Sometimes the wrong gift is worse than no gift at all. 

They say it’s the thought that counts when it comes to gifting, but what if there is no thought at all? Gifts are interesting things. They’re part of our culture, and we have a whole etiquette around them. As you get older, you generally expect less from your presents. You’re just happy to be thought of, and it’s nice when somebody realizes something about you and manifests that in a gift. Including from your workplace. Workplace gifts are an interesting idea, because there is so much that goes into them. Gifts are a great way to make an employee feel seen, and to thank them for doing something above and beyond. Employees, though, on the whole, would rather be rewarded with real benefits and money instead of gifts. Gifts can only go so far. But if your boss is trying to do something nice for you, then a little thoughtful token can go a long way. Food is usually a good idea in this regard, because you have to eat, and you probably don’t wanna spend money on it while you’re at work. But these are not replacements for being treated fairly as an employee, nor did they make up for them.