You’ve landed a new job and you’re still just getting to know everyone, but the holidays are coming up – a time when personal relationships are in the spotlight. Close work friends may trade personal gifts, while the entire office might have a few traditions that involve gifting between coworkers.

As the newest person, you likely don’t know your co-workers well enough to guess what they would like, and you don’t yet have the social capital to obligate gift-giving in either direction. But you also want to become a welcome part of the team and join in the holiday cheer. To gift or not to gift? We have put together a helpful guide to point you toward the right level of gifting as the newest team member.

Do Participate in White Elephant Games

White elephant gift exchanges are party events, often shared between coworkers and groups who may not know each other well. In a white elephant game, everyone opens an unlabeled, random gift (usually a gag gift) and then the swapping begins.

White elephant gifting is very friendly for new employees because you can join in the fun with a funny (or even quite nice) gift without needing to know who will end up with the gift at last – or which gift you might wind up with after the swapping is done. Definitely join in!

Don’t Feel Obligated to Bring Personal Gifts

However, if co-workers are swapping personal gifts, don’t feel obligated to spend or to guess. These are exchanges typically between work friends and it’s OK that you do not yet know people well enough to join in personalized gift-giving. If someone gives you a gift as the new person, you might return the favor with something generic like a hot cocoa variety pack or festive socks, but don’t feel like you need to.

Instead, join in other elements of team holiday festivities.

Join the Office Tradition of Sharing Holiday Treats

Around the holidays, many people bring in homemade or store-bought sweets to share. This is a great opportunity for a new person to ingratiate themselves with the team without guessing about personal gifts. Take a moment to learn the food-bringing traditions in your office, then pick one or two of your favorite holiday treats to share.

Want bonus points? Ask around to see if anyone has a dietary limitation (perhaps that you share) and bring a platter that they can enjoy.

Don’t Feel Pressured to Join Group Gifts

If the team is pitching in for a gift, decide on a case-by-case basis whether to pitch in. If it’s for a beloved manager, it’s OK to sit this one out. Gifting up is always iffy, and you don’t yet have a strong relationship with that person. If the whip-round is for someone’s new baby or to gift essentials to someone having a hard time, you might consider throwing in as part of supporting your team and just being a kind human when the opportunity arises.

Do Join Your Coworkers for the Holiday Party or Dinner

Definitely attend your company’s holiday party, and don’t be shy if invited to a team holiday dinner. These celebrations are for everyone. The company/team holiday party is a great opportunity to show that you, the new person, are ready to become a part of the team and enjoy things together. This could be your first off-the-clock set of friendly memories to share with your new team and may forge a few inside jokes that will stick with you for the duration of the job.

Don’t Be Shy About Giving Small, Impersonal Gifts

Lastly, if you are the kind of person who loves to give gifts, you don’t have to hold back. Simply play it safe. You might give everyone in the office a cute mug, or just a candy cane with a ribbon. Giving everyone similar small items says that you’re down for gift giving, but you don’t yet know everyone well enough to pick out a small special something for each person. Next year, you can repeat your candy cane gifting or your coworkers will be less surprised if you like to dive into personal gifting with enthusiasm.

To Gift or Not to Gift: No Need to Worry

When you join a new team, joining in the holiday traditions can be one of the most fun parts. But don’t stress if you’re not ready to join in personalized gifting. Give small gifts, join in shared holiday celebrations, or simply wish everyone good cheer and don’t worry about it at all. Simply by participating and warming up to your co-workers, you can show that you’re glad to share the holiday season with your new team.

For more tips and insights on starting a new job, contact us today.