What if your boss gives you a specific gift… not from the firm but out of pocket? Are you obliged to give one in return?
^ Definitely not obligated. The relationship from manager to subordinate is more clearly defined than vice versa.
I routinely received holiday gifts from managers in the past. It was their little way of saying “thank you” out of their own pocket, on top of whatever I was being comped by the investment bank which came from the business unit’s P&L.
Whenever i travel, i always buy my managers/ coworkers Teas.
It’s easy to travel with because they are light, and depending on your budget, you can find all sort of teas usually in most countries. And people drink tea! even if they are not super big tea fan, but if you buy them interesting flavours (or in a nice box/can), they would try it!
You should get them a case of Reed’s Culture Club Kombucha.
Reed’s Ginger Beer is also good and makes a great gift.
Whenever something appears questionable I search it on my phone and not my laptop
+1 …especially if it has “flesh” in it
haha my bad…not sure about the loophole, mb the experts can chime in…
My boss is named Bob. We got him this (without any sort of inscription on top). It’s really stupid.
I tell my co-workers the same thing right before I head out to buy the scotch.
You’ve never bought me tea 
I have bought some Numi tea in the past, but I see that my manager (who is the head of the firm) likes the tea so much that we now have it regularly stocked in the kitchen. So I have to look for something else now.
Be careful Numi. One bad call and drinking Numi tea is going to be a euphemism for “drinking the Kool-Aid.”
Another option is buying your boss a subscription to AF. 
^Ayo, was Blake Banned?
I wouldn’t buy my boss anything.
As long as you are bringing in revenue, that’s the best gift he can ever receive.
If you must, go to a sporting event together and enjoy a game. That’s a memory. A gift gets tossed to the side.
i would if we work together 
i always find very interesting teas as well, like chocolate flavoured teas, or caramel black teas… they are really crowd pleasers!
We’re still on this? Earlier this morning someone said they were gonna take a car for a long drive and got the same response.
I would not give a gift as I feel like it would come across as trying to win favor. I think if I was at a different place in my career and more established working for or with the same people for many years I would feel differently.
A gift that makes your boss laugh (and which was obviously intended to do so) is a good idea. Giving a gift because you just thought it was too funny to pass up goes a long way toward defusing the worry that your employee is trying to brownnose you.
Horse mask it is.
^ seriously considering the horse mask. Anyone else?
2012 called…