHT and EDTA, discoloration-preventing chemicals found in many soaps that can irritate the eyes and skin. Cold-processed to keep natural glycerin, using less energy and waste.

Microfiber Hair Turban, Daiso, ₱88. For the girl who always gets to work with wet hair

Manatea loose-tea infuser, Daiso, ₱88. This cute manatee rests on the cup while tea steeps. 

Organic Handmade Soaps 90g, simula.ph, ₱90. Those from La Maison B give 20% of its proceeds to support autism inclusion efforts. 

Sisal Soap Saver Pouch, simula.ph, ₱90. For the avid traveler, this useful pouch made of sisal plants holds soap and exfoliates the body. 

Food Grade Dishwashing Liquid, simula.ph, ₱0.25/mL or ₱90+. This biodegradable powerhouse cleans your dishes and is safe for our bodies and waterways. 

Mesh Unsponges, simula.ph, ₱90. Fabric side for delicate surfaces, mesh part for scrubbing tougher stains. Handmade using fabric scraps. 

Flavored Lip Balm 4g, Human Nature, ₱94.75. Made from cocoa butter, beeswax and sunflower oil. 

Soothing Balm, Human Nature, ₱99.75. Relieve stress, nausea and body aches by inhaling peppermint, eucalyptus and bergamot oils in this pocket-sized balm.

P150 and below 

Mix and match the above by bundling the soap saver with soap, tea with infuser, and dish soap with unsponges. Or:

Hand & Foot Salve 30g, ₱149.75 (bulk buy discount start from batches of 3). Moisturize hands and feet with sunflower, avocado, soybean and coconut oils and aloe. 

Insect Repellent, simula.ph, ₱150. Refill at ₱2/ml. Be dengue-proof year-round fiercely but safely with repellent made from natural citronella, eucalyptus and lavender. 

Beeswax Wrap, simula.ph, ₱150. Made from cotton meshed with organic beeswax and natural oils, this cling-wrap alternative is reusable, too. 

Jack’s Produce Spanish-Style vegan sardines, Try Vegan, ₱150. In olive oil, in corn oil, in tomato sauce and in chili oil, give our oceans a break and dig into these yummies made of jackfruit. 

Online stores usually have free shipping for minimum purchases, while some sites like Lazada, Shopee, Papemelroti and Human Nature  also supply Christmas gift bags and cards for ₱15-20a great price. 

A little thought put into finding the right gift can help make Christmas more memorable for our friends, families, and co-workers. Showing the people that matter you care is important, but the biggest rule this season you can’t skip out on? Celebrating Jesus, for He is the reason for the season.