How do you wrap a sea monkey?

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Jan, 2008

January is a time for telling friends and family all about the great presents you received during Christmas and Hanukkah. However, when coworkers exchange holiday gifts, some are in for more of a surprise than others. The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing marketing, advertising, creative, and web professionals on a project basis, recently asked advertising and marketing executives to describe the most off-the-wall gifts employees have bestowed on their colleagues.

Those surveyed were asked, "What is the most unusual or unique gift item you've ever heard of an employee giving a colleague?" Here are some of their responses: "a life jacket"; "frozen potatoes"; and "a stuffed rattlesnake."

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"The advertising industry is full of innovative people, and the gifts coworkers exchange often reflect this creative mindset," points out Dave Willmer, executive director of The Creative Group. "In general, it's best not to go too far out on a limb and instead give gifts that are thoughtful and can be enjoyed by the recipient."

A little more thought could have gone into the following presents: "a used, dirty vase"; "a carton of cigarettes--for a nonsmoker"; and "a stained potholder."

By contrast, some gifts showed significant thought. However, those who gave them may have focused too much of it on themselves:

* "Someone gave me a stuffed likeness of his head mounted like a deer"

* "I received a painting of a coworker."

The holidays can be a lonely time for many; perhaps these next presents were designed to keep their recipients company: "a wild turkey"; "a pig"; "sea monkeys"; and "a goat."

The following gifts were not larger than life, but they were of equal size: "a full-size bust of Gene Simmons of KISS"; "a life-size poster of John Wayne"; and "a full-size statue of Cher."

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Presents do not have to cost a lot of money, as evidenced by the following:

* "Someone created a personalized song about the employee."

* "One person gave out gold stars."'

* "We received pictures of former executives with their biographies."

Finally, there is the professional with questionable holiday spirit: "Someone gave no gift--just the statement, 'It's all about me this year.'"