Some offices have "Secret Santa" rituals (the more anonymous, the better) with maybe a $20 or $25 price cap; others have policies of no gifts at all (the safest option); still others leave it up to individual departments or managers to do as they see fit. Whichever category your workplace fits into, here are some helpful hints for choosing the right gift and avoiding the landing on Santa's naughty list.

A Lump of Coal, Anyone?

Apparently, giving inappropriate gifts is hardly unheard of. A study done by Consumer Reports some years ago indicated that roughly one-third of respondents felt that bosses and co-workers alike tended to choose poorly at holiday time. Here are some items that made it into a USA Today article about the "worst office Christmas gifts":

• Lingerie or a Victoria's Secret Coupon: there are two sure-fire ways to spell "inappropriate," even if you've seen her when she's sleeping
• A Self-Help Book: e.g., "Management for Dummies"; how about "Find another job, Dummy"?
• Regifted Items: Always a risk, unless you've bothered to unwrap and rewrap the item you have no use for
• Perfume, Cologne or Soap: Trying to send your supervisor or office-mate a message?
• Marijuana-infused Sweets: Even if you're exchanging gifts in Colorado or another state that's made pot legal, it may very well be taboo as far as your company is concerned.

Beyond Naughty & Definitely Not Nice

Didn't think it could get worse than the above? Guess again. NBCnews.com published a list of items a couple of years ago that made its "worst gifts of all time" hit parade. Don't try any of the following at work (or at home), if you know what's good for you:

• Bathroom scales with pictures of barnyard animals where the weight numbers generally go. This is wrong on so many levels, it merits its own chapter in a book. Guess which end the pig and the cow ended up on? Health-club gift cards and infomercial-inspired exercise gimmicks fall into the same category.
• "Handerpants": Just what it sounds like: tighty-whitey boxer-briefs with finger cutouts, that might make even Madonna blush. Bonus points for the reader who can find an earthly use for these.
• Office Bed/Chair: If you're old enough to remember George Jetson's car-that-folded-into-a-briefcase, this sort of works in reverse: a desk chair that folds out into a bed of sorts; for the workaholic in your life. Sleeping on the job? Not a good message to send.
• Razor Blade Soap – Translucent soap with a real razor blade that will surely rust and slice its bather's hand to bits. We couldn't make that up if we tried.
• Nothing: Literally a plastic bubble filled with air. It may seem cute for that gag gift you've been looking for; trust us, it's not.

For Those Who Want to Stay Employed in 2015

Just because office gifts have a tendency to be cheesy doesn't mean they have to be. If you sincerely want to buy your boss, co-worker or secret Santa recipient something tasteful, you don't have to spend a lot. Fazemo

An article from Fazemo lists some items that would be hard to label "inappropriate" – whether for the office, a house party, or for safe regifting, including:

• A High-end Wine Opener: Just make sure it's appropriate for the recipient and idiot-proof, as a lot of ordinary openers are not idiot-proof. 
• Gift cards, which were once considered thoughtless, but are more often than not appreciated, especially if you know the recipient's interests.
• Temperature-controlled Coffee Thermos: Unless your marketing department gives these out to employees endlessly (and they're probably not this nice), who among us doesn't know a coffee drinker at work?
• A Nice Bottle of Table Wine or Champagne: We're not talking Dom Perignon; unless alcoholic gifts are taboo at your office, $25 or $30 should get you a nice bottle of red wine or bubbly, perfect for New Year's or another nice occasion.

Holiday office gifts don't have to be a total drag or a bust. Don't be afraid to have a little fun (within reason); and if you really want to play it safe, a generic gift card (e.g., American Express) that can be used for anything is unlikely to displease anyone. Unless, of course, you don't want the person to know how much you've spent. Then again, no one expects you to blow an entire paycheck, and most offices have pre-set price limits. So do your best to stay in the holiday spirit, and stay away from the inflatable fruitcakes (yes, it's on one of those lists).

Weigh in in the comments section about your office party or Secret Santa, and if you've got a "best gift" or "worst gift" ever story. Ho, Ho, Ho!!