Gifts for coworkers in India: what to give the people you work with, including the men on your teamGifts for coworkers in India: what to give the people you work with, including the men on your team

A coworker gift should be easy to accept

Most people buying for a coworker want three things: it should not cost so much that it embarrasses them, it should not be so personal that it gets read the wrong way, and it should not be one more mug. A small object for their home does all three. So does something to eat, or a good pen.

If a candle is what you are after, Raajkosh makes them by hand in Jalandhar, in pure soy wax. These three work for almost any colleague:

• Spiral Pillar Candles, Rs 179 for one in ivory, pink, blue, yellow or navy, or Rs 799 for the set of five. A twisted pillar that looks good on a shelf even unlit.
• Sunflower Tealights, Rs 449 for 10 ivory tealights in clear cups, each topped with a small yellow wax sunflower. Cheerful, not personal.
• Vanilla Reverie, Rs 549: warm vanilla in an amber glass jar with a black screw lid and gold flakes. It is our only scented candle.

For the men you work with

Gifts for male coworkers are where people get stuck, because the usual answers (a wallet, a perfume, a tie) are too personal from a colleague. What tends to land with men at work: something useful for the desk, a coffee or tea box, a book, or one good-looking thing for the flat.

From our range, two pieces suit men without trying too hard:

• A navy Spiral Pillar at Rs 179, or the set of five at Rs 799 if it is a bigger thank-you. Plain shape, strong colour.
• Vanilla Reverie at Rs 549. An amber jar with a lid reads as grown-up, and vanilla is a scent few people dislike.

We would not send a man at work our teddy, heart or flower candles. They are made for a different kind of gift.

Cool, neat or cheap: matching the gift to the brief

If you are buying for five people, five single spirals come to Rs 895. Buying the set of five instead is Rs 799 and gives each person a different colour. For ten coworkers, ten singles are Rs 1,790, which also crosses the free shipping line.

The office rules nobody writes down

• Stay close to what others spend. If the team usually gives sweets worth a few hundred rupees, stay under Rs 500.
• Same gift for everyone in a group. People compare. Pick one piece, perhaps in different colours.
• It goes home. Most offices do not allow open flames. Say in the note that it is for their home, or that it can sit on the desk as unlit decor if that is allowed.
• Skip strong scents for people you do not know well. Fragrance is personal. That is why most of our range is shaped candles with no fragrance stated.

For a longer list of what is safe and what is not, our guide to gifts that are not too personal at work goes through it person by person.

When something else is the better gift

A candle is the wrong pick for a coworker who lives in a hostel or PG that bans flames, for someone who has said they do not like clutter, or when the team has agreed on something practical. For those, think a snack box from a local sweet shop, a plant for a sunny desk, a notebook and pen set, or a coffee voucher. Gifting sites such as the big flower and cake portals do these well and deliver fast in most cities.

If your company is buying for the whole office with a logo, that is a different order: see Raajkosh corporate gifting, from 10 gifts with a GST invoice.

Ordering, delivery and lighting

Orders dispatch in 24 to 48 hours and arrive 2 to 7 days after dispatch, anywhere in India. Shipping is free from Rs 999, Rs 79 below. Payment is prepaid only (UPI, card, net banking or wallet); there is no cash on delivery. You can add gift packaging and a gift note on the product page. Report any damage within 24 hours of delivery for a replacement or refund.

When it is lit: trim the wick to about 5 mm, set it on a heat-proof surface, keep each burn to 3 to 4 hours, and never leave it unattended.