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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Abha Shah

Best leaving gifts for colleagues to see them off in style

Ricky Gervais as David Brent in Slough-based TV mockumentary The Office

(Picture: BBC)

When a colleague leaves your workplace, it’s the done thing to have a little celebration in their honour.

They may be moving on to another job, retraining or retiring from the game altogether but the time you spent together treading over the same bit of office carpet for eight-odd hours a day means you’ve forged a bond like no other.

They could be your work BFF (sob, the end of an era) or someone you’ve enjoyed dissecting office politics with; wherever they’re going next, you’ll want to get them something to remember you by.

If you’re in charge of the card and collection, it’s down to you to sort out the leaving gift, and even if you know your work mate well, thinking up the perfect gift (that’s within budget) can leave you feeling stumped.

But have no fear, we’re here to help. We’ve found the best farewell gifts to treat them to, whether it’s for them to enjoy at home or new accessories for their next workplace.

All that’s left is to sort out the leaving drinks.

See our favourite ideas below

Leaving gifts below £50

Fortnum & Mason The Teatime Gift Box

Bid them a job well done and a fond farewell with a sumptuous gift box full of F&M’s favourite afternoon treats. Packed into the store’s distinctive duck egg blue box, this set contains everything they need for a luxe brew; Royal Blend Tea, Summer Glory Preserve – delicious on toast, scones or crumpets and a tin of all-butter Piccadilly Chocolate Pearl Biscuits. It’s bound to impress.

Buy now £28.00, F&M

Tower T17023 Air Fryer Oven

If you’ve been searching for a gift that’s not a bunch of flowers or a gift card, welcome to the most leftfield option on our list.

Tower’s air fryer could be the perfect leaving gift for someone who’ll be freelancing from home or starting their own business. It uses Vortx technology to cook snacks and meals in the 2.2L basket with up to 99 per cent less fat. The dinky machine won’t hog much room on countertops and it comes with a host of preloaded cooking options to help them get started straight out of the box. Comes with a three year guarantee.

Find more air fryers here.

Buy now £36.75, Amazon

Beer Hawk 10th Birthday Discovery Case

For the leaver who adores their hops, send them on their way with a bumper box of beer tucked under their arm. This hamper is to celebrate Beer Hawk’s 10th anniversary and contains a mix of brews from British, Norwegian and South African makers, plus a Beer Hawk branded glass so they can serve in style. On sale from £30.

Buy now £27.00, Beer Hawk

Suzie Bidlake Tiffin Box

If you like the idea of having lunch with a helping of exotic fanfare, feel transported for an hour thanks to this stainless steel tiffin lunch box, handpainted by artisans in Maharashtra, India.

As well as taking to the office, it’s an easy option to take on picnics too, keeping all the courses divided until its chow time.

Buy now £29.00, Etsy

TASSIMO by Bosch Style TAS1102GB Coffee Machine - Black

You may no longer make rounds of tea or coffee for each other, but you can bestow one last great cuppa thanks to Currys. The electrical retailer has this Tassimo coffee machine in a range of colours for just £29. It uses Intellibrew technology to ensure every sip is the perfect blend of aroma and taste. Plus, they can choose from more than 50 varieties of coffee and hot drink disks to switch up their new morning routine. Available in various colours.

Buy now £29.00, Currys

Leaving gifts below £25

Papier Monogram Rick Rack Notecards

There’s nothing like a fresh set of stationery to liven up their next desk and make a fuss of their new job. Give them your best wishes via Papier, who has a range of excellent letter writing and notecard sets in chic designs, all with a personalisation option. Add their initials or their name before hitting the checkout button. This set is offered in three colour options and comes with a set of envelopes too.

25 for a set of 10.

Buy now £25.00, Papier

Cath Kidston Summer Birds Garden Trowel & Fork Set

Whether retirement has come knocking or they’re spending time flexing their green fingers before embarking on their next gig, gardening fans will appreciate some nice new kit to help their cuttings grow. Cath Kidston’s fork and trowel set is decorated with a pretty Summer Birds design with natural ashwood handles and hanging hoops, all packed into a gift set, ready to hand over.

Buy now £25.00, Cath Kidston

Jo Malone Lime, Basil and Mandarin travel candle

Rare is the beauty-lover who doesn’t squeal in delight at one of Jo Malone’s signature cream and black boxes. While many of the fragrance houses’ bestsellers come with hefty price tags, this candle in one of its most popular scents is a tidy £25, making it perfect for handing over to the colleague who lights up your 9-5.

The 60g travel size also comes in Peony and Blue Suede, Pomegranate Noir, and English Pear and Freesia scents, while the standard 200g candles cost £50.

Buy now £25.00, Selfridges

Sony MDR-ZX110AP On-Ear Headphones with Mic/Remote, Black

A great pair of headphones is a universally loved gift, and this pair from Sony are among the best budget buys in the game. They’re light, fold flat, and feature an in-line remote so you can forward, pause and play without reaching for your phone. There’s also a mic to make taking work or private calls a doddle.

Find more headphones here.

Buy now £15.99, John Lewis

Leaving gifts below £10

Dishoom Gift Coins

For the one you always had lunch with, treat them to a slap-up meal at Dishoom with the legendary Indian restaurant’s gift vouchers. They come in the form of special coins, each worth £10 which is enough to cover most breakfast or lunch options.

Buy now £10.00, Dishoom Store

Firebox Personalised air fresheners

If you’ve been looking for a personal gift that won’t break the bank, Firebox is full of novelty ideas at pocket-friendly prices. It does kooky gifts best (which also work well for fun Secret Santa gifts) like this car air freshener that you can have printed with your face - or their office nemesis - for an in-joke that’ll tickle you both.

Buy now £9.99, Firebox

Lemon Loco Traitor Mug

Bring a smug smile to their face with the gift of this mug that spells out how you really feel. The ceramic mug is dishwasher safe and at this price, would pair perfectly with a box of their favourite tea.

Buy now £9.95, Amazon

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